Toward an Islamic Model of Democratic School Leadership

• In Event: Educational Leadership and Islam: Critical Approaches to Identity, Advocacy, and Possibilities

Abstract

Objectives or purposes
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the perception of Islam changed from a tangential religion to one associated with terrorism, hate, and hostility towards democratic values (Rauf, 2004). The vast majority of Muslims condemn terrorism (Esposito & Mogahed, 2007). Nevertheless, Muslims continue to experience harassment and discrimination due to erroneous beliefs about Islam being opposed to western democratic values (Bakalian & Bozorgmehr, 2009). As existing educational leadership thought is principally grounded in western Judeo-Christian beliefs and values (Dimmock & Walker, 2005; Shah, 2006), it is important to consider Islamic leadership principles, which can inform and expand extant school leadership literature. This conceptual paper provides an initial step into considering how and in what ways Islamic leadership is democratic and relevant to schooling—countering inaccurate views of Islam and Islamic leadership.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
This paper presents nine core Islamic principles that cross religious boundaries, namely: good counsel (nasiha); consultation (shura); dissent (ikhtilaf); consensus (ijma); enjoining right (al-amr bi’l ma’ruf); forbidding wrong (al-nahi’an al-munkar); public accountability (hisba); seeking the common good (maslaha); and open-mindedness (ijtihad).

Methods, techniques, or modes of inquiry
This paper aims to counter a dominant discourse that purports Islamic school leadership is counter to western understandings of school leadership. To this end, the first author employed a content analysis of peer reviewed texts to find articles and monographs that discussed Islamic school leadership and democracy in the years post 9/11/2001.

Data Sources, evidence, objects or materials
Common databases (ProQuest, JSTOR, Wiley, and ERIC) were used locate peer reviewed articles related to Islamic leadership, Islam and democracy, shura, and ijtihad. I also selected books on Islam, leadership and Islam, and Islam and democracy to further explore these initial concepts. This search revealed the additional leadership concepts: nasiha (good council), ikhtilaf (dissent), ijma (consensus), al-amr bi’l ma’ruf (enjoining right), al-nai’an al munkar (forbidding wrong), and hisba (public accountability). The second author expanded on these concepts and helped with analysis. An initial model of democratic Islamic school leadership was developed (see figure 1) to show the main concepts of democratic Islamic leadership.

Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/point of view
This inquiry prompted four areas for discussion. First, Islamic school leadership can be democratic school leadership. Second, Islamic school leadership is obligated to engage community. Third, Islamic school leadership is required to cultivate and maintain a positive and inclusive school climate. Fourth, Islamic school leadership is grounded in leadership that is moral, rational, and accountable.

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work
This paper presents eight core Islamic principles that cross boundaries, namely: good counsel; consultation; dissent; consensus; open-mindedness; enjoining right and forbidding wrong; public accountability; and seeking the common good. Furthermore, these principles are grounded honesty, trustedness, truthfulness, and criticality. The explication of these core Islamic principles is reflective of AERA’s theme in that it highlights the value cross-cultural knowledge exchange in the field of educational leadership and underscores Islamic knowledge’s import to the field.

Author

• Melanie Carol Brooks, Monash University