Indonesian Journal of Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies (IJIIS)

Vol. 4 No. 1 September 2020

THE CONCEPT OF IDEAL LEADER IN AL-GHAZALI’S

THOUGHT

Syamsul Arifin*
Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
[email protected]

Article Info
Submitted : May 2, 2020 DOI: 10.20885/ijiis.vol.4.iss1.art5
Accepted : July 28, 2020 *Corresponding author
Published : September 24, 2020

Abstract
Imam Al-Ghazali (1058-111M) was a great Muslim scholar, thinker, scientist and prolific writer
has written a lot of thoughts and ideas in various fields of science, including in the field of Islamic
law. In light of the scientific credibility of Imam Al-Ghazali in the Muslim world, this article seeks
to discuss the concept of the ideal leader in Islamic law according to Imam Al-Ghazali as he offered
in his various works: Al-Iqtiṣād fī al-I'tiqād, At-Tibr al-Masbūk fi Nashīhat al-Mulūk, Iḥyā
'Ulumi ad-Dīn, and Fadh'iḥ al-Bātiniyyah wa Fadhā'il al-Mustaẓhiriyyah. While al-Ghazali
seemed to offer a different set of criteria across these works, the essential criteria of the ideal leader
in his view include: (1) having knowledge and competence, (2) having good religion and morals, (3)
physically and mentally healthy, (4) trustworthy (amanah), (5) fair, (6) willing to listen to advice
from scholars, and (7) live simply and close to the people.

Keywords: al-Ghazali, ideal leader, Islamic law

A. Introduction
Human life cannot be separated from association and association cannot be
separated from the existence of a leader who is obeyed and becomes a unifying
figure. Likewise, a country or a nation cannot stand and move without a leader who
is able to guide, lead, direct, and protect all citizens from dangers and solve their
problems, both those within the country and those coming from outside. So, it is
very important to appoint a leader, head of state, who manages the country, leads
the people, and takes care of state problems.1

1Mujar Ibnu Syarif and Khamami Zada, Fiqh Siyasah: Doktrin dan Pemikiran Politik Islam,
(Jakarta: PT.Gelora Aksara Pratama Erlangga, 2008), p. 96.
 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 85

In Islam, the existence of a leader is very important for a country

and society. This can be seen from the existence and position of the
Prophet Muhammad as the leader of the Muslims. In the Qur’an, Allah emphasizes
the important position of a leader, and states that he must be obeyed after obedience
to Allah and His Messenger.
In selecting a leader, certain criteria and conditions need to be met, so that a
leader will be elected according to the expectations and needs. The accuracy in
choosing a leader will bring progress for the country. Meanwhile, mistakes in
choosing a leader can have a devastating impact on a country, negatively affect the
people, and have major consequences in religion. The ideal leader is the desire
of every person because this kind of leader will bring advances
in an organization, country or nation. Therefore, it would not be surprising
that leaders who are considered less capable or less ideal, for example, because they
are disabled mentally and physically, tend to invite controversy over whether they
should still be retained or dismissed.2
The importance of an ideal leader has been conveyed by the Prophet
Muhammad 1400 years ago. The Prophet said, "If the message has been wasted,
then just wait for the destruction to occur." A companion then asked, "what do you
mean by the message is wasted?" The Prophet replied, "If a matter is left to those
who have no expertise, then wait for the destruction." (Narrated by Bukhari). This
suggests the importance of the position of leader in Islam to the extent that the
goodness of religious affairs and world affairs of the people depends on the leader.
In reality, however, there are still many elections and the determination of
leaders that do not match expectations. For example, a person is made a leader based
solely on heredity, wealth, strength, influence, and popularity while he does not have
sufficient competence to become a leader. This occurs both within the scope of the
highest Islamic leadership in the caliphate system, as well as in the sphere of the
national leadership of a country and local leadership in the regions. As a result, there

2 Muhadi Zainuddin dan Abd. Mustaqim, Studi Kepemimpinan Islam (Konsep, Teori, dan
Praktiknya dalam Sejarah), (Yogyakarta: SUKA-Press UIN Sunan Kalijaga, 2012), p. 33-34.

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86 Syamsul Arifin

was a mismanagement of state regulations, a lack of leadership power, and so on

which resulted in deterioration and damage in the fields of religion, economy,
defense, socio-politics, and others.
One scholar who became a reference on Islamic
law and political Islam is Hujjatul Islām, Imam Al-Ghazali, (1058-111M). This great
scholar, thinker, scientist and prolific writer has written a lot of thoughts, ideas, the
results of analysis and observation as well as the formulation of concepts in various
fields of science, including in the field of Islamic law. His works have become
teaching materials in various universities and Islamic boarding schools in various
Islamic countries. It is not surprising that Al-Ghazali's theories are often researched
and quoted by scholars, especially in the field of Islamic studies. In light of the
scientific credibility of Imam Al-Ghazali in the Muslim world, this article seeks to
discuss the concept of the ideal leader in Islamic law according to al-Ghazali. In so
doing, the article relies on primary and secondary sources. The primary sources
consist of four important works of al-Ghazali which discuss about the ideal
leader: al-Iqtiṣād fī al-I'tiqād, at-Tibr al-Masbūk fi Nashīhat al-Mulūk, Iḥyā 'Ulumi ad-
Dīn, and Fadhā'iḥ al-Bātiniyyah wa Fadhā'il al-Mustaẓhiriyyah, also known as al-
Mustaẓhirī. To enrich the analysis, the article also relies on secondary sources
consisting of other books by Imam al- Ghazali, books by other figures, scientific
papers, journals, and articles that have a correlation with the theme of this study.

B. Theoretical Framework
1. Ideal Leader
Discussions on ideal leaders are inseparable from terms conditions, traits, or
characteristics of ideal leaders. The term condition means (1) as a demand or request
that must be fulfilled; (2) everything that is necessary or must exist; (3) everything
that is necessary to convey a purpose; (4) provisions (regulations, instructions) that
must be heeded and implemented, and so on.3 Term traits or characteristics means

3 Tim Penyusun Kamus Pusat Bahasa, Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, (Jakarta: Pusat
Bahasa Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2008), p. 1042

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 87

(1) the manner and circumstances which looks at an object; outward sign; (2) the
condition of which by nature exists in something (objects, people, etc.); (3) the
characteristics that exist in something (to distinguish from others); (4) basic
character (carried from birth).4
The words terms, traits, and characteristics are often used in research on
leadership, and sometimes they are both used in the same meaning, namely
provisions, regulations, instructions regarding the appearance or condition that
appears to a person, which becomes the basis for an assessment or determination of
something, which must be heeded and carried out.
The word leader in Arabic has a variety of terms such as imam, amir, malik,
khalifah and sulthan. Imam is linguistically derived from the word (amma-yaummu-
imaman) which means those who are followed by the people. Imam is also defined
as a leader, chairman or others.5 The word imam is also used for the position of
those who regulate the benefit of something, army leaders, prayer leaders and other
leading functions.6
The term imam is more synonymous with leader who brings goodness in
religion and has a function as the designation of a prayer (shalat) leader in
Islam. Thus, Islamic literature distinguish between an imam who leads prayer and
an imam who serves as head of state. The imam for the position of head of state is
often referred to as al-imamah al-udhma or al-imamah al-kubra (high leader), while the
imam of prayer is called al-imamah as-sughra (little leader).7
The word khalifah comes from the word al-khalaf, which means al-badal, with
the meaning of replacing, as can be understood in the word of Allah in surah Al-
Baqarah verse 255. From this verse, the word khalifah is often defined as a substitute,
a person who comes to replace and occupies the position of the person he
replaces. Khalifah means someone who is authorized to act and act according to the

4 Ibid, p. 1345
5 Mahmud Yunus, Kamus Arab-Indonesia Mahmud Yunus, (Jakarta: Mahmud Yunus Wa
Dzurriyyah, 1999), p. 428.
6 Ali al-Salus, Imamah dan Khalifah, (Jakarta: Gema Insan Press, 1997), p. 15.
7 A Djazuli, Fiqh Siyasah Implementasi Kemaslahatan Umat dalam Rambu-rambu Syariah,

(Jakarta: Kencana Prenada Media Grup, 2003), p. 54.

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88 Syamsul Arifin

provisions of the person giving the authority.8

The word amir comes from the word amara-ya'muru-amran which means
ordering, the opposite of prohibiting. Amir is a person who rules and can be
consulted.9 The word amir with the meaning of a leader is not found in the Quran,
although the basic word, amara, is found. The term amir was popular among the
Prophet’s companions (sahabah) during their deliberation in Tsaqifah Bani Sa'idah to
determine the replacement of the Prophet in worldly leadership. The term amir
was also used by the Caliph Umar bin Khattab when he became caliph replacing Abu
Bakr.10
The next term which indicates which leader is malik. Malik is linguistically
derived from the word malaka-yamliku-milkan which means owning or possessing
something, the owner of the government or power in a nation, tribe or
country.11 Likewise the word sulthan which has the same meaning, a king or a
guardian. The word sulthan is mentioned in the Qur’an with the meaning of
authority. This shows that the word sulthan was well known by the people of Arab at
that time so that it was used in the Qur’an and al-Hadith.12 Thus, the
term sultan was synonymous with kings, heads of state, and malik. In Indonesia,
however, sulthan is also more widely understood and used than the word khalifah,
imam, malik or amir and absorbed in the Indonesian language with meaning of king
or head of government.13
Regarding the concept of leadership in Islam, there are strong foundations that
are not only built from Islamic values derived from the Qur’an but also the role
models and direct practices of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions
centuries ago. It is proven that they can develop their exemplary dynamically in
Muslim society amidst various social, political and cultural conditions. According to

8Taufiqi Rahman, Moralitas Pemimpin dalam Perspektif al-Quran, (Bandung: CV Pustaka

Setia, 1999), p. 21.
9Louis bin Nakula Dhahir Makhluf, al-Munjid fi al- Lughah wa al-A’lam, (Beirut: Dâr al-

Machreq sarl Publishers, 2000), p. 344.

10 A. Djazuli, Fiqih Siyasah, p. 59.
11Mahmud Yunus, Kamus, p. 428.
12 A Djazuli, Fiqih Siyasah, p. 60.
13 Ibid., p. 60

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 89

Islamic understanding, the trust and responsibility given to a

leader are not only accountable to those he leads, but also will be accounted
for in the presence of God. So, accountability of leadership in Islam not only held
accountable horizontally to fellow human beings, but also held accountable vertically
to Allah in the hereafter.14

2. Islamic Law
Islamic law comes from two basic words, namely Islam and law. The term
Islam, according to Mahmut Syaltout, is the name of religion of Allah that is
mandated to the Prophet Muhammad to be taught and propagated to all human
beings. Simply put, Islam means the religion of God brought by Muhammad and
then delivered to the race of man to achieve the well-being of his life both in the
world and in the Hereafter later.
The word law in Arabic (al-hukm) is derived from the word hakama-
yahkumu which means to lead, to decide, to order or to judge. Law can be
understood as rules or norms that
regulate behaviors of man in society, both norms that grows and develops in
a society as well as the regulations made by the authorities. In practice, there are
written laws in the form of legislation such as the laws in Western countries and the
majority countries in the world, and there
are also laws that are not written like legal customs.
Based on the meaning of the basic two words, the term Islamic law can be
understood as a set of norms or laws or regulations that are revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad to regulate human behavior or morals in their private and public
life. Put simply, Islamic law is law which is is derived from the teachings of Islam.
The term Islamic law is actually not known in the literature of Islam such
as the Qur’an and the hadith. The term Islamic law in Arabic literature is referred
to as al-shari'ah al-Islamiyah and al-fiqh al-Islami. The term Islamic law is
a Western term used by Western authors, especially orientalists, to describe the law

14Muhadi, Studi Kepemimpinan, p. 23-24.

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90 Syamsul Arifin

upheld in Muslim societies derived from the teachings of Islam from the mid-20th
century to the present.15
From the explanation of the definition of Islamic law and its use in various
language contexts, it seems that there is a confusion in the meaning of Islamic
law between shari'ah and fiqh. In Indonesian literature, the meaning of Islamic law
includes sharia and fiqh and even ushul fiqh. Therefore, we often find specific terms
such as Islamic sharia, Islamic fiqh, to avoid ambiguity in the meaning of the word
Islamic law.
Regarding Islamic law which talks about politics, it is included in the third part
of Islamic law, namely about muamalat, later known as fiqh siyasah.16 Political
jurisprudence or Islamic law in the field of politics has the focus of discussion,
among others, on
dusturiyah (legislation), maliyat (finance), qadaiyah (justice), harbiyah (warfare), idariyat
(administration), dauliyah (sovereignty), tanfiziyah (implementation), and so
on.17 Fiqh siasah or Islamic law in the political field is very important to be studied in
order to answer the political problems faced by mankind as well as for the
development of Muslim political thought as part of ijtihad to uphold justice and the
welfare of mankind.18

C. Biography and Contribution of al-Ghazali

The full name of al-Ghazali is Abu Hamid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-
Ghazali ath-Thusi asy-Shafi'i. He was born in the mid-5th century in Tusia, the area
of Khurasan, in 450 H/1058 AD.19 Another source mentions the full name of Imam
Al-Ghazali is Abu Hamid Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Al-Ghazali, and
he was born in the village of Ghazalah/Ghuzala, at the end of the area Thus in 450

15 Marzuki, Pengantar Studi Hukum Islam, (Yogyakarta: Ombak, 2013), p. 8-9.

16 Yusdani, Fiqh Politik Muslim, (Yogyakarta: Amara Books, 2011), p. 22
17 Ibid., p. 24
18 Ibid., p. 26-7

19 Munawir Sjadzali, Islam dan Tata Negara, (Jakarta: UI Press, 1990), p.70

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 91

H/1058 AD. Al-Ghazali thus had a Persian/Iran blood.20

The education background of al-Ghazali started with learning with his father
who taught him reading the Qur’an and basic religious knowledge as well as moral
education. After the death of his father, al-Ghazali and his brother was raised and
educated under guidance of his father's friends, a well-known Sufi, Ahmad bin
Muhammad Ar-Rasykani or Ar-Razikani.21 Then after the property of al-Ghazali’s
father was exhausted and the sufi was no longer able to finance the needs of al-
Ghazali and his brother, al-Ghazali was entrusted to institutions that provide them
scholarships and the cost of living. This school was the place where al-Ghazali met
his teacher Yusuf An-Nassj.22
After graduating, al-Ghazali continued his education in the city of Jurjan, taking
knowledge from a prominent scholar named Abu Nasr al-Isma'ili, studying various
religious sciences and linguistics.23A few years later, al-Ghazali moved to the city
of Nisabur for admission to the oldest university, an-Nidzamiyyah (founded by
Nizam al-Mulk, the then current prime minister), led by al-Juwaini whose school
(mazhab) is Syafi'iite.24 From al-Juwaini, al-Ghazali studied ushul fiqh, mantiq (logics)
and natural science. Al-Ghazali was later appointed as his teacher's assistant and was
able to write books at the age of 28. In addition to the al-Juwaini, al-Ghazali also
studied from other scholars but are generally less well known.
At that time began to arise doubts about the truth that he obtained from his
teachers. Shortly thereafter he joined the group of Nizam al-Mulk,
the prime minister of Seljuk dynasty, A. Arsalan, who at that time was very attractive
to young Islamic scholars.25 Al-Ghazali was never satisfied with the knowledge he

20 Amin Syakur dan Masharuddin, Intelektualisme Tasawuf, (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar,

2002), p. 126
21 Muhammad Iqbal dan Amin Husein Nasution, Pemikiran Politik Islam Dari Masa

Klasik Hingga Indonesia Kontemporer, Edisi Revisi, (Jakarta: Kencana, 2010), p. 25.
22 Amin, Intelektualisme, p. 128.
23 Ibid., p. 128

24 Surwandono, Pemikiran Politik Islam, (Yogyakarta: LPPI UMY, 2001), p. 60.

25H.M. Zukarni Jahja, Teologi Al-Ghazali, Pendekatan Metodologi, (Yogyakarta: Pustaka

Pelajar, 2009), hlm. 71, dan Munawir Sjadzali, Islam dan Tata Negara, (Jakarta: UI Press, 1990),
p. 70.

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92 Syamsul Arifin

possessed.26 Pleasure to discuss and deepen a variety of science is influenced by the

nature of the critical and skeptical that he has, along with intellectual development
and a surge in spiritual development through made al-Ghazali a thinker who
excel in a variety of scientific fields, ranging from fiqh, theology, philosophy,
methods of discussion, ushul fiqih, and sufism (tassawuf). Imam al-Ghazali received
recognition from his teacher and earned the nickname "bahr mughriq" (sinking
ocean).27In 1090 AD, al-Ghazali was appointed professor and rector of the
University of Nizamiyah in Baghdad, whose position was very respectable at that
time.28
Al-Ghazali was a thinker and scholar who was very productive in working and
pouring his thoughts in various fields of knowledge. This ability puts al-Ghazali as
the thinker who was original, expert of Islamic law and sufism, a leading theologian
and defender of Islam in science and knowledge, to the title of Hujjatul Islam.29
Al-Badawi has collected a variety of Imam al-Ghazali in the book Muallafat al-
Ghazali whose contents can be classified into three groups. First, the group of books
whose authenticity can be ascertained as al-Ghazali's works that consists of 72
books. Second, groups books that are doubted as original works of Imam al-Ghazali
that consists of 22 books. Third, the group of books that can be ascertained as not
his work that consists of 31 books.30 According to other sources, the work
of writing al-Ghazali reached 220 works or 228 works.31
The political thought of al-Ghazali is not much different from the opinion
of al-Mawardi regarding government, the obligation to establish a government, and
appointment of an Imam to function in matters of religion and the world. Religion

26Munawir Sjadzali, Islam…, p.71.

27H.M. Zukarni Jahja, Teologi, p. 71.
28Surwandono, Pemikira, p. 61.
29 Ibid, p. 62, see also Munawir Sjadzali, Islam, p. 70

30 Ahmad Daudy, Kuliah Filsafat Islam , (Jakarta: Bulan Bintang, 1986), p. 97.

31Abdullah Mushtafa Al-Maraghi, Pakar-Pakar Fikih Sepanjang Sejarah, (Yogyakarta:

LPKSM, 2001), p. 177; see also Mohammad Waryanto, Pengaruh Pemikiran Imam Al-
Ghazali Terhadap Pemikiran Umar Ibnu Ahmad Baraja Tentang Pateri Pendidikan Akhlak
Anak (Lampung: Fakultas Ilmu Tarbiyah dan Keguruan UIN Raden Intang, 2018), p. 45.

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 93

is the foundation, and the sultan is the guardian. This is because humans are social
beings who need each other both in fulfilling worldly practical needs and for
preparation for hereafter life. The obligation to form a state and elect a head of state
is not based on rational considerations but rather on religious obligations. Even al-
Ghazali emphasized that politics/state occupies a very important and strategic
position, which is only one level below prophethood.32
Philip K. Hitti classifies al-Ghazali as one of the most decisive scholars in the
history of Islam and the Muslim world. In term of laying the basis of the teachings
of Islam, al-Ghazali was even placed at the second place after the
Prophet. He was a thinker who
is not only outstanding, but also very fertile and productive.33 According to
Ibn Khaldun, al-Ghazali was the first of Muslim thinker who used "the new
method" (tariqat al khalaf), in addition to “the classical method" (tariqat as-salaf).34

D. The Ideal Leader according to Imam al-Ghazali

During the time of al-Ghazali, the study of Islamic constitutional law had
developed and influenced the life of the nation and state. Al-Ghazali talked about
the concept of an ideal leader in four of his works, namely al-Iqtisad fï al-I'tiqād, at-
Tibr al Masbuk fi Nashīhat al-Muluk, Ihyā 'Ulumi ad-din and Fadhā'ih al-Bātiniyyah wa
fadhā'il al-Mustazhenvyyah. Al-Ghazali's ideas and thoughts in the four books are not
the same, have their own uniqueness. Likewise, there are several terms in each of
these works which have different uses and meanings. This is, among other things,
what caused some researchers on Al-Ghazali's thoughts to draw different
conclusions about the characteristics of the ideal leader according to al-Ghazali's
view. How al-Ghazali actually thinks about the ideal leader can be seen from some
of his views spread across these four books. In his Al-Iqtisad fï al-I'tiqād, al-Ghazali’s

32 Muhammad, Pemikiran…, hlm. 29, dan Munawir, Islam, p. 74-77.

33 Nurcholish Madjid, Islam Kemodernan dan Keindonesiaan (Bandung: Mizan, 1998), p.
280.
Montgomery Watt, The Islamic Philosophy and Theology (Edinburg: The University Press,
34

1979), p. 117-118; and Nurcholish, Islam, p. 285.

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94 Syamsul Arifin

criteria of the ideal leader include:35

1. Having expertise, namely having the competence to manage subordinates

and bring them to achieve their goals.
In a hadith, the Prophet said that an important matter must be submitted to
people who have competence. If not, then what will happen is destruction. From
this it can be understood that if a country is led by people who do not have
competence, then it is feared that it will further retreat and be destroyed. Conversely,
if a country is led by people who have the expertise and competence to lead, the
country can be expected to progress, and it is predicted that it will become a
developed country in the future.

2. Having knowledge and character of wara'.

If there is a leader who does not have the knowledge, then it will be difficult
fot him to be able to understand all the problems of the
country or institution that he leads. It will be difficult as well for him to gain the
respect and obedience from his subordinates. Thus, science is very much
is needed by a leader, especially the science of religion for the leader of the
religion, science administration for leaders of government, and the science of
management and leadership in general for all leaders. In addition to science, a
leader is also in need of an attitude wara', ie cautious in dealing with the
things he faces. He needs to keep himself away from all things that are forbidden by
religion and can denigrate their integrity such as corruption and criminal
acts that have been forbidden by the rules of religion and state.

3. Fulfilling the requirements to become qadhi, including being male, mature,

sensible, free (not a slave), physically healthy in speaking, hearing and seeing
(not mute, deaf and blind), fair, and has integrity.

35 Al-Ghazali, Imam., al-Iqtiṣād fī al-I’tiqād, (Damaskus: Dar Qutaibah, 2003). p. 170-

171.

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 95

Here al-Ghazali included fulfilling the requirements of qadhi as one of the

criteria for an ideal leader. This is understandable because at the time of his life a
state leader was also a religious leader. When al Ghazali conveyed the criteria for an
ideal leader, he also included the criteria for a qadhi including the condition of being
an independent man.
In the present context when a government leader does not function as a
religious leader, the qadhi criteria for leaders cannot be fully applied. For example,
the male criterion is suitable for the position of khalifah in the past but is not
applicable to the current context for the position of president or regional head in
Indonesia, where men and women have the same right to be nominated as
leaders. After all, the positions of president of a country and head of regions are
different from the positions of caliph as the supreme leader of the believers across
countries and regions. As a whole, however, al-Ghazali’s criteria in many respects
are relevant to the conditions in the present context of leadership.

4. Having a lineage from the tribe of Quraish.

This condition is based on the hadith of the Prophet, "The leader is from the
Quraish tribe." Al Ghazali was an Islamic jurist who argued that among the criteria
for an ideal leader is from the Quraish tribe. Al-Ghazali argued that this had been
determined by the Prophet. In contrast to al-Haramain, al-Ghazali's teacher, who
argued that an ideal leader does not have to be from the Quraish tribe, as long as he
has real competence and power, then he is eligible and entitled to become a leader.
In addition, according to Ibn Khaldun in his Muqaddimah, the hadith can
actually be understood contextually that the right of the leader is not on the ethnic
Quraish, but on his ability and authority. At the time of the Prophet, the people who
met the requirements for leadership and were obeyed by the community were the
Quraish. Therefore, if one day someone who is not from the Quraish tribe has the
ability and authority to lead, he can be appointed as a leader, including the head of

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96 Syamsul Arifin

state.36
In this case, al-Ghazali himself also has a second opinion about the existence
of a leader who does not meet the ideal criteria such as not coming from the Quraish
tribe, namely that the leader is still worthy of being obeyed. Because if not, there will
be chaos and destruction.37

5. The appointment or transfer of power from another party

According to al-Ghazali, a person cannot become a leader without getting the
appointment or transfer of power from the previous leader. In the context of today's
leadership, a leader cannot be a leader without appointment by the previous leader
or election by the people, and inauguration by a council that has the authority in this
matter. In this case, al-Ghazali emphasized on orderly administration and the
continuity of leadership regeneration, as well as the official leadership change
process and according to the rules.

In his At-Tibr al-Masbūk fi Nashīhat al-Mulūk, al-Ghazali offered another set

of criteria for the ideal leader as follow:38
1. Good understanding of the benefits and harms of power
In-depth knowledge of the benefits and dangers of power, which is
strengthened by a khauf-raja' attitude, will encourage a leader to become a
person who always self-introspects and is careful in every word, action and
policy. This is because he knows well that everything associated with it will
have implications for better or worse to the people and will be accounted
for in the presence of God.

36Ibnu Khaldun, Muqaddimah Ibnu Khaldun (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, n.d); Syuhudi Ismail,
Hadis Nabi yang Tekstual dan Kontekstual (Jakarta: Bulan Bintang, 1994), p. 38-40; Muhadi
Zainuddin dan Abd. Mustaqim, Studi Kepemimpinan Islam (Konsep, Teori, dan Praktiknya dalam
Sejarah (Yogyakarta: SUKA-Press UIN Sunan Kalijaga, 2012), p. 37-39.
37 Al-Ghazali, al-Iqtiṣād, p. 172-173.

38Imam Al-Ghazali, At-Tibr al-Masbūk fi Nashīhat al-Mulūk (Beirut: Muassasah Ar-

Risalah, 1991), p. 14-29.

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 97

2. Willingness to listen to the advice of scholars (ulama)

What is meant by ulama here are those sincere scholars who do not speak
and act except for the sake of Allah, and not the bad scholars (ulama su')
who always approach and praise the rulers for only pursuing the
world. The advice of this sincere scholars will make leaders
become leaders who are just for their people.
3. Ability to distance from wrong deeds
A leader must be able to distance himself and his subordinates from
all wrongdoing behavior. Even though he can be fair and stay away from
injustice, but if it turns out that his assistants do wrong things, he will be
held responsible and will also
bear sins for the wrongdoing of his subordinates. In the Torah it is
written that an unjust behavior committed by a subordinate, which is
known and ignored by the leader, will be attributed to the leader, and the
latter will get tormented for it.
4. Avoiding arrogant attitude
The arrogant attitude that arises in a person can cover his common
sense. Justice cannot possibly be born of individuals whose hearts are still
filled with pride. Instead of being fair, a leader who keeps the seeds of
pride in him will become a despicable leader, get angry easily, and may end
up with a cruel attitude towards anyone who opposes him.
5. Strong empathy with the suffering of the people
What is meant by air empathy with the suffering of the people is to feel
what is perceived by the people. A leader who has a high sense of empathy
will treat his people as he treats himself. He loves his people as he loves
himself.
6. Good attention to the needs of the people
A good leader never underestimates the needs of the people, even if they
look trivial. Power can give rise to superstitious nature, which will give
birth to indifference to the fate and needs of the little people. The interests

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98 Syamsul Arifin

of the people, whether they appear trivial or heavy, must always take
precedence over a leader’s needs. In fact, according to al-Ghazali, leaders
are not allowed to be busy with sunnah worship to the point that they are
negligent in their duties to serve the needs of the people.
7. Having a simple life
A leader is not supposed to live in luxuries and indulgence. He should
have a qanā'ah character, namely accepting gracefully the gift of God and
not exaggerating in its uses or consumption. According to al-Ghazali,
justice will not exist if a leader does not have qanā'ah characteristics.
8. Being gentle to the people
The ideal leader must be gentle towards his people. It does not mean soft
or indecisive towards law enforcement. Meek is loving others and
behaving with courtesy to anyone. Not rude, not easily angry, not easy to
yell when facing his people.
9. Commitment to make people happy and prosperous
A leader must always try to make people happy and prosperous by
implementing regulations or policies that are still within the corridors of
religious rules. The purpose of a leader is to regulate and serve the needs
of the people, so that a leader is required to be able to bring prosperity
and happiness to his people. When he is able to make his people
prosperous, people will love him. When the leader and his people love
each other, divine mercy and pleasure will come.
10. Not seeking popularity and sympathy of the people by breaking religious
rules
A leader is supposed to fight for the people, build and bring progress to
their nation. However, he is not allowed to violate religious regulations
just to make his people happy and prosperous. If a leader only seeks
human sympathy, then he will never find it. The attitudes, styles, and
policies that are born from a leader will never be separated from the pros
and cons. This has become the law of nature (sunnatullah).

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 99

Iḥyā 'Ulumi ad-Dīn is another important work of al-Ghazali in which he

discussed about the ideal lader. In this book, al-Ghazali explained how important
the role of the ruler is for the progress of the country and the lives of its
people.39 Damage to the people can be caused by the destruction of the rulers, the
damage to the rulers can be caused by the destruction of the ulama, and the damage
to the ulama can be caused by their love for the world and their position. According
to al-Ghazali in this book, the criteria for an ideal leader are:
1. Having knowledge or expertise
A leader is responsible for the country's progress and welfare of the
people. Therefore, a leader must have the knowledge or skills to
accomplish his task with good leadership.
2. Having the character of cautious (wara’)
A leader has power over all wealth and state treasury, so he is prone to
falling into criminal acts of corruption, collusion and nepotism. So, the
wara' attitude, guarding himself from all things that are haram and syubhat,
is needed for a leader to be able to lead with care and integrity.
3. Descendent of alawy (ahlu al-bait)
The Prophet said that the leader of the Quraish tribe (HR Ahmad). A
leader needs authority and influence to be obeyed by his people, so his
existence as a person who has an honorable lineage can help his
leadership.
4. Good at keeping trust
A leader is a bearer of the mandate who must be accountable for that
mandate before Allah and the people. Therefore, he should be someone
who is good at maintaining the mandate.

The final work of al-Ghazali that deals with the issue of leadership in
Fadhā'ih al-Bātiniyyah wa fadhā'il al-Mustazanvyyah, In this book, al-Ghazali explained

39Imam al-Ghazali, Iḥyā’ Ulumi ad-Dīn, Juz 2 (Beirut: Dar el Fikr, 1995), p. 292.

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100 Syamsul Arifin

the four criteria leader or head of an ideal state as follows:40

1. Having strength and authority
A leader needs strength and dignity to be respected and obeyed by all his
subordinates and his people. The leader must be a strong person, not a
weak person.
2. Having the ability to lead
The position as a leader is not only for pride, but to carry out leadership
duties properly, effectively and efficiently. Therefore, a leader must have
the ability to lead for governing the country and its people
and resolve any problems.
3. Keeping himself from things that are haram and syubhat
A leader has full power over the country and all its treasures. Therefore,
he needs a wara' attitude. If not, he is prone to falling into criminal acts of
corruption, collusion and nepotism.
4. Having knowledge
A leader needs knowledge, expertise and competence in the field of
leadership. Thus, he can carry out his leadership duties appropriately and
effectively. If he does not have it, he will not be able to lead well.

E. Conclusion
Based on the above discussion, it is safe to conclude that in al-Ghazali's view,
there are several criteria for an ideal leader. Al-Ghazali wrote his criteria of the ideal
leader in his four works, namely al-Iqtiṣād fī al-I'tiqād, at-Tibr al-Masbūk fi Nashīhat al-
Mulūk, Iḥyā 'Ulumi ad-Dīn, and Fadhā'iḥ al-Bātiniyyah wa Fadhā'il al-
Mustaẓhiriyyah also known as al-Mustaẓhirī. Al-Ghazali's ideas and thoughts in these
four books are not the same and have their own uniqueness. This, among other
things, caused some researchers about Al-Ghazali's thoughts to draw different

40Imam al-Ghazali, Fadhā’iḥ al-Bātiniyyah wa Fadhā’il al-Mustaẓhiriyyah (Kairo: al-Dar al-

Qaumiyah li ath-Thaba’ah wa an-Nasyr, 1974), p. 68. Zainal Abidin Ahmad, Konsep Negara
Bermoral Menurut al-Ghazālī (Jakarta; Bulan Bintang, 1975), p. 267.

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 The Concept of Ideal Leader in Al-Ghazali’s Thought 101

conclusions about the characteristics of the ideal leader according to al-Ghazali's

view. From these different set of criteria, the essence of the criteria for the ideal
leader according to al-Ghazali can be summed up as follow: (1) having knowledge
and competence, (2) having good religion and morals, (3) physically and mentally
healthy, (4) trustworthy (amanah), (5) fair, (6) willing to listen to advice from scholars,
and (7) live simply and close to the people.

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