Examining the Relationship between Prophetic Leadership and Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Lessons from the Cultural Diplomacy of Anṣār and Muhājirūn

Abstract

The Muslim world is at a crossroads in that genuine leadership is almost obliterated. Research has shown that there were leaders who lacked values-based competencies which are paramount in any leadership style. Although a handful of Muslim worlds/nations are making progress in nurturing and managing leaders, the over-arching picture is incredibly worrying and depressing. Undoubtedly, understanding Cultural Intelligence (CQ) can benefit leadership, and cognisance of others’ cultural practices is pertinent. The greatest leadership practices that we could strive to follow is the leadership of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and how the Caliphates learned from the Prophet (PBUH) to build not only human civilisation but also the personalities that form a unique culture for a sustainable society, especially during the time of Sayyidina Umar Al-Khattab.  A dearth of studies on the relationship among CQ, Values-Based Competencies (VBR) and Prophetic Leadership is apparent. Thus, the main purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between prophetic leadership and Cultural Intelligence and most importantly to unveil how leaders can grasp and learn from the diplomacy shown by the Anṣār and Muhājirūn; in that, the prophetic leadership qualities were aptly applied. Additionally, there is an urgent need for education, cultivation, and coaching of current and emerging leaders at all levels, from socio-political to organisational leaders, on how to be quality, judicious, and diplomatic leaders, if we are to build better organisations, societies, and a better world. Prophetic leadership qualities are authentic, timeless, and universal. It genuinely involved the social, economic, and political realities of the communities they serve.