Islam Museum Islam Museum islam.museum
Search ⌕ ARENUR
Accessibility
Text size 100%

Saved on this device only — nothing is sent anywhere.

The model for discovering leaders

نموذج استكشاف القادة

Tareq al-Suwaidan's model for discovering people with a readiness to lead: six signs, analysis, initiative, courage, seriousness, ambition and a leadership environment, the means of looking for them through tests and interviews, and its application to Amr ibn al-As (may God be pleased with him).

Depth

At a glance

Region
Global / Diaspora
Review

Politics, governance and authorityEthics and character

Summary

"The model for discovering leaders" is the first of three models on which Tareq al-Suwaidan builds the making of a leader in his programme "Secrets of Prophetic Leadership": discovery, then leadership upbringing, then training. 1 2 It has three parts: the signs, what to look for, and how to look. 1 Its idea, for him, is that an ordinary person cannot be made directly into a leader, but an effective person can, and someone who is not yet effective must first go through leadership upbringing. 3 The signs are probabilities, not certainties: they show that a person's readiness to lead is higher than others', and the more of them meet, the higher the probability. 4 5 He set it out in episodes 9 to 13.

The six signs

1. Analytical ability. He says he used to call this sign "intelligence", until, while writing his book The Making of Intelligence, he became convinced that IQ is largely inherited and that there is no scientific link between leadership and general intelligence; analysis, by contrast, is a part of intelligence that can be trained. 6 7 8 Analysis for him means breaking a complex situation or text into its elements, connecting scattered information, and anticipating the course of events. 9 Its marks include clever questions, clever comments, quick understanding and sound predictions; for quick understanding he cites the Prophet ﷺ at Badr asking two captured water-boys how many camels the Quraysh army slaughtered each day, and, on hearing nine or ten, estimating the army at nine hundred to a thousand. 10 11 12

2. Taking the initiative. Here he looks for projects, ideas, managing groups, founding organisations and creativity. 13 14 15 16 For projects he cites the tent of Rufayda al-Aslamiyya in the Prophet's mosque at the time of the Trench, which he calls the first military hospital in Islam and its keeper the first military nurse, citing Ibn Hisham's Sira. 14 17 For creativity, Salman al-Farisi's proposal to dig the trench. 18 For founding organisations, Abu Basir, who after the Treaty of Hudaybiyya gathered a band on the coast that intercepted Quraysh's caravans, until Quraysh asked for the clause to be dropped under which anyone coming from Mecca as a Muslim was handed back. 19 20 21

3. Courage. He defines it as "holding firm despite fear", a virtue between recklessness and cowardice. 22 23 Its marks include standing firm in moments of fear, as the Prophet did at Hunayn, when, in his account, fewer than a hundred of twelve thousand stood with him; boldness of opinion; criticism, which he says must come with achievement and aim at ideas, not persons; and influence on others. 24 25 26 27

4. Seriousness. It is not the opposite of humour, which is a helpful trait, but of triviality and marginality; people for him are of three grades: marginal, then effective, then leader. 28 29 30 Its marks: activity on public questions of opinion, for which he cites the Prophet's presence in his youth at the Hilf al-Fudul, adding his view that Muslims support international agreements that lift injustice; membership of several clubs; hobbies that build skill; reading and breadth of culture; and care for managing time. 31 32 33 34 35 36

5. Ambition. For him it is the aspiration to lofty things, praiseworthy only when it agrees with the Sharia. 37 38 Its marks: aspiring to high positions, wanting to leave a lasting mark, and setting goals that are clear, realistic, hard but possible, time-bound and measurable. 5 39 40

6. A leadership environment. The children of leaders, officers and senior academics have a higher chance, provided they actually mix with their parents' world; only about 10% of leaders' children, he says, turn out otherwise, a lower share in his view than in the rest of society. 41 42 43 The kinds of such environment, for him: the leadership family, the wealthy family, the activist family, and being an orphan; the orphan, in his view, keeps a mother's tenderness and carries responsibility early. 44 45 46 47 48 He holds that all these environments met in the Prophet. 49

How to look

His means of discovery: intelligence and multiple-intelligence tests; personality tests, for which he cites the hadith of Anas describing several Companions each by his particular strength; talent tests and what is called "talent management"; and personal interviews, in which the candidate is asked about his family, his projects and his part in them, the organisations he founded or joined, and what he reads. 50 51 52 53 54

Applied to Amr ibn al-As

He devoted episode 13 to applying the six signs to Amr ibn al-As as a "natural-born leader". 55 56 Natural-born leaders, he says, are about 1% of people; 98% can learn leadership; 1% are unfit for it; and those closest to the natural-born are the easiest to train. 57 58

Connections

Explore the connections

Subject of
Asrar al-Qiyada al-Nabawiyya, Secrets of Prophetic Leadership (television programme)

People and things also explored

The leader's eight roles and training in general leadership· The environment that fosters leadership· Bad leadership and its seven types· Specialised leadership and training in it· The model of leadership upbringing· Followership and the eight kinds of follower· Leadership and the leader's six roles· Situational leadership

Sources

  1. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:03:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  2. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:03:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  3. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:04:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  4. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:06:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  5. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:42:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  6. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:08:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  7. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:09:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  8. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:10:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  9. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:12:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  10. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:34:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  11. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:35:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  12. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:36:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  13. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:45:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  14. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:48:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  15. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:08:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  16. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:11:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  17. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 9, at 00:49:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  18. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:23:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  19. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:15:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  20. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:20:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  21. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:22:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  22. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:27:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  23. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:28:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  24. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:31:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  25. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:34:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  26. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:45:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  27. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 10, at 00:49:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  28. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:03:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  29. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:05:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  30. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:05:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  31. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:09:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  32. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:11:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  33. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:13:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  34. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:14:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  35. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:17:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  36. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:27:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  37. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:35:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  38. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:36:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  39. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:47:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  40. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 11, at 00:48:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  41. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:04:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  42. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:05:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  43. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:05:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  44. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:13:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  45. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:18:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  46. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:21:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  47. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:24:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  48. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:25:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  49. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:32:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  50. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:32:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  51. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:43:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  52. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:44:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  53. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:48:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  54. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 12, at 00:50:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  55. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 13, at 00:05:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  56. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 13, at 00:23:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  57. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 13, at 00:03:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  58. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 13, at 00:03:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The model for discovering leaders”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/istikshaf-al-qada/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-11-02.

Improve this page on GitHub · Report an error · JSON

Wing

Ideas

Beliefs, concepts, sciences and schools, explained in plain words. Related

The leader's eight roles and training in general leadership

Tareq al-Suwaidan's model of training in general leadership: eight roles, direction, example, change, motivation, training, relations, intervention and empowerment, each with two elements, two competencies and a training skill for each; everything else is management, to be delegated.