This article is translated and improved from a Malay article titled “Beberapa Faktor Asas Bagi Kepimpinan Masjid”, published in Cahaya Menara Biru, An-Nur Mosque’s 45th Anniversary Commemorative Book (2025), available at here. To access the original source, click here.
By Muhammad Haniff Hassan
Introduction
Mosques occupy a central place in the religious and social life of the Muslim community. Considerable resources are invested in building and maintaining them, reflecting both their material value and their importance as institutions for nurturing a righteous Muslim community. Yet the quality and effectiveness of a mosque ultimately depend not merely on its physical facilities, financial resources or programmes, but on the people entrusted with running it.
For this reason, developing the human resources of the mosque should be regarded as a fundamental priority. This includes not only equipping its volunteers, professional staff and management with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their responsibilities but also nurturing the spiritual and moral qualities required to discharge their amanah. Among these qualities, taqwa, sincerity, discipline, humility and a commitment to serving the community are particularly important. Effective mosque leadership therefore requires an integrated approach in which competence is developed alongside character and spiritual formation.
This article argues that the excellence of a mosque begins with the quality of its people, particularly those who provide its leadership. It examines several fundamental principles of mosque leadership and highlights the importance of systematic tarbiyah and tazkiyah as integral components of human-resource development. The objective is not simply to produce competent mosque administrators, but people who are spiritually grounded, morally trustworthy and capable of fulfilling the responsibilities entrusted to them.
Starting with the Human Factor
The foundation of an excellent mosque institution is righteous people and programmes. Righteous people produce righteous programmes, while righteous programmes produce righteous people. But where do we begin? This seems like the proverbial question of which came first, the chicken or the egg.
The answer is not difficult because it has already been stated in the Qur’an which says:
“It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah [while] witnessing against themselves with disbelief. [For] those, their deeds have become worthless, and in the Fire they will abide eternally. The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.” (al-Tawbah 9:17–18)
“Do not stand [for prayer] within it – ever. A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.” (al-Tawbah 9:108)
Both verses clearly indicate that the process of maintaining and developing a mosque begins with people. In the context of the time of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) it began with the Messenger himself. He subsequently developed righteous programmes that produced righteous Companions, and from the Companions emerged other righteous people who maintained and developed mosques in various places, and so on.
The verses above also explain what must be present in those who seek to maintain and develop mosques. The most important quality is not management skills acquired through an MBA or BBA degree, or experience in senior management positions, but the quality of taqwa.
Although the absence of taqwa is not the only cause of the problems that exist in our mosques today, it is among the principal causes. Its absence gives rise to slander, disputes, loss of sincerity and other problems. All these become obstacles to the realisation of our mosques as excellent institutions. Worse still, they constitute a neglect of the religious trust and the wealth entrusted to us by the Muslim community.
An important human factor that ensures the righteousness of a mosque is the leadership that directs and oversees the mosque.
Leadership – An Important Human Factor
Islam places great importance on leadership in every sphere of life. This is reflected in the words of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.):
“If three people set out on a journey, they should appoint one of them as their leader.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
This hadith teaches that even a journey undertaken by as few as three people requires a designated leader. If leadership is deemed necessary in such a small and temporary undertaking, how much more essential must it be in the management of a mosque and in matters concerning the wider Muslim community?
Three foundational principles underpin effective Islamic leadership within a mosque institution.
First, the awareness that every individual is, or will inevitably become, a leader in some capacity. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said:
“Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. A leader of the people is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is a shepherd over the people of his household and is responsible for his flock. A woman is a shepherd over the household of her husband and is responsible for her flock. A servant is a shepherd over the property of his master and is responsible for his flock. Surely, each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Every Muslim, therefore, should be prepared to shoulder leadership responsibility and cultivate within themselves the capacity to lead.
Second, leadership must be understood as a taklif (responsibility) rather than a tashrif (honour). The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) cautioned Abu Dharr:
“O Abu Dharr! You are weak, and authority is a trust. On the Day of Resurrection it will be a cause of humiliation and regret, except for one who takes it with its due rights and fulfils the obligations pertaining to it.”(Narrated by Muslim)
Third, leadership should never be actively sought. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said:
“Indeed, we do not appoint to this position one who asks for it, nor one who is eager for it.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari)
This does not mean, however, that one may never offer oneself for a position of responsibility when the interests of Islam genuinely require it — as exemplified by Prophet Yusuf (a.s.), who said:
“Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian.” (Yusuf, 12:55)
While Islam discourages the pursuit of leadership positions for personal gain, it does not discourage the cultivation of leadership qualities — indeed, it actively encourages this preparation, as reflected in the Qur’anic supplication:
“Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes, and make us an example for the righteous.” (al-Furqan, 25:74)
The lesson here is that Allah Ta’ala encourages believers to develop the qualities and capacities of leadership, so that they may be ready to serve as exemplars when called upon.
The lives of the Companions illustrate this balance well. They approached leadership with remarkable humility, yet once entrusted with responsibility, they discharged it with excellence. This was only possible because they had already been nurtured in leadership — both through their own character development and through the deliberate training of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). Examples include his sending of Ali (r.a.) to Yemen as his representative, his appointment of Mu’adh (r.a.) as a judge in Yemen, and his designation of various Companions as commanders of military expeditions.
It stands to reason that no one can fulfil the leadership responsibilities required by Islam without first possessing a sound understanding of Islamic teachings. Those who have been properly nurtured in this outlook should therefore be given priority in undertaking such responsibilities — though sound understanding alone is insufficient without deliberate training in leadership skills.
For those seeking to contribute to mosque leadership, or for mosque leaders wishing to cultivate the next generation of leadership talent, three practical steps are recommended: instilling a deep and correct understanding of the concept of Islamic leadership, facilitating active involvement in organisational work, and providing direct exposure to leadership responsibilities.
Classical scholars have identified two essential conditions for anyone entrusted with leadership: quwwah — the competence, skill and knowledge required to perform the task effectively — and amanah — the integrity and trustworthiness required to perform it in accordance with the will of Allah. Both conditions are affirmed in the Qur’an:
“Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy.” (al-Qasas, 28:26)
Lessons from Congregational Prayers
The extent to which mosque leadership succeeds in ensuring that a mosque functions as it should also depend on the extent to which its leaders embody the philosophy found in congregational prayer, which is the most important feature of a mosque. This includes values such as sincerity, `ubudiyyah (servitude to Allah), adherence to the rules and conditions governing the prayer, obedience to the imam, discipline and others.
Failure by those responsible for maintaining and developing the mosque to internalise and practise these values will result in the mosque failing to fulfil its role.
This reality teaches us that it is important to ensure that those entrusted with administering our mosques possess the values embodied in the practice of congregational prayer. These values should be given greater priority than other characteristics.
This reality also teaches us that the primary objective of mosque programmes should be the development of people who are suitable for maintaining and developing the mosque, in accordance with the values embodied in congregational prayer and the values contained in the verses cited above.
Yet today there appears to be a paradox in our mosques. The mosque’s defining practice is congregational prayer, which teaches Muslims to live in unity, yet the mosque itself can become a battleground for confrontation and disputes that lead to hostility and division. The noble work of maintaining and developing the mosque becomes mixed with personal and individual agendas. Anonymous letters are circulated here and there, and efforts are made to bring down individuals or groups. Slander is spread as though there were no God who knows all things.
The work of maintaining and developing mosques can also sometimes become mixed with feelings of jealousy, envy, resentment, arrogance and other negative traits, whether among fellow administrators or between the administrators of different mosques.
All this demonstrates how important spiritual purity is in administering a mosque, rather than relying solely on intellectual ability and management skills. This is why Allah highlights, in the verse mentioned above, the importance of the presence of men who love to purify themselves.
Process and Means
Spiritual purity cannot be achieved without continuous efforts in tarbiyah and tazkiyah, whether undertaken by the individuals concerned or by the institutions responsible for appointing mosque administrators.
This reality teaches us that, in developing mosque leadership talent, attention must also be given to tazkiyah, and not merely to intellectual and management skills. If human-resource development is recognised as an important component of modern Islamic institutions, including mosques, it should not be confined to professional competencies, technical skills and organisational capabilities. It should also incorporate systematic and structured programmes of tarbiyah and tazkiyah to nurture the spiritual and moral qualities required of those entrusted with the mosque.
Such programmes should not be limited to those holding formal management positions. They should encompass all those who contribute to the running of the mosque, including volunteer activists, professional staff and members of the mosque management. Each group may have different responsibilities and levels of involvement, but all share the responsibility of contributing to the maintenance and development of the mosque. Therefore, all require appropriate opportunities for continuous spiritual and moral development.
A structured approach to tarbiyah and tazkiyah would ensure that these efforts do not depend solely on the personal initiative of individuals or occur only on an ad hoc basis. The mosque institution should deliberately establish programmes that provide regular opportunities for spiritual reflection, religious learning, ethical formation, self-evaluation and mutual encouragement. Such programmes can help cultivate sincerity, taqwa, humility, discipline, trustworthiness, patience and a sense of responsibility—qualities that are essential for those entrusted with the affairs of the mosque.
The process should also be continuous. Tarbiyah and tazkiyah should not be treated as an induction exercise undertaken only when a person is first appointed or joins the mosque organisation. Rather, they should form an integral part of the mosque’s ongoing human-resource development. New volunteers and staff should receive appropriate orientation and spiritual formation, while existing leaders and personnel should be provided with continuing programmes that enable them to deepen their religious understanding and strengthen their character.
In this way, tarbiyah and tazkiyah become part of the institutional culture of the mosque. Management training develops the capacity to perform one’s responsibilities, while tarbiyah and tazkiyah develop the character and spiritual disposition with which those responsibilities are carried out. Both are necessary. Competence without spiritual formation may produce an efficient but self-serving administrator; spiritual aspiration without the necessary knowledge and skills may produce a sincere but ineffective administrator.
The development of mosque human resources should therefore seek to integrate these two dimensions. The objective is not merely to produce competent mosque administrators, but people who possess both the quwwah to perform their responsibilities effectively and the amanah to discharge them in accordance with the will of Allah. In this sense, systematic tarbiyah and tazkiyah should be regarded not as an additional activity of mosque management, but as an essential component of developing the people who are entrusted with the mosque.
Conclusion
The excellence of a mosque ultimately begins with the quality of its people. While sound management, professional competence and effective programmes are important, they cannot substitute for the taqwa, sincerity and integrity of those entrusted with the mosque. Leadership must therefore be understood as an amanah, rather than an honour or position to be sought. For this reason, the development of mosque human resources should integrate professional and leadership development with systematic tarbiyah and tazkiyah. Volunteers, professional staff and management alike require continuous opportunities to develop both their competence and character. When the people who serve the mosque are properly nurtured, they are better equipped to fulfil their responsibilities with quwwah and amanah. An excellent mosque is therefore not built merely through facilities and programmes, but first through the cultivation of excellent people.
Yet this trust cuts both ways. Just as Allah Ta`ala grants great reward to those who build and maintain mosques with sincerity, there is a serious warning for those who neglect this trust — or worse, corrupt it. The Qur`an says:
“And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against Allah and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear: We intended only the best. And Allah testifies that indeed they are liars.” (al-Tawbah, 9:107)
This verse is a sobering reminder that a mosque’s outward form — however impressive — is no guarantee of its inward integrity. A mosque built or led without sincerity can, in the worst case, become a source of harm and division rather than guidance and unity. It is for this reason that we must remain concerned about the state and role of our mosques, striving continually to improve them so that the trust and investment of the Muslim community are neither neglected nor wasted.
Ultimately, the task before us is as much internal as it is institutional. We must build “an excellent mosque” within ourselves — in our sincerity, our character and our sense of amanah — before an excellent mosque institution can truly be established upon our earth.
