Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatUllah
This was the fourth game planned for "Harvesting Month Game Day." We actually didn't play it with the kids yet (we are saving it until next week) -- so no one disclose this top secret information with the kids yet!
We wanted to develop a game to encourage the children to think out of the box to solve a real life problem, similar to how the Prophet Yusuf (as) had to solve the problem of the forth coming famine after he interpreted the king's dream.
Through discussion and scaffolding, we hoped to encourage the children to realize a number of things:
- characteristics of good leadership
- hadith that states how leaders will be asked about those under their guardianship
-importance of implementing justice based on the shariah when judging between people
-importance of be compassionate
- not all problems have only one right answer
- great leaders are people who consider all the options and find the best answers, which benefit everyone involved
- leaders should not be arrogant. rather, they should seek help when someone else may know more than they do.
All of these lessons are present in the story related in the Qur'an about a situation that the Prophet Dawud (As) was faced with during his kingship.
The discussion prompts are posted below in the first comment.
jazakAllah khayr
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Information regarding story taken from Cyber Mimbar: http://www.muis.gov.sg/websites/khutbah/ser-eid.html
ReplyDeleteIntroduction:
All of you will be leaders in your life. Even now, you are already leaders! Did you know that? Do you know who you are leaders of?
HADITH (somewhat paraphrased): Each of you is a guardian and each of you is questioned over his subjects, the Imam who is responsible over the people and he is questioned over his responsibility, and the man is responsible over the people of his household and he is questioned over them, and the woman is responsible over her husbands house and his children and she is questioned over them, and the slave is a guardian over the wealth of his master and he is questioned over it, each of you is a guardian and each of you is questioned over their responsibility
(discussion)
As leaders, we must be ready to be JUST and HAVE COMPASSION:
Yusuf (As) was truly a great leader. Not only did he interpret the King’s dream, but he knew what to do to respond to the problem and look out for the well being of the people.
**prompt for discussion: when Yusuf (as) found out about the famine, who was he concerned about? Was he just thinking about how to save himself?
Problems don’t always have just one solution.
**Examples: Eating Pork. What is the ruling on eating pork? But is it always haram? To know how to judge in this situation, WE MUST KNOW THE SHARIAH TO KNOW WHEN THERE ARE EXCEPTION!
**Second example: If a Muslim accidently kills another Muslim. It is the right of the harmed family to receive money for compensation. But what is better for them? WE MUST KNOW THE SHARIAH TO KNOW WHAT IS MOST PLEASING TO ALLAH
In the Qur’an, Allah tells us a story about the Prophet Dawud (as)’s when he was the king. Dawud’s judgment was correct, but Sulaiman’s judgment was even better.
The Prophet Dawud (as) was asked to judge regarding the following problem. Reported by Ibnu Abbas r.a., there were two men who came to seek judgement from Prophet Dawud a.s. one was the owner of a pasture and the other the owner of several sheep. The Landowner complained by saying "His sheep had encroached into my land one night and have ravaged it until there was no plants left."
So one man’s flock of sheep went and ate all of the other man’s crops.
**What would your judgment be in this case?
**Remember, a judge sometimes needs to ask questions to gather more information.
(if they ask, the flock of sheep were worth the same as the field and the crops that the sheep ate)
DAWUD’s Answer:
Prophet Dawud a.s. passed judgement that the owner of the sheep must surrender his flock of sheep to the landowner as compensation, because the damage was equivalent to the value of the flock of sheep. Then, both of them departed.
But guess what happened next:
Both of them then met Prophet Sulaiman a.s. and sought his judgment on the same matter. Prophet Sulaiman a.s. enquired : "What was the judgment given by Prophet Dawud?" They both then informed him of the verdict, which Prophet Sulaiman a.s. remarked: "If I were to be the judge for your case, I would have given a different ruling A much more fairer one and beneficial to both parties." This incident somehow came to the attention of Prophet Dawud a.s.
**Discussion prompt: so what do you think Dawud (as) said? Was he angry at Sulaiman (as)? (try to bring up the importance of not being arrogant and being willing to hear other points of view
Continuing with the story… so Prophet Dawud (as) called for Prophet Sulaiman and asked him : "How would you have ruled regarding this case? Is it true that your judgment would be more just and beneficial to both parties?"
**Discussion prompt: Dawud (as) is most concerned about being just, not about whether his judgment is better
**Discussion prompt: how do you think Sulaiman verdict was better? Hint – he verdict was still just (he still restored the field owner’s rights, but considered what was best for everyone involved… and he was creative in finding a solution that would benefit everyone)
(cont'd in next comment)
SULAIMANS’s Answer:
ReplyDeleteProphet Sulaiman a.s. then proceeded to make his ruling saying : "Let the flock of sheep be given to the landowner so that he can gain benefit from them by milking them, by profiting from the young lamb borne from them, from the wool produced from them and any other benefits. Meanwhile, with regard to the owner of the flock of sheep, let him work on the land to re-plant the pasture and restore it to its original state. When this is achieved, he is to hand over the pasture back to the landowner and the flock of sheep are to be returned back to him."
When Prophet Dawud heard the judgment, he then said : "What you have judged, O my son, is truly just!" Then the two men were made to follow the verdict of Prophet Sulaiman a.s.
Commentary copied from the khutbah that I took this information from:
Prophet Dawud's a.s. first verdict was already just in that it sought to restore to the aggrieved his rights.
The verdict given by Prophet Sulaiman was more than merely just, more than merely restoring the right of the aggrieved, but his verdict also took into consideration the future plight of both parties. A verdict that optimizes time and circumstances for the benefit of both of the party as well as of the community.
It prevented the owner of the flock of sheep from losing his livelihood, especially when he is required to hand over his flock to the landowner. The verdict provided for the both of them livelihood where their efforts would also benefit the community. This verdict is a manifestation of one who has knowledge and profound understanding of the situation. Such is the Wisdom endowed upon a leader.