Could real happiness be attained through the acquirement of high rank or position in society? To many the answer is in the affirmative. This is apparently due to lack of deep insight in the nature of rank or position and the responsibilities which they involve. In Islam, holding any position, rank or office is first and foremost regarded as a trust and, therefore, constitutes an obligation, and a legal as well as moral responsibility. Therefore, those to be entrusted with such roles could only be citizens who are possessed of unquestionable competence, integrity and virtue. Only a righteous and competent person can shoulder responsibility and use his position or office for public welfare.
Such a person would be able to dispense justice based on moral value and promote sound administration. He would promote and enhance the well-being of his people by handling their affairs in a manner that is in accordance with public interest. In return, he would earn his people�s obedience, support, loyalty and cooperation. Thus, he would love doing his job because ultimately he would be blessed with joy, happiness,contentment and satisfaction.
However, any person who is entrusted with authority over others and does not conduct his affairs on the basis of justice and moral standards, would definitely be responsible for maladministration. His position would only be a source of misery and corruption with issues such as the following:
*Loss of public confidence.*Rift between the ruler and the ruled.
*Tension fear and insecurity of life and position on the part of the ruler.
*The ruler�s internal restlessness arid agonies of conscience.*Upsurge of enemies and oppositions from amongst the ruled.
*Ruler going to great lengths to protect his position at times at any cost, even if that may mean the shedding of blood.
*Public revolt.
*Coups d�etat.
*Assassinations
Hardly does a year pass by around the world without closing with the news of miserable falls, overthrows and/or assassinations of unwanted rulers, kings, emperors, premiers, presidents, etc. Recent cases include the following:
The Shah of Iran
The Shah of Iran who once organized an international ceremony to commemorate the passing of 2500 years since the birth of the �Persian state"!
But when the end came it was heavy. He was chased" out of his country by a massive public revolt and spent the rest of his life "wandering" from one country to another until he eventually died a miserable death in Egypt as a result of a chronic cancer.
Ferdinand Marcos
The man who for 20 years literally "owned" the Philippines and ruled it as if it were a "family enterprise�, came to a terrible end. He was "thrown" out of his country by the masses and spent several years thereafter in exile in various "hideouts" under tight security for fear of being murdered.
Jean Bedel Bokassa, the self-proclaimed "Emperor" of the Republic of Central Africa.
Here was a man who spent for his coronation more than his country�s total gross national product. He was later toppled by his countrymen and at present he is serving a life-imprisonment sentence.
Nicolae Ceausescu
The man dwelt in a palace built in "pure gold" for a period of more than 20 years as the "Owner" of Romania! To suppress a public revolt he used tanks and artillery so that by the end of the revolution 64,000 people were reported to have been killed in the cities. He was later caught while trying to escape out of his country and was "slaughtered" before the eyes of the public!
Rajiv Gandhi
He was assassinated in public and closed the chapter of an unpopular dynasty
The list is inexhaustive It is a wonder, however, how all evil men have much in common but the sure end of all evil is evil!