The Mindset of Individuals, Societal Leadership

region, but, shortly after that, the entire structure collapsed. Later, when Pakistan came into being, Maulana Mufti Mahmud was given the opportunity, as the Chief Minister of the country’s Frontier Province, to form a ministry consisting of ‘pro-Islamic’ forces, but this ministry was unable to complete its term in office, and so proved to be a failure. In Sudan, in the late 1980s, the Muslim Brotherhood had the opportunity to play a vital role in the government of Jafar Nimeiri, but their participation made no positive difference to the conditions of the Sudanese society, and soon they went out of power. In Pakistan, General Zia-ul-Haq had the opportunity to rule the country as a dictator for more than a decade. He received the support of many Ulama. However, he failed in bringing about any truly Islamic change in Pakistan. And so on. A primary cause for the continuous failure of the Ulama in the field of practical politics is that they are going against the divine plan. It can be better appreciated when we see their activities in the light of the statement made by Hazarat Aisha, as referred to earlier. They want to acquire leadership over people without reforming the latter’s mindset. As Hazarat Aisha’s statement tells us, such a course of action would not have succeeded even at the time of