The Concept of Time in the Qur’an

A Muslim’s first source of guidance in life is the Qur’an, and so we turn to the Book of Allah for our initial inspiration in time management.

Surah Al-Asr

Most of us have committed to memory the beautiful, short surah: Al-Asr (Quran 103:1-3). Admittedly, we often choose to recite it in our salah because of its brevity rather than for its profound meanings. And yet Imam Shafi’i asserted that if Allah had revealed only this surah, it would have been enough for the guidance of all humanity!

Allah begins the surah by taking an oath – ’Wa al-‘Asr’ – which means ‘by time’. Anything that Allah the Most High swears by in the Qur’an is a tremendous matter – such as ‘Wa al-Fajr’ (by the dawn) or ‘Wa al-Shams’ (by the sun). In the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), beginning with an oath was a method to draw the attention of the listener. Time is a concept that fascinated and awed the Arabs then, and it still fascinates Muslims now.

Inna al-insaana la fi khusr (Verily man is in a state of loss). The second verse starts by describing the general state of humanity – a state of loss, failure and a life which is a waste of time. However, the third verse starts with a glorious exception: Illa-allathina aamanuw (Except those who believe). Here then, the Qur’anic paradigm gives us, as Muslims, immense hope. No matter how lazy, inefficient, unproductive, mediocre or powerless we may be as individuals or as a community – as long as we live and die as Muslims – our life will not be a complete waste of time.

Conversely, no matter how busy, productive, efficient, successful and powerful non-Muslims may appear to be in this world – as long as they die rejecting Islam – none of their work is accepted. This reminds us of the timeless principle of Islam: innama al-‘amaalu bi in-niyyat (Actions are judged by intentions); any work or skill, be it running a company, serving the community or time management in general, must be acceptable to Allah for it to have any lasting benefit. For example, if we intend to set up a soup kitchen for the homeless and the whole project flops, as long as we intended it for Allah, we will be rewarded as if the project was the stunning success we hoped it would be. Yet if we succeed in building a massive corporate empire, we will gain nothing but regret in the next life, if we intended other than Allah’s good pleasure.

Even outwardly pious actions such as building masjids or helping other people or praying could even be punished if our intentions are to show off. So the Muslim’s first rule of time management is seeking acceptance from Allah – checking our intentions – which Surah al-Asr so succinctly reminds us.

Of course a Muslim is never complacent, relying only on belief for success. There must be work. And no other community can equal the Muslim ummah in terms of striving for both dunya and akhira – not neglecting the rights of Allah or the needs of fellow man. The second half of the last ayah explains why: wa ‘amilu-saalihaati (and do righteous deeds). Such good deeds include all the great acts of worship in Islam which encompass every possible beneficial use of one’s time: prayer, supplication, pilgrimage, charity, helping the poor, defending the weak, excellence in dealings and so on.

The last words of the surah provide one of the most important examples of such good works – good counsel: watawaa saw bi al-haqq Watawaa saw bi is-sabri  (and enjoin upon one another truth [i.e. the beliefs and practices of Islam] and enjoin upon one another patience [from committing acts of disobedience]).

Hasan al-Basri, one of the greatest scholars in Islamic history from the blessed generation after the Sahaba (Taabi’een), is reported to have had the following inspiration about Surah al-‘Asr. On a sweltering hot day, on a street of Baghdad, he heard an ice-seller exclaim, ‘O people! Have mercy on one whose capital is melting away.’ Sheikh al-Hasan made an immediate connection with time. Just as the ice-seller would make a loss if his capital melted away, man in general will make a loss in the business of life, if we allow our capital to melt away. Our capital is time and Allah reminds us in Surah al-‘Asr that if we waste our capital (time) solely for the dunyathen we make al-khusr (tremendous loss).

It is not unusual for Allah to use the metaphor of business to describe the life of this world and our purpose in it. One of the most powerful verses of the Qur’an talks of Allah ‘purchasing’ our lives:

Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their very lives and their wealth, promising them Paradise in return (Qur’an 9: 111)

What an excellent transaction this is! So I pray that the readers and this needy author may benefit from the meanings of Surah al-‘Asr; that we may recite it during salah with full concentration and that we live our lives according to it – thereby following a massive principle of Islamic time management: believe and do good deeds for Allah alone. Only then will we not waste our life.

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What are some of the business / management lessons in Qur'an and Bible?

There are several Aayahs in the Holy Quran which declare the ‘usool’ or principles in doing business transactions:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 188:Do not usurp one another’s property by unjust means, nor offer it to the judges (as bribe) so that you may devour knowingly and unjustly a portion of the goods of others.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 29:O you who have believed! Do not devour one another’s property by unlawful ways; but do business with mutual consent.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 11 Surah Hud verse 85:(Prophet Shuaib said ): “And O my people! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due: commit not evil in the land with intent to do mischief.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 83 Surah Mutaffefeen verses 1-6:
1 Woe to those that deal in fraud
2 Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, exact full measure.
3 But when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due.
4 Do they not think that they will be called to account?
5 On a Mighty Day
6 A Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 35:34 Come not nigh to the orphan's property, except to improve it until he attains the age of full strength; and fulfill (every) pledge, for (every) pledge will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).

35 Give full measure when ye measure and weigh with a balance that is straight: that is the most fitting and the most advantageous in the final determination.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 274-276: But those who devour ‘riba’ become like the one whom Shaitaan has bewitched and maddened by his touch. They have been condemned to this condition because they say, “Trade is just like ‘riba”, whereas Allah has made trade halaal and ‘riba’ haraam. Henceforth, if one abstains from taking ‘riba’ after receiving this admonition from his Lord, no legal action shall be taken against him regarding the ‘riba’ he had devoured before: his case shall ultimately go to Allah. But if one repeats the same crime even after this, he shall go to Hell, where he shall abide for ever!
Allah deprives ‘riba’ of all blessing and develops charity, and Allah does not like an ungrateful, sinful person.

Summary of Process Oriented Approach: A competitive Advantage according to Quranic Philosophy

Study of Quran clearly indicates that Islam demands us to act, perform and do our best. Results are from Allah SWT, the emphasis is on our actions, this fact becomes very much evident when we see Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) being informed multiple times in The Holy Quran that his duty is to warn and inform the people only: Say: "Obey Allah, and obey the messenger", but if ye turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and ye for that placed on you. If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance. The messenger's duty is only to preach the clear (Message) (Surah Al-Nour, verse 54). Furthermore it's also evident that our actions will decide our eternal fate: "… in his favour shall be whatever good he does, and against him whatever evil he does …" Surah Al baqarah, verse 286.

These verses (and many others) lay down ample emphasis on Muslims to keep their focus on their actions, paradoxically guarantying success; and describing inaction to be the determinant of failure, worldly and eternal: "By (the Token of) Time (through the ages). Verily Man is in loss. Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy" (Surah Al Asa). Such a stress on action eventually develops a mindset which perceives results or success as natural outcome of actions i.e. you reap what you sow, actions bring results and right actions bring right results. It would be safe to assume that such a mindset ultimately cultivates qualities like persistence, determination, proactive attitude, thirst to improve, doing what's right, i.e. shifting our orientation toward process or the work content.

In business context, process oriented approach is paradoxical as it delivers results without allowing the individual to worry about them. The goal remains their but only to show the direction, only to judge that the path being followed is correct. The culture developed around such a concept is secure, people are candid, happy, and they get the job done on time and the exhibits other good things. The reason being, people here have no fear of any loss, what so ever, as their gains cannot be stolen, or lost, or depreciates with time. In fact their most valued achievable (knowledge, creativity, satisfaction to conscience) grows further when shared with others. People in process oriented culture remain at peace and tranquility, and on the path of continuous growth. The results keeps on flowing in, always reinforcing the fabric of the culture. Goal achievement and growth is always a natural outcome of a process oriented culture.

Please note that the fundamental root cause of all inefficiencies, wastages, procrastinations, organizational resistance to change, politics, etc is Fear! This is an inherent part of goal oriented approach. Lack of knowledge, skill, and experience also cause mistakes but it's only once. If mistakes are repeated then its fear, that is blocking the learning process. Fear of not reaching sales targets, fear of facing an embarrassing situation, fear of not reaching any personal goals (monetary or egoistic) etc. As natural instinct fear boost ego defensiveness, Fear creates a tunnel vision, it blocks thinking, it reduces empathy, it reduces synergy, and it increases selfishness. Fear can be a motivator, when the task involves only a single individual, but that's seldom in an organization. Interaction and team work is the name of the game, and fear alone makes it difficult or even impossible for the team to get synergize.

Realistically organizations are a blend of people who are 'goal oriented' and those who are 'process oriented'. Those organizations cultures where people are inclined more towards Goal Oriented approach has a propensity to die off in a shorter period of time as they are developed around tangible concepts like profit, brand image, market share, performance in stock market etc. since tangibles has perishable nature thus the organizations build around the same, behave like the same as well. Dramatically it can be said "since the 'ends sought' are perishable in nature, thus these ends itself takes the organization toward its 'end' ".

On the contrary those organizations which inclined more towards process oriented approach has a history of lasting multiple generations, for the simple reason they don't run after these tangibles rather treat them as a natural outcome of their actions, they in fact strive for things which are eternal in nature, thus bringing similar qualities within their culture as well. People comes, people go, the process oriented organizations remains intact for generation as shown by Jim Collins in his books 'Good to Great' and 'Built to Last'.

In such companies, the culture is not developed around the personality of the entrepreneur (for his pocket or profit) rather upon certain ideals, and universally accepted principles and a vision greater than the organization itself. This happens when it's about achieving something more important than the survival of the organization itself. Generically speaking the constituents of this vision should be the benefit and contribution to the humanity, the nation, or the community, the profit is indeed a byproduct and only treated as a need for survival, a means to achieve the vision.

Such visions are global; they cannot be achieved in totality, though paradoxically inspiring unbeatable and untiring action. They provide direction for the processes and an everlasting inspiration and energy for execution. The motivating energy felt by the individuals is the feature of their work, their activities (as Jim Collins proclaims in his book "Good to Great"), tasks or standard operating procedures designed around the organizational vision, naturally shifting their inclination toward process end of the spectrum.

Bringing oneself toward process orientation is more a matter of choice. Our inclinations are not hardwired rather they are a product of our choices based on our perception of externalities i.e. events which have been delightful, unusual or even painful in nature. The greatest misconception or misperception most people have that their fate is predetermined, i.e. they cannot choose to be in any different state of existence. If that would have been the case then why Allah SWT would have held us accountable for our actions? The concept of accountability in the hereafter is the greatest proof that our actions are our choice. And the result follows; right choice of action delivers favorable and flourishing results and wrong choice of actions: vice versa. That's the law of nature as designed by the Great Architect of the universe. The results are always promised as proclaimed many times in the Holy Quran.

"Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) Hath Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward," (Surah Nisa, verse 95)

In order to be process oriented we have to get our focus on the real satisfying and motivating factors which are learning, creativity and satisfaction of our conscience. In other words we must be very clear about the factual equation of causality between persistence and success. Furthermore we have to understand what is meant by success? Is it more wealth, more respect, a high profile job, sky rocketing standard of living? And if this is what we called success then would we be able really persist in our work if we focus on money and the so called respect and esteem or status attached to it?

The so called famous quote 'money can't buy happiness' (Washington Post, Monday, July 3, 2006; Page A02; Science Confirms: You Really Can't Buy Happiness) disagree just this. And it's obvious, and widely accepted concept, but seldom practically applied. Furthermore being a Muslim it's also imperative for us to understand the true source of satisfaction i.e. mentioned in The Holy Quran in Surah Ra'd verse 28 and 29: "Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah. For without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction. For those who believe and work righteousness, is (every) blessedness, and a beautiful place of (final) return." And when we do, the following eventually implies as well: "And whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him." (Surah At-Talaq: verse 3), "And whoever fears Allah, for him Allah brings forth a way out, and gives him provision (rizq) from where he does not even imagine…" (Surah At-Talaq: verse 2~3).

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." - Calvin Coolidge

If that's how our believes are aligned, then it's obvious to conclude in the context of the discussion that the focus should eventually be diverted away from the tangible goals and toward the process, actions, deeds, tasks, efforts, struggle, performance and persistence of course when inspired with the ultimate Vision of life; as that's where true happiness and satisfaction resides. And when we don't persists, disaster strikes, as warned in Surah Al Asar: By (the Token of) Time (through the ages). Verily Man is in loss. Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy. Further to keep us on track, we have been foretold that our acts, deeds, behavior, conduct and struggle will be questioned in the final examination, not the so called ingredient of success such as wealth, respect and esteem.

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Man's feet will not move on the Day of Resurrection before he replies to 5 questions, he will be asked about his life, how did he consume it, his knowledge, what did he do with it, his wealth, how did he earn it and how did he spend or dispose it , and about his body, how did he wear it out.' (At- Tirmidhi)

The choice is ultimately ours …

(by Omar Javaid )

Modern Management Principles and The Holy Quran

The Holy Quran, The greatest blessing on humanity, the most comprehensive collection of guiding principles, teaches us, guides us and shows us light in every walk of life. Let it be personal to social matters or issues related with economics, business or politics.

A Muslim is required to believe in its directions, act on them and spread it to others. Ideally that's the only way of success, here and hereafter!!! (Surah Al-Asar), contrary to the fact, today Muslims are those who are found to be living in contradiction with its teachings, but more surprisingly the non-Muslims are now seen more close, of course to not all, but to some of the principles stated in this Great Book.

The principles mentioned in it are ordained to us by The One (SWT) who has designed the Nature, thus the compatibility of these principles with the natural laws is indeed irrefutable for the one who believe in Designer and creator of all. Anyone even a non Muslim, who follows these laws / principles, will probably get the results to the extent or comprehensiveness of his implementation. Like he will save and increase efficiency of his life if he reduced wastefulness, or people will trust in his credibility if he keeps promises and remains honest all the time, et cetera. However his fate in the hereafter cannot be guaranteed.

If we specifically talks about business world, unfortunately today we don't find any Muslim organization (purely) which is considered as a business icon all around the globe. The icons are non Muslim indeed. There exemplary stature inspires everyone seeking guidance in the business world. The leaders among them claim that their success is derived from believing and strictly adhering to certain principles and values (Check "Built to Last by Jim Collins); and surprisingly they are quite similar to what Quran has been trying to infiltrate our deaf ears.

Take Toyota as an example, elimination of wastage (Al-Quran Isra: 26~27, Araf:31) and respect for all (Imran:159, Hujrat:13) is the core of the entire business empire Toyota has developed around the globe. Furthermore when we drill down we see lots of principles which we being Muslims should be experts of. Like Kaizen which is about continuous improvement against inefficiencies or more like Jihad (Ma'idah:35). Or talk about JIT which is about keeping limited inventory or not keeping anything not needed, for a Muslim this should be a state of mind as instructed to him in Baqara:219, Yunus:58 or Tauba:34. Furthermore Toyota emphasis on authenticity of information to an extent that it expects every employee to verify each bit of information on a problem by visiting the site himself, if the employees would have been true Muslims, they would have require no training (Isra:36).

And think about the emphasis on quality of product, at Nike, Nokia, IBM, 3M or Boeing, can anyone really expects them to compromise on this aspect, now think about any Pakistani Brand. Whether it's a shoe, tooth paste, home appliance, etc it's only the pocket constraints that's push people closer to the local brands coming out of factories owned and operated by Muslims! (No doubt there are exceptions) Most local brands don't meet expectations, foreign brands do contrary to the fact that they are manufacturedbro by Non Muslims, most do it for profit of course, but the leaders in the market do it for ideals and withholding to their principles of delivering what is promised to the customers, despites its impact on profitability; as mentioned by Jim Collins in his Book "Built to Last" (Page#8). Surprised! Shouldn't that be expected from the believers of the Holy Book as it clearly states in Mutaffifin:1-3 "Woe to those that deal in fraud,- Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, exact full measure, But when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due. Do they not think that they will be called to account?" and also in Isra:35, Shaura:181-182, and Rahman:7-9.

The importance of commitments, promises and contracts requires no explanation. Dr. Stephan R. Covey states in his book 'The 8th Habit' (p#169) "Nothing destroys trust faster than making and breaking a promise. Conversely, nothing builds and strengthens trust more than keeping a promise you make". For a Muslim it should be a matter of faith and success in the hereafter (Isra:34, Nahl:91, Ma'idah:1 and Saff:2-3), but these traits are really in a short supply.

These are just a few examples, many more can be quoted. I don't mean to make Toyota, Jim Collins, or Dr. Stephan R. Covey our ideals, in fact I ask you, why look at them for guidance despite the fact we all have access to the most comprehensive set of principles called Quran and the sunnah of the most comprehensive Personality (PBUH)! … Then what stops us?

Islam and the Modern Management Sciences

(In the Name of Allah (SWT), Most Gracious, Most Merciful, all praise and thanks are due to Allah, Lord of the Realms and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (SAWS) and upon all his family and companions)
Quran is the complete code of life; it is the guidance towards darkness to light.  If we give ourselves a thought process and learn Quran (one can learn Quran online as well), we will get to know the truth and reality.  Islam is the religion which understands the needs of the human beings, if we compare the modern management theories with Islam, we will get to know that Islam fulfills all of them at best.

The first managerial problem is called "Soldiering", soldiering is something when people underperform at their work place. This underperforming is always deliberate; people do work of 3 hours in 4 hours just because of soldiering. When it comes to Islam the soldiering comes from the Satan and Allah (SWT) is the One Who comes up with the solution.


The Satan insists people not to work hard for their rewards, he is the one who makes people lazy, and this is a perfect example of soldiering. Now the modern management says that the solution for soldiering is motivation. If the organization sets high rewards for the employee, he /she would stop underperforming. Similarly Allah Ta'ala gives more and more rewards to the people who are the victim of soldiering. there is a Hadith that says Allah Ta'ala loves that person the most who stands before Him in Salah when everyone else is tired enough to stand.
Motivation is an inner drive and makes people do wonders. Allah (SWT) has an excellent reward and motivational policy for His mankind. Allah says in Quran, in Surah Waqia:

"(They will be) on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones), Reclining on them, facing each other, Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness), With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains, No after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication, And with fruits, any that they may select, And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire".

The above mentioned verses of Surah Waqia show how strong the reward policy is of Allah (SWT). The question is that if Allah (SWT) has such strong reward policy then why people get tempted towards evil. Actually it has to do with the "instant reward policy", if someone gets an instant reward for something he/she would be more pleased with it, but Allah (SAW) does that very rarely. He will give rewards and punishments hereafter. The brighter side of the picture is that Allah (SAW) doesn't give punishments as well, and the modern management suggests firing if a person is incompetent.  May Allah have mercy on all of us and let us be successful.


(All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Realms; and Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions)

The Importance of Time Management

I still remember when I was eight years old and my mother said that I should write down my wonderful moments, as I would not remember each detail when I was older. To me, that sounded absurd: the memory was so fresh! Why and how could it ever fade?

And here I am now several years later, wondering what that particular memory was, and where the time went. How many years passed by, with my constant worry about my education, my career and where I‘d end up in life. The thought of paying attention to how to become a better Muslim, how to better myself to please my Creator slipped through the folds of my everlasting thoughts of wanting to do well in this world. Where were the thoughts of the Hereafter?

Time is an amazing factor in life. Time; a moment that you may have loved, a moment that you may regret losing, and a future that is inevitable. Yet, every one of us has to go through our own journey.

As I sit here, I wonder what I did in the past fifteen minutes. Just think - fifteen minutes;one quarter of an hour; 900 seconds.  A lot of time, isn’t it? But, what did I do with it? Did I think about being thankful? Did I ever bother asking for forgiveness from my Creator who has blessed me with so much?

As mentioned in Surah Al-Asr:

وَالْعَصْرِ-1

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ-2

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ -3

“By the time. Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.”
[Al-Qur'an-Surah Al-Asr (The Declining Day) 103: 1-3]

Time: a treasure chest of seconds, minutes and hours… if only we knew how to use it and what to do with it. Often, we find ourselves with plenty of time, and wondering what can be done. Have we ever realized that it is a blessing from Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)? We as humans are at a loss if we don’t use our time wisely.

Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) has blessed us with 24 hours every day. Yes, if we sleep for an average of 8, we have 16 hours left. We should think about the entire day: where does it all go? Many of us are mothers, sisters, workers, and we have jobs, but have we ever really taken out and put aside time for Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)? How many of us take out time to pray the moment we hear the call of prayer? Instead, we pray at the last minute, like chickens asthey peck at their food, rushing into sujood, so we can get back to our worldly matters as quickly as possible. Little do we know that the time in this world is so short, and that theHereafter is more important to work on.

As an individual, I am not perfect. I know I have spent days just wondering what to do with my time, drinking tea, and enjoying not having to study. But yet, I wonder. 

Time is such a blessing. It should really be utilized – each and every moment to do what can serve as a means of bettering our Akhira:

I plan to … Insha’Allah do the following to make better use of my time:

• To overcome my worldly desires and get on that prayer mat and really pray to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)… and on occasions where I cannot pray, then to do lots of dhikr - as that is one thing that will keep me remembering Allah (سبحانه و تعالى).
• To sleep early at night, so I can wake up early for Fajr; maybe even try to praytahajjud (night prayer), and be closer to my Lord.
• To remember to read the Qur’an and to understand it…
• To make sure I make time for prayer, as my day progresses. To make sure I incorporate my schedule around prayer, and not try to fit prayer into my schedule as a last minute item on the agenda.

I am not perfect, but from past experience, I know how much barakah (blessing) my day has when I wake up at dawn to pray Fajr, and use that time wisely: studying my Qur’an, and then studying what I have to do for the rest of the day. That itself will make us realize how wonderful it is to use our time wisely.

وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعاً وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ وَلاَ تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ- 7:205

“And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.”
[Al-Qur'an - Surah Al-A'raaf (The Heights) - 7:205]

5 S of Management

5S is a set of 5 Japanese terminologies; each one of them states a very practical and important golden principle. Almost all Japanese firms follow these principles in order to achieve maximum amount of efficiency in their work.

Japanese Term                                    English Equivalent

Seiri                                                    Tidiness

Seiton                                                  Orderliness

Seiso                                                   Cleanliness                                                    

Seiketsu                                              Standardization

Shitsuki                                               Discipline

A brief detail of each follows:

1. SEIRI

The first step of the ‘5-S’ process, Seiri, refers to the act of discarding all unwanted, unnecessary, and unrelated materials from any place of concern. It could be the workplace or home or even a town.

This principle should be ingrained in the mindset of a true Muslim. The Holy Quran mentions this in 17:27 and 7:31

·       The Holy Quran Instructs: [2:219] “They ask thee how much they are to spend in the way of Allah; Say: ‘What is beyond your needs.’

2. SEITON

            ‘Seiton,’ means orderliness, which is all about efficiency. This golden principle relates with putting everything in an assigned place so that it can be accessed or retrieved quickly, as well as returned to that same place without delays.

3. SEISO

Seiso consists of cleaning up the workplace and giving it a ‘shine.’ Cleaning must be done by everyone in the organization, from operators to managers. Seiso cannot be achieved without having mutual respect for everyone and an atmosphere of brotherhood. Furthermore, it also requires an intrinsic desire and motivation for cleanliness.

The Holy Quran understands the importance of cleanliness and instructs its believers to keep themselves clean at all times.

·       The entire system of Salat (Prayer) is a perfect example and an exercise to ensure that Muslims obey and follow this golden rule at least five times a day, every day, throughout their lives. A Muslim offers his Salat in a Masjid behind an Imam. He first performs ablution which not only purifies him physically but also spiritually. He then stands shoulder-to- shoulder with his brothers irrespective of any social and economic status behind an Imam, and follows his instructions.

·       Similar should be the scenario in a workplace as well where everyone should feel responsible to work passionately (worship in Salat), respect each other (stand shoulder-to-shoulder), keep his surroundings clean (ablution and cleanliness of Masjid), and follow the instructions of their superiors (Imam) without any resistance or laziness. Needless to say, it is a perfect system.

4. SEIKETSU

The fourth step of 5-S is Seiketsu which more or less translates into ‘standardized cleanup.’ Seiketsu encompasses both personal and environmental cleanliness. People must practice Seiketsu starting with their personal tidiness to keep themselves motivated and mentally fresh. Visual management is an important ingredient of Seiketsu.

·       The Holy Quran also provides us with a standardized yet very comprehensive set of rules to obtain and maintain cleanliness at all physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels. One such standard is the five-time obligatory Salat which is also considered as the Pillar of Islam. Another is ablution, the standards of which are clearly stated in Islamic Fiqh.

5. SHITSUKU

The last step of 5-S is Shitsuke which literally means ‘Discipline.’

This golden rule denotes commitment to maintain orderliness and to practice the first 4 S’s as a way of life. The emphasis of Shitsuku is on the elimination of bad habits and constant practice of good ones. Once a person achieves the state of Shitsuke, cleanliness and orderliness is then voluntarily and at times subconsciously observed at all time, without the need of reminders or motivation. Shitsuke is the most evolved state of mind that incorporates all the previous golden rules. It is too obvious for any rational mind to conclude how natural it should be for a true Muslim to have this state of mind.

CONCLUSION:

Success and prosperity of an Organization or a Man is the outcome of commitment to certain golden principles of life that are readily available to us in the Holy Quran. These principles are independent, universal of and primarily aim at building a “whole” man capable of achieving his true potential in the purpose of his life. The Holy Quran; the most comprehensive divine book of the world has the solution to every problem and what remains is the practical implementation of these principles in our socio-economic and political lives.

Islam offers sound management principles that are timeless. Taken from the Noble Quran and the practical example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), these principles have been applied for over a thousand years. 

In the era of globalization where managers often find themselves managing a diverse blend of people across continents, there is a need for universal principles for management. Islam offers such principles and best practices that any manager can adopt for successful management. For every practitioner of management, from aspiring team leader to the seasoned CEO, these principles will prove to be invaluable as they are suitable for people of all faiths and cultures.