In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The Messenger Is The Criterion of Upright Conduct, Not Social Media Influences or Others

Allah, The Most High, said:

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْءَاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. [Al-Ahzab 21]

Imam Sufyan Ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to say:

Indeed, the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the greatest criterion (i.e. amongst mankind and Jinn) and all matters are presented to him [i.e. for judgement] based on his manners, path and guidance, thus, whatever is in agreement with this is truth and whatever is in opposition is falsehood. [1]

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

He (the Messenger) serves as the definitive and weightiest criterion (for humankind and Jinn) through whose manners, statements and actions are measured the manners, statements and actions (of others). He is the manifest criterion that when followed a distinction is made between the people of guidance and the people of misguidance”. [2]

Shaikh Shamsuddeen Al-Afghaani, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Allah, The Most High, guided mankind through Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the clear manifest evidences given to him, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him – a guidance that could not be described by those who were well versed in the art of descriptions and (a guidance) that surpassed the knowledge of those with great perception. And through this guidance, Allah opened the eyes of the blind ones, the ears of the deaf ones and the hearts of the heedless ones. Allah, The Most High, united them on one religion-(the religion of pure Islamic monotheism) – and prior to that they were in complete disunity, enmity towards one another and followed corrupt creeds.

Allah united their hearts, thus they became true brothers in Islam through this great blessing. Thereafter, everything worshipped besides Allah, such as graves, trees, stones and idols ceased to exist and all worship was devoted to Allah alone. People followed the true Religion of Islamic monotheism and worshipped Allah alone, except those whom Allah willed that they were to remain as people of polytheism, hypocrisy and followers of the altered and distorted previous scriptures. The darkness of polytheism was dispelled and the banner of Tawheed was raised in the lands amongst the Arabs and non-Arabs.

Allah’s Messenger passed away, while Islam was established and in authority-superseding all other ways of life and creeds. Then the rightly guided khulafaa of the Messenger [Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali continued to adhere to the path of the Messenger until the two powerful and great nations at the time-Rome and Persia-ended up in humiliation, degradation and in a state of fear after they had been in a state of security, and thus Caesar was restricted and besieged, and khosraw was subdued and destroyed. [3]

Two Essential Qualities of An Upright Universal Role Model – An Adherent to Pure Islamic Monotheism and Obedient To Allah  

Allah, The Mighty and Majestic, said:

إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

Verily, Ibrahim was an Ummah (leader), Qanitan (obedient), Hanifan (one who worshipped Allah alone), and he was not one of the Mushrikeen (polytheists and those who associate partners with Allah in worship). [An-Nahl. 120]

Shaikh Abdur Razzaq Al-Badr, may Allah preserve him, said:

Ibrahim, peace be upon him, is the leader of the Hunafaa (the adherents to Tawhid) and this is why Allah said to him:

إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا

Verily, I am going to make you a leader (Prophet) of humankind. [Al-Baqarah. 124]

It is a tradition among people to align themselves with prominent figures, particularly those they deeply respect. Therefore, if an individual claims that their chosen leader is leader (a virtuous guide), it is important to recognise that no leader surpasses Prophet Ibrahim (after Prophet Muhammad). Allah said about Prophet Ibrahim:

وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ إِلَّا مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُۥ

And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself]! [Al-Baqarah. 130]

When an individual says that they follow a leader, it is essential to scrutinise the Aqeedah (Islamic Creed) of that individual whom they elevate to the status of leader. This evaluation should be conducted in accordance with the Qur’an to determine if he belongs to the adherents of Tawhid. Should someone attempt to validate the position of leader as a form of proof, it is imperative that this proof entails a thorough examination of the Aqeedah of the individual designated as leader- assessed based on the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah, to ascertain whether he embodies the principles of Tawhid. Furthermore, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said regarding the Prophet:

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْءَاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. [Surah Al-Ahzab. 21] (1)

Saul, peace be upon him

Allah, The Exalted, stated about the Children of Israel:

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا قَالُوٓا۟ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِٱلْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ ٱلْمَالِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُۥ بَسْطَةً فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ وَٱلْجِسْمِ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤْتِى مُلْكَهُۥ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

And their Prophet (Samuel) said to them, “Indeed Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king over you.” They said, “How can he be a king over us when we are better fitted than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth.” He said: “Verily, Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah grants His Kingdom to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.” [Al-Baqarah 247]

Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

He [Talut] was given deep insight and physical strength through which he was qualified for his position as king because if he had deep insight and the ability to implement the right decision, he will be able to fulfil this role in the most perfect manner. But if he lacks one of the two, he would not be able to do his job properly. If physically strong but lack deep insight, a king would be unsuccessful in running the affairs of the kingdom because his strength would not be utilised wisely. If he had deep insight but did not have the strength to implement any decisions, his insight would not benefit him because he would not be able to achieve anything. [2]

Role Models Must Be Followers of The Righteous 

Allah, The Most High, said:

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

And those who say: “Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for pious. [Al-Furqan 74]

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

They ask Allah to grant them the comfort of the eye by making their wives and offspring obedient to Allah, and to grant them happiness in their hearts due to being followed by the righteous in obedience and servitude to Allah. This is because a trustworthy leader in the religion cooperates upon obedience and the call them to (sound) leadership in the religion, whose foundation is patience and certainty, as Allah said:

وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْ‌ۖ وَڪَانُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ

And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). [As-Sajdah 24]

Thus, in their supplication to Allah that He makes them leaders of the righteous people, is that Allah guides, grants them success, bless them with beneficial knowledge and righteous actions–outwardly and inwardly–without which (sound) leadership in the religion cannot be achieved.

This is different from (merely) seeking leadership, for indeed its seekers hasten to obtain it in order to achieve their goals, exaltedness in the earth, enslavement and attachment of the hearts to them, and aiding them in all their goals, while they are exalted and everyone subservient to them. This pursuit of leadership brings about corruption – (the extent) which none can encompass (in their knowledge) except Allah- such as rebellion, envy, transgression, enmity, oppression, trials, being ardent in defending oneself at the expense of violating the rights of Allah, exalting those despised by Allah and belittling those honoured by Allah. [3]

Why Is Andrew Tate and Other Social Media Influencers Advised Openly When They Err?

Allah, The Most High, said:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ

You [true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways, etc.)] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah. [Aal Imran 110]

[2] Tafsir As-Sadi

[3] An Excerpt from Ar-Ruh. 487-489