The Cure for the Lust for Leadership

1. Making sure you have sincere intentions

2. The person must be denied it when he requests it

3. Consultation

4. Bearing in mind the negative effects of being appointed as ruler

5. Continuously taking account of oneself, repentance and seeking forgiveness

6. Preoccupying oneself with knowledge and not discontinuing it

7. Asceticism in this life and attachment to the afterlife and competing in it

8. Thinking of how Allah will compensate His slave in this life when he avoids leadership

9. A person’s first concern should be serving this religion and benefitting people from whatever position he has

10. Being aware of the responsibility of ruling as it is a duty and not an honor

11. A person should know his own value/worth

12. To always pray Allah and advise others to do so also

13. To exert power for the purpose of aiding people

14. The slave of Allah must direct what Allah has put in his heart of loving power and high standing in the right way.

15. Reading about and pondering on the lives of the pious Salaf

16. Du’a’