Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2006-04-06 A Study of Islamic Leadership Theory and Practice in K-12 Islamic Schools in Michigan Adnan Ibrahim Aabed Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Educational Leadership Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Aabed, Adnan Ibrahim, "A Study of Islamic Leadership Theory and Practice in K-12 Islamic Schools in Michigan" (2006). Theses and Dissertations. 408. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/408 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. A STUDY OF ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE IN K-12 ISLAMIC SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN By Adnan Aabed A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Brigham Young University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations Brigham Young University April 2006 2 Copyright @ 2006 Adnan I. Aabed All Rights Reserved 3 BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COMMITTEE APPROVAL Of a dissertation submitted by Adnan I. Aabed This dissertation has been read by each member of the following graduate committee And by majority vote has been found to be satisfactory. ___________________________ _____________________________________ Date E. Vance Randall, Chair ___________________________ _____________________________________ Date Joseph Matthews ___________________________ _____________________________________ Date Julie Hite ___________________________ _____________________________________ Date Steven J. Hite ___________________________ _____________________________________ Date Steven C. Baugh 4 Brigham Young University As chair of the candidate’s graduate committee, I have read the dissertation of Adnan I. Aabed in its final form and have found that (1) its format, citations, and bibliographical style are consistent and acceptable and fulfill university and department style requirements; (2) its illustrative materials including figures, tables, and chart are in place; (3) the final manuscript is satisfactory to the graduate committee and is ready for submission to the university library. ______________________ ____________________________________ Date E. Vance Randall, Chair, Graduate Committee Accepted for the Department ____________________________________ A. LeGrand Richards, Department Chair Accepted for the College ____________________________________ K. Richard Young Dean, David O. McKay School of Education 5 ABSTRACT A STUDY OF ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE IN K-12 ISLAMIC SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN Adnan I. Aabed Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations Doctor of Philosophy Effective leadership in Islamic schools involves the incorporation of Islamic principles in the leadership behaviors and practices. With so much literature about the need of Islamic leadership in Islamic institutions in the United States, the problem addressed by the study was whether school principals in Islamic schools exhibited and led these schools according to the principles of Islamic leadership. The study described leadership approaches used by school principals in Islamic schools and how those leadership approaches were influenced by Islamic leadership principles, comparing the Islamic leadership principles derived from the literature with the leadership principles of principals of Islamic schools. A complete population of 12 Islamic school principals in the state of Michigan participated in the study. Data was obtained by individual, face-to-face interviews to get rich descriptive information about their leadership approaches, trait, styles, and principles. 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I became aware of the need for this study through my work as a principal in an Islamic school in Gaza Strip in Palestine. My plan was to do the study about the school principals’ leadership approaches and styles in Palestine, but due to the political conflict between the Palestinian and Israeli people, I decided to conduct the study about the Islamic schools in Michigan. I express humble appreciation to Allah (God), the first leader Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and His Companions for their inspiration and blessings that shadowed me and supported me to finish the study. I am grateful to the 12 Islamic school principals in Michigan State who participated in this study. I am also thankful for my committee for their input, and most especially my committee chair, E. Vance Randall for his belief in me and the value of this study. Finally, I express my deepest regards and gratitude to my parents for their support and prayers, to my loving wife, Siham, and to my children, Reem, Saed, Ahmed, and Rana for their love, support, and encouragement through this experience. 7 Table of Contents Page Abstract………………………………………………………………………… iv Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………….. v Chapter One: Introduction ……………………………………………………. 1-18 The importance of education……………………………………………. 1 The importance of parental values and religious beliefs………………... 2 Public schools verses Private religious schools…………………………. 3 Challenges facing religious private schools…………………………….. 6 Challenges facing Islamic schools………………………………………. 6 Leadership……………………………………………………………….. 7 The importance of educational leadership in public and private schools.. 8 Leadership in Islamic institutions in the United States…………………. 10 Statement of the Problem……………………………………………….. 12 Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………. 13 Definitions………………………………………………………………. 13 Research Questions……………………………………………………… 14 Research Design and Methodology……………………………………... 15 The Population………………………………………………….. 15 Data Collection…………………………………………………… 16 Data Analysis……………………………………………………... 16 Summary………………………………………………………………… 17 Chapter Two: Review of Literature……………………………………………. 19-75 Islamic beliefs and practices…………………………………………….. 19 The educational philosophy in Islam……………………………………. 21 Educational institutions in Islam………………………………………… 23 The role of Islamic schools in Islam…………………………………….. 24 Muslims in America…………………………………………………….. 25 Islamic schools in United States………………………………………… 26 The importance of school leadership……………………………………. 29 The need for leadership development growth…………………………… 31 Leadership in Islamic and Western Literature ………………………….. 33 Leadership approaches in Islamic and Western literature………………. 35 Power-influence approach………………………………………... 36 Servant-leader approach………………………………………….. 43 Transactional & Transformational approach…………………… 47 Trait approach……………………………………………………. 53 Situational leadership approach………………………………….. 54 Principles of Islamic Leadership ……………………………………….. 60 Summary………………………………………………………………… 75 8 Chapter Three: Methodology and Procedures………………………………… 76-88 Research Design………………………………………………………… 76 Population………………………………………………………… 77 Data Collection………………………………………………………….. 79 Research Method…………………………………………………. 79 Data Instruments………………………………………………….. 81 Data Analysis……………………………………………………………. 84 Summary………………………………………………………………… 88 Chapter Four: The Findings …………………………………………………. 89-128 Participants’ Demographics…………………………………………….. 89 Principals’ Leadership Approaches…………………………………….. 90 Servant-leader approach………………………………………….. 91 Transformational leadership approach…………………………… 93 Situational leadership approach………………………………….. 95 Trait leadership approach………………………………………… 97 Power-influence leadership approach……………………………. 101 Transactional leadership approach………………………………. 103 Principals’ Leadership Roles………………………………………….. 103 Visionary roles…………………………………………………… 104 Managerial roles………………………………………………….. 105 Personal leadership roles…………………………………………. 106 Relation builder roles…………………………………………….. 108 Social architect roles……………………………………………… 109 Principals’ Leadership Styles…………………………………………. 111 Facilitating leadership styles……………………………………… 112 Personal leadership styles………………………………………… 113 Team leadership styles……………………………………………. 114 Interpersonal leadership styles……………………………………. 115 Leading change styles…………………………………………….. 115 Management leadership styles……………………………………. 116 Sources of Influence…………………………………………………. 118 Islam’s influence…………………………………………………. 120 Principals’ Leadership Principles……………………………………. 121 Principals’ general leadership principles…………………………. 121 Principals’ Islamic leadership principles…………………………. 124 Principals’ Constraints………………………………………………. 125 Personal constraints……………………………………………… 126 Organizational constraints…………………………………………. 126 Ways to be an effective leader…………………………………….. 126 Summary:……………………………………………………………. 127 Chapter Five: Discussion……………………………………………………… 129-155 Servant-Leadership Approach………………………………………. 129 Transformational Leadership Approach…………………………….. 130 9 Situational Leadership Approach…………………………………… 130 Trait Leadership Approach………………………………………….. 131 Power-Influence Approach………………………………………….. 132 Transactional leadership approach………………………………….. 132 Leadership roles…………………………………………………….. 133 Leadership styles…………………………………………………….. 133 Sources of influence…………………………………………………. 134 Principals’ leadership principles…………………………………….. 135 Leadership principles and the Islamic leadership principles……….. 136 Personal and organizational constraints…………………………… 140 Ways to be effective leader………………………………………… 140 Applications to the principals in the Islamic schools in Michigan…