I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best

In the time when the dawn of Islam shone bright upon the world, in the days of Abu Bakr, the first caliph of the great faith, there arose a moment of profound humility, a moment that would echo through the ages for its wisdom. Abu Bakr, having been entrusted with the authority over the people, did not boast of his position nor wear it as a crown of superiority. Rather, he acknowledged with a heart full of sincerity that he was but a servant of the truth, imperfect and humble before the people. “I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you,” he said, and in those words lay a lesson for all time.

What did he mean, this noble leader, when he proclaimed, “I am not the best of you”? It was a declaration of the fundamental truth that those who hold power are not to be seen as greater than those they serve. The authority that comes with leadership is not a privilege to elevate oneself, but a responsibility to carry the burden of the people’s hopes, dreams, and struggles. And so, Abu Bakr acknowledged that though he had been entrusted with leadership, he was not above the people—he was, in essence, one among them, bound to them by the common pursuit of truth and justice. He knew that power could easily corrupt, and so he tempered it with humility and integrity.

This profound humility brings to mind the ancient philosophers who also cautioned against the temptation of hubris. Socrates, the great seeker of truth, would often remind his followers that the pursuit of wisdom is endless, that no one, no matter how learned, can claim to have reached the pinnacle of knowledge. In this way, Abu Bakr’s words mirror those of the ancient sages, for to be a true leader is to know your own fallibility. It is to recognize that, like every man, you are vulnerable to error, and that truth is not something that belongs to any one individual, but something to be sought by all.

But it is not just humility that Abu Bakr shared with us. He also spoke of the sincerity of the people’s duty to him: “If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right.” Here, we see a powerful message of mutual responsibility—not just from the ruler to the ruled, but from the ruled to the ruler. True leadership is not the dominion of a single soul; it is the shared effort of all. The people’s role is not merely to obey, but to guide, to correct when necessary, to speak the truth when the leader strays. This moment, this call for accountability, is as vital today as it was then.

Consider, then, the example of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, who stood not as blind followers but as active participants in the shaping of their community. They did not hesitate to offer counsel to their leaders, to question when the path seemed unclear. This was the principle of accountability that Abu Bakr called for, a partnership between those in power and those they served. It is a truth that resonates through the ages, that no ruler, no leader, is beyond correction, and that the people must never be silent in the face of wrongdoing.

In our own time, as we navigate the complexities of life and leadership, let us remember the lesson passed down by Abu Bakr. To hold authority is to carry a great burden—not one of privilege, but one of service. It is a reminder that those in positions of power must never forget their inherent humility. And for those who follow, it is a call to action, to remain vigilant, to speak the truth, and to correct when necessary. This is the balance of leadership: to lead with integrity, to guide with compassion, and to listen with openness.

The lesson, then, is this: whether in our homes, our communities, or our nations, we must not fall prey to the illusion that those in power are infallible. True leadership is the art of serving others, of humbling oneself in the pursuit of justice and truth. We must hold those who lead us to account, just as we must be willing to accept correction when we falter. For it is through this mutual responsibility—this shared commitment to truth—that we build a world of justice and integrity. Let us carry this wisdom with us, as a guiding light in all our endeavors, for the journey toward truth is one we all walk together.