In the Islamic tradition, the concept of shepherd expresses the responsibility of the ruler to the subjects. In other words, shepherds are not megalomaniacs who oppress, dominate and enslave peoples, on the contrary, they are pioneers who improve the society's awareness of justice and strive for its rise in the political, economic, social and cultural fields.
The reason why the manager is symbolized by the shepherd in our tradition is that this job contributes to the development of traits such as self-sacrifice, justice, patience and deep understanding that should be found in the manager. You know, the shepherd recognizes the needs and temperament of the animals he grazes and ensures the safety of the flock.
The shepherd does not enslave the herd, on the contrary, he trains and disciplines them so that they can meet their needs. The herd does not act according to the shepherd, but the shepherd acts according to the flock and does not position himself on a high point, he sees himself as a servant.
The shepherd lives in the mountains and endures the harsh conditions here, developing resistance to hunger and cold. He is patient, fair, lives in the harsh conditions of the mountains and organizes his life according to the herd. Shepherding, which is seen as the profession of prophets in the Islamic tradition, is associated with management and it is stated that the manager should show the sensitivity that the shepherd shows to the flock.
As it is known, our Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was a shepherd at one time in his life and benefited from the gains brought by this profession. Today, however, our rulers, who have a deep-rooted history in our tradition and embrace the metaphor of the shepherd, inculcate blind obedience to their people and lead the masses with them as they change direction and move towards the abyss.
In the Islamic tradition, management has been metaphorized with the profession of shepherd, but peoples are not seen as a herd, on the contrary, they are considered as a union of forces consisting of conscious and willed individuals. The peoples felt a debt of respect and reverence to the ruler, but they did not hesitate to raise their voices and express their opinions when the ruler deviated from the line of justice. The rulers established horizontal relations with their people and acted in cooperation to ensure prosperity, peace and tranquility.
The expression of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), "You are all shepherds and responsible for your flock," does not point to one-man or dictatorship, but this expression emphasizes the heavy burden and responsibility on the shoulders of the ruler. But unfortunately, our leaders, with the reflexes of oppression, transformed this expression of the Messenger of Allah into one-man, holy man, and began to see power as a matter of faith.
The peoples dragged after them, on the other hand, tied their will to one man and lost their courage to ask questions. The masses, whose minds were anesthetized, became unable to use their reason and will and devoted their lives to applauding their masters.
The first duty of the ruler in the Islamic tradition was to awaken the consciousness of the peoples and to unite them on the axis of tawhid. He was a pioneer who empowered individuals to think, question and act, and gave them a rights-based perspective.
The ruler used the means of the state not for himself but for his people, spread justice to all layers of the society and gave confidence to his people. The shepherd was like a father, just as the father focused on the needs of the child, the ruler showed the same sensitivity for his people.
However, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, and now the peoples do not respect the leaders who will lead them, but rather the politicians who can comply with the demands of the dominant powers and support these people. Those who take their heads out of the cave where the masses are imprisoned and become free are declared guilty and pushed out of life.