«سرپرستی نور»؛ دنباله‌رو باش، نه مدعی ریاست! وَ اشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْباً!

“The Leadership of Light”: Be a Follower, Not a Claimant to Headship! Wa ishta‘ala al-ra’su shayban (Maryam 19:4)

The Qur’anic word “ra’s” (head/leadership) carries a profound dual meaning, unveiling both the luminous beauty of divine guardianship and the destructive shadow of envy and arrogance.

In its praiseworthy sense, ra’s is one of the many metaphors of Nūr al-Wilāyah (the Light of Divine Guardianship). It signifies the role of the divinely appointed guide—the teacher in the world of mulk and the angel of mercy in the world of malakūt—who serves as the “head” of the community of hearts. From this head flows divine command (Amr Allāh), reaching receptive hearts that embody humility and gratitude. Such hearts become like fragrant lamps, spreading the perfume of righteous deeds and the sweetness of compassion throughout creation. This is the true meaning of “leadership by light”—not domination, but service, not self-exaltation, but the transmission of divine mercy.

The verse “wa ishta‘ala al-ra’su shayban” (Maryam 19:4) is a luminous image: the head of Zakariyya (a) shines with the fire of gray hair, a symbol not of decay but of radiance. It teaches that when the heart unites with its divine head, the fire of divine wisdom consumes the darkness of desire and envy, leaving only light. Such a head is aflame with truth, guiding the body of believers toward God.

But in its blameworthy sense, ra’s becomes one of the many metaphors of ḥasad (envy). Here, the head represents arrogance, self-importance, and the insatiable hunger for dominance:

• The desire to be the “first,” to be obeyed by all, to sit in the place of power.

• The craving to bend others to one’s will, to be the “god” of one’s own circle.

This is the disease of false headship—the same arrogance that made Iblīs declare: “I am better than him.” Such hearts, filled with envy, refuse to bow before the true head, the divinely appointed guide. They twist their necks away: “lawwaw ru’ūsahum” (Munāfiqūn 63:5), and in doing so, seal their fate of humiliation.

The Qur’an shows us again and again the tragic destiny of the envious head:

• In the prison story of Yūsuf (12:41), one prisoner is told: “You will be crucified, and the birds will eat from your head.” Here, the head is the seat of shame and exposure.

• In the end, the heads of the arrogant are bent down in humiliation: “nakisū ru’ūsihim ‘inda rabbihim” (Sajda 32:12).

• And the fruit of the infernal tree of Zaqqūm is described: “ṭal‘uhā ka-annahu ru’ūs al-shayāṭīn” (Ṣāffāt 37:65)—like the heads of devils, grotesque and terrifying.

In contrast, the ritual of ḥajj offers a luminous symbol: ḥalq al-ra’s (shaving the head). By shaving the head, the pilgrim declares: “I strip away the arrogance of false leadership. I cut off the roots of envy that cling to my head. I place the crown of true headship only on the Light of Divine Guardianship.” This is the purification of the head, the transformation of arrogance into humility, envy into gratitude, and self-claim into obedience.

Thus, the Qur’anic wisdom is clear:

• Headship in Light belongs only to the chosen guides of God—the Prophet ﷺ and the Ahl al-Bayt (a).

• False headship in envy leads to disgrace, humiliation, and fire.

✨ The call of “ra’s” is simple yet profound:
Do not claim headship. Do not be seduced by the illusion of leadership rooted in ego. Instead, be a follower of the true head, the Light of Divine Guardianship. For in following lies salvation, and in envy lies ruin.

📌 Takeaway:
The true “head” is the divine guide, the one whose flame burns away shadows. If your heart aligns with this luminous head, your whole being will glow. But if you cling to false headship, your head will be bent in shame and consumed in fire.