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Followership and the eight kinds of follower

علم الأتباع وأنواع الأتباع الثمانية

Followership as Tareq al-Suwaidan presents it: the follower and the imitator, the causes of following, and eight kinds of follower by three criteria, leadership ability, challenge and effectiveness, each illustrated by a Companion or a contemporary of the Prophet ﷺ.

Depth

At a glance

Region
Global / Diaspora
Review

Politics, governance and authorityEthics and character

Summary

"The study of followers" (followership) is a new branch of leadership science as Tareq al-Suwaidan presents it in episodes 5 to 8 of his programme "Secrets of Prophetic Leadership": there is no leadership without followers and no bad leader without bad followers, so the follower is studied as the leader is. 1 2 A follower, for him, is a subordinate with less authority than his superior, or in the general sense anyone who is not the leader. 3 He says Barbara Kellerman's two books Bad Leadership and Followership are among the few research-based books on the subject, and that neither topic has been studied in Arabic. 4 5

Tools for moving people, and the goal

Leadership for him is moving people towards a goal, and every person has a "key" that moves him; the failed leader uses one key, money or threats, on everyone. 6 The main tools for moving people are five: enticement, intimidation, oratory, persuasion and example; persuasion, he says, was the Prophet's chief tool because its effect outlasts the leader. 7 8 The followers need not know the goal, nor need it be a good one: he cites the followers of Uyayna ibn Hisn, who moved with him "without asking why or where". 9 10

The follower and the imitator

In a model of his own, al-Suwaidan distinguishes the follower from the imitator, though both count as followers: 11

  • The follower asks for proof and evidence; for the imitator proof is secondary. 11
  • The follower treats the means as open to change; the imitator makes them sacred. 12
  • The follower criticises a mistake even when it comes from the leader; the imitator gives in to it. He shows a filmed experiment in which, he says, 37% of participants gave in to the mistake entirely. 13 14
  • The follower judges leaders rationally; the imitator emotionally. 14
  • The follower is not swayed by the collective mind; the imitator goes with the current. 15 16
  • The follower takes the initiative because he has understood the goal; the imitator waits for orders. 16 17
  • The follower keeps developing his skills; the imitator's skills stay as he was taught. 17

Why people follow

He then sets out a model of the reasons people follow a leader: fear, example, interests, hope, order and stability, persuasion, oratory and charisma. 5 An example, for him, is someone whose words match his deeds and both match his values. 18 He reports Peter Drucker as saying that in more than fifty years with leaders he never found charisma to be a condition of leadership. 19 Every leader is also a follower, he says; a leader sometimes takes account of his followers, but his place is at the front. 20 21 One of his examples is the Prophet's leaving the Ka'ba unrebuilt on Abraham's foundations out of regard for his people's recent entry into Islam. 22 23 On the inner circle, he cites Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and Sa'd ibn Ubada at the Trench, who asked the Prophet whether his offer to Ghatafan was revelation or opinion and then turned it down; see shura. 24 25

The eight kinds of follower

Western books, al-Suwaidan says, class followers by two criteria and arrive at four or five kinds; he uses three and arrives at eight: leadership ability; "challenge" in a positive sense, that is discussion, giving one's opinion and objecting in order to improve, not out of obstinacy; and effectiveness in the organisation. 26 27 28 29 30 He calls the model his own, not a translation. 31

  1. The partner follower: high leadership ability, no challenge, high effectiveness. Example: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. 32 33
  2. The influential follower: high on all three. Example: Umar ibn al-Khattab. 34 35
  3. The supporting follower: high leadership ability, no challenge, limited effectiveness. Example: Abu Sufyan ibn Harb after his conversion. 36 37
  4. The advising follower: middling ability, high challenge, high effectiveness. Example: al-Hubab ibn al-Mundhir. 37 38
  5. The committed follower: low leadership ability, no challenge, high effectiveness. Example: Abu Dharr al-Ghifari. 39 40
  6. The obstinate follower: low ability, high challenge, low effectiveness. Example: al-Jadd ibn Qays. 41 42
  7. The arrogant follower: high leadership ability, high challenge, nil or negative effectiveness. Example: Abdullah ibn Ubayy. 43 44
  8. The marginal follower: low on all three, and the majority of people. He traces it to ignorance of the leadership's aims, weak interests, leaders' despotism, and weak leadership unable to make use of talent. 45 46

The model, he says, helps a leader know whom to rely on, to whom to delegate and whom to restrain. 47 He distinguishes the soldier from the follower: "carry out, then discuss" is right in battle and crisis, but kept up in peacetime it produces imitators, in his view. 48 49 "Challenge" is acceptable only together with effectiveness, he holds, so the critic with nothing to show is not treated like the productive critic. 42 50 Among his ideas is "the first follower": leadership becomes effective only when he appears, and al-Suwaidan proposes it as a subject for research. 51 52

Connections

Explore the connections

Subject of
Asrar al-Qiyada al-Nabawiyya, Secrets of Prophetic Leadership (television programme)

People and things also explored

The leader's eight roles and training in general leadership· The environment that fosters leadership· Bad leadership and its seven types· Specialised leadership and training in it· The model of leadership upbringing· The model for discovering leaders· Leadership and the leader's six roles· Situational leadership

Sources

  1. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:13:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  2. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:03:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  3. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:11:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  4. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:26:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  5. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:27:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  6. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:02:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  7. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:04:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  8. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:04:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  9. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:07:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  10. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:08:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  11. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:14:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  12. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:15:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  13. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:16:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  14. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:19:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  15. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:20:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  16. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:23:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  17. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:24:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  18. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:29:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  19. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:32:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  20. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:35:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  21. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:35:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  22. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:36:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  23. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:37:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  24. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:44:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  25. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 5, at 00:46:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  26. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:06:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  27. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:06:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  28. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:07:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  29. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:07:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  30. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:08:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  31. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:02:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  32. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:10:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  33. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:28:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  34. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:32:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  35. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:50:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  36. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:07:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  37. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:33:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  38. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:41:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  39. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:42:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  40. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:47:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  41. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 8, at 00:08:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  42. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 8, at 00:30:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  43. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 8, at 00:32:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  44. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 8, at 00:46:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  45. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 8, at 00:47:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  46. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 8, at 00:48:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  47. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:05:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  48. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:06:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  49. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 7, at 00:06:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  50. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 8, at 00:31:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  51. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:31:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  52. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 6, at 00:32:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Followership and the eight kinds of follower”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/ilm-al-atba/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-11-02.

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The leader's eight roles and training in general leadership

Tareq al-Suwaidan's model of training in general leadership: eight roles, direction, example, change, motivation, training, relations, intervention and empowerment, each with two elements, two competencies and a training skill for each; everything else is management, to be delegated.