The Quran has given a comprehensive explanation of the causes of misguidance of people in their beliefs and actions in this life. Allah mentioned in many verses that the cause of misguidance for many people is that they follow others in error without any scale of judgement to avoid those errors. Allah (swt) says, “When it is said to them: ‘Follow what Allah has sent down’ They say ‘Nay, we shall follow what we found our fathers following’ Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided.” (al Baqarah 2:170) This demonstrates that the leadership people adopt for themselves and the principles or absence of principles which they base that upon is highly significant in deciding the guidance or misguidance of society as a whole. If people follow ignorant leaders then that will make them suffer in this world and in the next life as they will be gathered with those like them and those whom they followed. This proves that leadership in terms of both authority and leadership in terms of thinking is highly significant. Allah (swt) says “The Day when We shall call together all human beings with their imaams (leaders). So whosoever is given his record in his right hand, such will read their records and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.” (al Israa 17:71) When we understand evidences like this about the significance of leadership with regards to the followers on Yawmil Qiyaamah then we can understand how Imaamah itself is a shield for the people in all of their affairs in both worlds. Why is it that people will be gathered with those whom they followed? People often follow a leader for reasons of the dunyaa’ in opposition to the principles and rules by which Allah made leadership legitimate. Thus on Yawmil Qiyaamah people will see that such leadership has no power to help them against the fruits of their own error. If the people follow leadership either in terms of leading ideas from those of Islamic knowledge or the leadership of Imaarah [authority] based upon Islamic principles rather than kufr principles of wealth, power and short term benefit then they will taste that on Yawmil Qiyaamah when the masses will suffer for their error. In fact, the majority of people rejected the scale of Divine principles for legitimate leadership in terms of authority and knowledge, and that is why prophets were often rejected by their peoples in favour of the wealthy and powerful, and this was to the extent that some prophets had only a small group of followers, others had only one or two and others had no followers. Ibn A’bbaas reported ‘The Prophet once came out to us and said, "Some nations were displayed before me. A prophet would pass in front of me with one man, and another with two men, and another with a group of people. and another with nobody with him…” (BUKHAARI Eng/Arabic [vol.7 no.648] MUSLIM kitaabul Imaan [no.425, 426]) and Anas bin Maalik reported that rasool Allah (saw) said “I would be the first intercessor in the paradise and no messenger amongst the messengers has been testified (by such a large number of people) as I have been testified. And verily, there would be a prophet among the prophets who would be testified to by only one man from his people.” (MUSLIM kitaabul Imaan [no.383]) Not only do such narrations prove that masses of people are following the wrong principles of leadership but it also proves that legitimate leadership is not based upon power as that is not existing in only one or two followers.

One of the first accusations against the Prophet (saw) was that he was not a man of power, thus this false scale of judgement is the way of the disbelievers, Allah (swt) says “Also they say: ‘Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some mighty [a’zeem] man in either of the two (Chief) cities?’ Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of thy Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world: and We raise some of them above others in ranks so that some may command work from others. But the Mercy of thy Lord is better than that (wealth) which they amass. And were it not that (all) men might become one nation [ummatan wahidah] We would provide for everyone that disbelieves in Ar Rahmaan silver roofs for their houses and (silver) stair-ways on which to go up. And (silver) doors to their houses and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline And also adornments of gold. But all this were nothing but conveniences of the present life: the Hereafter in the sight of thy Lord is for the muttaqeen” (az Zukhruf 43:31-35) Ibn Katheer comments on the words of Allah, “Also they say: ‘Why is not this Qur'an sent down to some mighty [a’zeem] man in either of the two (Chief) cities?’…” ‘meaning, why was this Quran not revealed to some man who was great and prominent in their eyes, from the two cities i.e. Makkah and at Taa’if? This was the view of Ibn A’bbaas, I’krimah, Muhammad bin Ka’b, Al Qurazi, Qataadah, as Suddi and Ibn Zayd (TABARI [21/592-593], Tafseer Quraan al A’zeem of IBN KATHEER) Allah (swt) has made clear the dispute that will occur on Yawmil Qiyaamah between the followers and the followed when they realise the mistake in taking a leadership based upon other than the Islamic scale, Allah (swt) says, “And when they will dispute in the Fire, the weak will say to those who were arrogant, ‘Verily! We followed you. Can you then take from us some portion of the Fire?’ Those who were arrogant will say ‘We are all in this! Verily, Allah has judged between His slaves!’ And those in the Fire will say to the keepers (angels) of Hell: ‘Call upon your Lord to lighten for us the torment for a day!’ They will say: ‘Did there not come to you your messengers with clear evidence and signs?’ They will say ‘Yes’ They will reply, ‘Then call!’ And the call of the disbelievers is nothing but in error.” (Ghaafir 40:47-50) The regret of those who followed the wrong leadership is again manifested in the followers and the followed wishing they had never adopted the wrong path of leadership, Allah (swt) says “When those who were followed disown those who followed (them) and they see the torment then all their relations will be cut off from them. And those who followed will say ‘If only we had one more chance to return we would disown them as they have disowned us’ Thus Allah will show their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire.” (al Baqarah 2:166-167)

Therefore the scale for judging the shield of Imaamah does not exist in its wealth and material resources, but rather it exists in its adherence to Islamic beliefs and principles of leadership. You can tell the type of person someone is through the leadership which they take for themselves, whether it be the leadership of knowledge or th leadership of authority.