R-A-C-I

Dear Ansar Brothers,
As-Salamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah

In May, a knowledgeable member of National Amila of Majlis Ansarullah, USA, shared a neat project management pearl with me. It is called “R-A-C-I.” The acronym stands for “Responsible – Accountable – Consulted – Informed.” It allows a clear task distribution matrix for a project where one person is responsible for getting the job done, one is accountable for the outcomes, others are subject matter experts who are consulted and yet others are stakeholders who are merely informed.

It got me thinking. I started imagining a scene in Holy Qur’an and thought: Can we also apply this matrix to the biggest project of attaining paradise for ourselves and our families?

I believe we can. Allow me to indulge you.

Regardless of the shifting sands of modern culture, Qur’anic edicts remain timeless like, “Men are guardians over women…” (The Holy Qur’an, 4 [Al-Nisa’]:35) Khulafa have reminded us that this verse, in part, makes us “Responsible” to be role models for our families. R? Check.

And when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (may Allah be his helper) gave the U.S. Ansar the mission to “save yourselves and your families from a fire" (The Holy Qur’an, 66 [Al-Tahrim]:7), Huzoor made us “Accountable” as well. A? Check. (By the way, even in R-A-C-I, one person could be both responsible and accountable. So we are not bending the rules here.)

Now it is our job to consult our wives and elders so our homes emit the fragrance of a paradise, rather than that of a totalitarian regime. Consultation may lead us to bend, or even change course in matters of righteousness. That is a sign of love, not weakness. C? Check.

Our children, extended family, and colleagues fall under the “Informed” category. Yes, as children grow up, they can graduate to the stage of being consulted. But up until a certain age, we, as fathers do—and in some cases must—take charge. A ten-year old should typically not be consulted about how he would like to use his cell phone, game console, or even TV. I? Check.

Haven’t I generated some strong emotions already? Yes, I know. These are highly individualized decisions and every family is different. You want to add to this conversation. That is why I invite you to come to our National Ijtima 2015, from September 18 to 20 at Baitur Rahman Mosque where we will be holding interactive workshops on these topics.

Before I let you go, visualize the Qur’anic scene that I was imagining in the beginning.

Almighty Allah mentions in the Holy Qur’an, “Verily, the inmates of heaven will, on that day, be happy in their occupation. They and their wives will be in pleasant shades, reclining on raised couches. They will have fruits therein, and they will have whatever they call for.” (The Holy Qur’an, 36 [Ya Sin]: 56-58)

As Ansar, we are responsible and accountable for our families and our children. My dear brothers, let us pray for each other’s families. May Allah have mercy on us, forgive us, and unite us with our wives and children in the gardens of eternal bliss. Ameen.

Was-Salam,

Faheem Younus Qureshi
Serving Majlis Ansarullah, USA