Leading the Godly Way: Islamic Leadership as Practiced by Principals of Islamic Schools in Ontario

This study examines how Islamic school principals in Ontario, Canada, discuss their leadership using frameworks of renewal and faith as the ultimate concern. Drawing on 11 in-depth interviews, the study finds these leaders define success in both academic and religious terms, driven by religious salvation, parental roles, and pastoral responsibility. Their motivation leads them to extend their efforts beyond conventional leadership toward students’ religious development. The study explains their leadership as operating in an authentic leadership space enabled by professional-religious freedom. Furthermore, the study presents Muslim Pastoral Educational Leadership as a new framework for understanding this form of leadership.