The System of Encouraging and Punishing Governmental Officials in Islam

The encouragement and punishment system is one of the most important factors which guarantee managers and worker's success in developing their programs and making the changes which they are after. Adopting suitable methods of encouragement and punishment has a great effect on motivating the workers to carry out the duties assigned to them and preventing committing offences. Adopting inefficient methods of encouragement and punishment cannot contribute to achieving the goals of an organization or an office as well as expected, and has negative effects and undesirable consequences as well. Due to the the importance of the use of encouragement and punishment, first it should be pointed out that Islam has given special attention to the principle of encouraging and punishing governmental officials and, in some cases, basic strategies and general methods of encouragement and punishment were presented in order to avoid possible mistakes and decrease of efficiency. In addition to its presenting efficient methods of encouraging and punishing governmental officials, Islam gives special importance and attention to the idea of ensuring the accomplishment of them in this world and the next. During the period of his leadership which did not last long, Imam Ali (a) presented an absolutely ideal example of encouragement and punishment of officials. Considering the attention which Islam gives to the rule of encouragement and punishment and the guarantee of applying it, this rule can be proposed to the managers as a clear way for the success and high efficiency of offices and organization.