Nafs Maturity as Foundation of Islamic Leadership, Work Behavior, and Organizational Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54099/ijibmr.v5i2.1684Keywords:
Nafs Maturity, Islamic Leadership, Work Behavior, Organizational Performance, Islamic HRMAbstract
This study examines how nafs maturity influences the internalization of Islamic leadership values and its implications for work behavior and organizational performance. Previous leadership and human resource management studies, including Islamic perspectives, largely emphasize structural and managerial factors, yet provide limited explanation for variations in employees’ responses to identical leadership values. Employing an analytically oriented qualitative literature review, this study synthesizes findings from reputable national and international journals in Islamic psychology, leadership, and organizational behavior. Qualitative content analysis is applied using a comparative and interpretative approach, mapping empirical findings onto the nafs typology (ammarah, lawwāmah, and muṭma’innah). The findings reveal that nafs maturity determines the depth of leadership value internalization, shaping self-control, Islamic work ethic, emotional regulation, and behavioral consistency. Higher nafs maturity is associated with deep internalization and sustainable performance, while lower maturity tends to result in formal compliance and passive resistance. This study highlights nafs maturity as a foundational internal mechanism linking Islamic leadership, work behavior, and sustainable organizational performance
References
erences
Abasilim, U. D., Gberevbie, D. E., & Osibanjo, O. A. (2019). Leadership styles and employees’ commitment: Empirical evidence from Nigeria. Sage Open, 9(3), 2158244019866287. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019866287
Abdilah, M. D., Reinaldi, R., & MY, M. (2025). AN ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF TAZKIYAH AL-NAFS IN THE QUR’ANIC TAFSIR AND THE BOOK MI‘RĀJ AL-SA‘ĀDAH BY AḤMAD AL-NARĀQĪ. Tanzil: Jurnal Studi Al-Quran, 8(1), 25–50. https://doi.org/10.20871/tjsq.v8i1.461
Adula, M., Kant, S., & Birbirsa, Z. A. (2022). Systematic literature review on human resource management effect on organization performance. Annals of Human Resource Management Research, 2(2), 131-146. https://doi.org/10.35912/ahrmr.v2i2.1418
Aflah, K. N., Suharnomo, S., MAS'UD, F., & Mursid, A. (2021). Islamic work ethics and employee performance: The role of Islamic motivation, affective commitment, and job satisfaction. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(1), 997-1007. doi:10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no1.997
Al Halbusi, H., Ruiz-Palomino, P., & Williams, K. A. (2023). Ethical leadership, subordinates’ moral identity and self-control: Two-and three-way interaction effect on subordinates’ ethical behavior. Journal of business research, 165, 114044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114044
Aminnuddin, N. A. (2019). Demographic factors and religiosity dimensions as predictors of Islamic ethical work behavior in Brunei. https://doi.org/10.5964/psyct.v12i2.386
Andrew, A. (2017). Employees’ commitment and its impact on organizational performance. Asian Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting, 5(2), 1-13. DOI: 10.9734/AJEBA/2017/38396
Annuar, A., & Ali, J. K. (2021). Systematic literature review on the relationship between islam and organizational performance. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(10), 367-383. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i10/11176
Astuti, S. D., Shodikin, A., & Ud-Din, M. (2020). Islamic leadership, Islamic work culture, and employee performance: The mediating role of work motivation and job satisfaction. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(11), 1059-1068. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no11.1059
Basharat, T. (2020). A Comparative Study of the Personality Formulates of Ghazali and Freud. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 10(2), 223-242. https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.102.13
Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2007). Self‐Regulation, ego depletion, and motivation. Social and personality psychology compass, 1(1), 115-128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00001.x
Buldan, H., Hamid, E. S., Sriyana, J., & Tohirin, A. (2021). The role of Islamic business ethics and market condition on organizational performance. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(1), 781-790. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no1.781
Burlian, P. (2013). Konsep Al-Nafs Dalam Kajian Tasawuf Al-Ghazᾱlī. Jurnal Theologia, 24(2), 223-246. https://doi.org/10.21580/teo.2013.24.2.334
Candra, W., Tubastuvi, N., Santoso, S. B., & Haryanto, E. (2022). Analysis of the Islamic leadership, Islamic work ethics and intellectual intelligence on employee performance with Islamic organization culture as moderated variables. Journal of Islamic Economic and Business Research, 2(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.18196/jiebr.v2i1.21
Daulay, R., & Kurnia, E. (2021, February). The influence of Islamic organizational culture, work ability and emotional intelligence on employee performance in Islamic education institutions. In Proceeding International Seminar of Islamic Studies (Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 833-842). https://download.garuda.kemdikbud.go.id/article.php?article=2448387&val=23378&title
De Clercq, D., Haq, I. U., Raja, U., Azeem, M. U., & Mahmud, N. (2018). When is an Islamic work ethic more likely to spur helping behavior? The roles of despotic leadership and gender. Personnel Review, 47(3), 630-650. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-06-2017-0192
Dewi, N. N., & Wibowo, R. (2020). The effect of leadership style, organizational culture and motivation on employee performance. Management Science Letters, 10(9), 2037-2044. doi: 10.5267/j.msl.2020.2.008
Dhar, B. K., Masruki, R., Mutalib, M., Rahouma, H. M., Sobhani, F. A., & Absar, M. M. N. (2018). Mediating effect of organizational commitment between Islamic human resource practices and organizational performance among Islamic banks of Bangladesh. The Journal of Muamalat and Islamic Finance Research, 54-65. https://doi.org/10.33102/jmifr.v15i2.177
Ekawati, E., Bangsawan, S., Yuliansyah, Y., & Razimi, M. S. (2019). Organization culture oriented on Islamic principle and company performance. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 8, 301-312. https://buscompress.com/uploads/3/4/9/8/34980536/riber_8-s4_23_k19-138_301-312.pdf
Faliza, N., Ahmad, M. B., Setiawan, R., & Wiwit, A. (2024). The effect of leadership effectiveness and Islamic work motivation on organization performance with Islamic work ethics as a moderating variable. Reslaj: Religion Education Social Laa Roiba Journal, 6(1), 409-425. https://journal.laaroiba.com/index.php/reslaj/article/view/4016
Fesharaki, F., & Sehhat, S. (2018). Islamic human resource management (iHRM) enhancing organizational justice and employees’ commitment: Case of a Qard al-Hasan bank in Iran. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 9(1), 204-218. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-03-2017-0029
Firdaus, A., & Ahmad, K. (2023). Islamic business and performance management: The Maslahah-based performance management system. Routledge.
Gano, A. A., Abdullahi, N., Adam, Z. L., & Setyawan, C. E. (2024). Integrating Islamic principles into human resource management: Advancing organizational success through Islamic education and ethical practices. Tadibia Islamika, 4(2), 62-74. https://doi.org/10.28918/tadibia.v4i2.9125
Gazi, M. A. I. (2020). Islamic perspective of leadership in management; foundation, traits and principles. International Journal of Management and Accounting, 2(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.34104/ijma.020.0109
Hadi, N. F., & Afandi, N. K. (2021). Literature review is a part of research. Sulawesi Tenggara Educational Journal, 1(3), 64-71. https://doi.org/10.54297/seduj.v1i3.203
Hajiali, I., Kessi, A. M. F., Budiandriani, B., Prihatin, E., & Sufri, M. M. (2022). Determination of work motivation, leadership style, employee competence on job satisfaction and employee performance. Golden Ratio of Human Resource Management, 2(1), 57-69. https://doi.org/10.52970/grhrm.v2i1.160
Hasan, M. H. (2020). HUMAN CAPITAL IN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE. In International Conference of Business and Social Sciences. https://ojsicobuss.stiesia.ac.id/index.php/icobuss1st/article/view/74
Iman, K. (2024). Kajian Tafsir Isyari, Ayat Nafs Dalam Tafsir Al-Tustari (Al-Fajr/89: 27, Al-Qiyamah/75: 2, Dan Yusuf/12: 53). Syams: Jurnal Kajian Keislaman, 5(2), 18-35. https://doi.org/10.23971/nm8e0356
Irawan, A. R., Mulyadi, M., & Susilawati, S. (2024). The universal values of integrity Ūlul Al-Bāb through work ethic to achievement motivation and performance of lecturer at Islamic State University. Journal An-Nafs, 9(6), 267-285. https://doi.org/10.33367/psi.v9i2.6119
Islam, R., Zailani, S., & Ahmed, S. (Eds.). (2024). Islamic operations management: Theories and applications. Taylor & Francis.
Javed, B., Bashir, S., Rawwas, M. Y., & Arjoon, S. (2017). Islamic work ethic, innovative work behaviour, and adaptive performance: The mediating mechanism and an interacting effect. Current Issues in Tourism, 20(6), 647-663. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12212
Javed, S., Malik, A., & Alharbi, M. M. H. (2020). The relevance of leadership styles and Islamic work ethics in managerial effectiveness. PSU Research Review, 4(3), 189-207. https://doi.org/10.1108/PRR-03-2019-0007
Johnson, R. E., Lin, S. H., & Lee, H. W. (2018). Self-control as the fuel for effective self-regulation at work: Antecedents, consequences, and boundary conditions of employee self-control. In Advances in motivation science (Vol. 5, pp. 87-128). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.adms.2018.01.004
Kao, K. Y., Pan, L., Hsieh, H. H., & Li, H. F. (2025). Control Yourselves! Linking Impulse-Control Demands to Production Deviance: The Role of Burnout and Health-Specific Leadership. European Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2025.10.001
Küçük, B. A., & Taştan, S. (2020). The examination of the impact of workplace envy on individual outcomes of counterproductive work behavior and contextual performance: The role of self-control. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 24(3), 735-766. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/1010394
Kurniawan, B., Imama, H. N., Maghfiroh, H., Yusiana, Y., & Mu’alimin, M. (2024). The Role of Management Psychology in Forming Attachment and Motivation for Organizational Performance. Khalifah : Jurnal Pendidikan Nusantara, 2(1), 12-22. https://doi.org/10.62523/khalifah.v2i1.43
Lian, H., Yam, K. C., Ferris, D. L., & Brown, D. (2017). Self-control at work. Academy of Management Annals, 11(2), 703-732. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2015.0126
Macke, J., & Genari, D. (2019). Systematic literature review on sustainable human resource management. Journal of cleaner production, 208, 806-815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.091
Mahmood Aziz, H., Jabbar Othman, B., Gardi, B., Ali Ahmed, S., Sabir, B. Y., Burhan Ismael, N., ... & Anwar, G. (2021). Employee commitment: The relationship between employee commitment and job satisfaction. Aziz, HM, Othman, BJ, Gardi, B., Ahmed, SA, Sabir, BY, Ismael, NB, Hamza, PA, Sorguli, S., Ali, BJ, Anwar, G.(2021). Employee Commitment: The Relationship between Employee Commitment And Job Satisfaction. Journal of Humanities and Education Development, 3(3), 54-66. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3851329
Majeed, Y., Khalid, Z., & Khan, M. A. (2011). The impact of Islamic leadership on organizational Objectives. Far East Journal of Psychology and Business, 1(5), 54-65. https://ideas.repec.org/a/fej/articl/v1y2011i5p54-65.html
Mar’ah, G. H., & Ar-Romli, N. P. (2025). Human psychological phenomena in science and islam: An islamic education values perspective. Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan dan Sains Islam Interdisipliner, 177-188. https://doi.org/10.59944/jipsi.v4i4.480
Mohammad, J., Quoquab, F., Idris, F., Al-Jabari, M., Hussin, N., & Wishah, R. (2018). The relationship between Islamic work ethic and workplace outcome: A partial least squares approach. Personnel Review, 47(7), 1286-1308. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-05-2017-0138
Mutalib, M. A., Rafiki, A., & Razali, W. M. F. A. W. (2022). Principles and practice of Islamic leadership. Springer Singapore.
Nasution, F. N., & Rafiki, A. (2020). Islamic work ethics, organizational commitment and job satisfaction of Islamic banks in Indonesia. RAUSP Management Journal, 55, 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1108/RAUSP-01-2019-0011
Prasetyo, A., Soleh, M., & Hidayati, N. (2021). The Effect of Islamic Leadership and Islamic Compensation on Employee Performance with Employee's Commitment as Moderation in Islamic Boarding School's Businesses. Al-Uqud: Journal of Islamic Economics, 5(2), 292-306. https://doi.org/10.26740/aluqud.v5n2.p292-306
Rabbad, R., Astuti, H. J., Tubastuvi, N., & Pratama, B. C. (2024). The effect of Islamic leadership, organizational culture, motivation, work environment, and job satisfaction on employee performance. International Journal of Research in Business & Social Science, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v13i3.3402
Rajab, K. (2010). Psiko spiritual ISLAM: Sebuah kajian kesehatan mental dalam Tasawuf. Millah, ed (khus), 139–159. https://doi.org/10.20885/millah.ed.khus.art8
Rana, M. H., & Malik, M. S. (2017). Impact of human resource (HR) practices on organizational performance: Moderating role of Islamic principles. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 10(2), 186-207. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-04-2016-0060
Rawwas, M. Y., Javed, B., & Iqbal, M. N. (2018). Perception of politics and job outcomes: moderating role of Islamic work ethic. Personnel Review, 47(1), 74-94. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-03-2016-0068
Razak, A., Sarpan, S., & Ramlan, R. (2018). Effect of leadership style, motivation and work discipline on employee performance in PT. ABC Makassar. International Review of Management and Marketing, 8(6), 67.
Ripaan, U. (2023). Tinjauan Neurosains Terhadap Konsep Nafs (Amarah, Lawwamah, Dan Muthmainnah) Menurut Al-Ghazali Dan Relevansinya Terhadap Pendidikan Islam. Islamadina: Jurnal Pemikiran Islam, 24(2), 201-215. https://doi.org/10.30595/islamadina.v24i2.13027
Saban, D., Basalamah, S., Gani, A., & Rahman, Z. (2020). Impact of Islamic work ethics, competencies, compensation, work culture on job satisfaction and employee performance: the case of four star hotels. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2020.5.1.181
Salehzadeh, R. (2017). Which types of leadership styles do followers prefer? A decision tree approach. International Journal of Educational Management, 31(7), 865-877. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-04-2016-0079
Setyawati, K., Ausat, A. M. A., Kristanti, D., Setiadi, B., & Astuti, E. D. (2023). The Role of Commitment, Work Ethos and Competence on Employee Performance in Sharia Commercial Bank. JEMSI (Jurnal Ekonomi, Manajemen, dan Akuntansi), 9(2), 523-529. https://doi.org/10.35870/jemsi.v9i2.1080
Sodiq, A., Tri Ratnasari, R., & Mawardi, I. (2024). Analysis of the effect of Islamic Leadership and Job Satisfaction on sharia engagement and employee performance of Islamic Banks in Indonesia. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2362772. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2362772
Suryani, T., & Triyono, R. (2022). The Influence of Organizational Culture, Islamic Leadership, Islamic Work Ethic on Organizational Commitment of Employee at Nahdlatul Ulama University Surabaya with Job Satisfaction as a Mediating Variabel. Business and Finance Journal, 7(2), 117-130.
Uddin, M. A., Mahmood, M., & Fan, L. (2019). Why individual employee engagement matters for team performance? Mediating effects of employee commitment and organizational citizenship behaviour. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 25(1-2), 47-68. https://doi.org/10.1108/TPM-12-2017-0078
Udin, U., Dananjoyo, R., Shaikh, M., & Vio Linarta, D. (2022). Islamic work ethics, affective commitment, and employee’s performance in family business: Testing their relationships. Sage Open, 12(1), 21582440221085263. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221085263
Wahyudi, L., Panjaitan, H. P., & Junaedi, A. T. (2023). Leadership Style, Motivation, and Work Environment on Job Satisfaction and Employee Performance at the Environment and Hygiene Department of Pekanbaru City. Journal of Applied Business and Technology, 4(1), 55-66. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d168/54f1f8c8a58b852e139142f0c5dff9bb7495.pdf
Wehrt, W., Casper, A., & Sonnentag, S. (2020). Beyond depletion: Daily self‐control motivation as an explanation of self‐control failure at work. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 41(9), 931-947. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2484
Wen, T. B., Ho, T. C., Kelana, B. W. Y., Othman, R., & Syed, O. R. (2019). Leadership styles in influencing employees’ job performances. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(9), 55-65. http://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2019-04/06_Vasilescu.pdf
Zahra, F., Aini, Z. N., & Farouk, A. (2023). Konsep Manusia Menurut Psikologi Islam. Religion: Jurnal Agama, Sosial, dan Budaya, 2(6), 571-581. https://doi.org/10.55606/religion.v1i6.772
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sora Baltasar, Eka Budiandri, Yose Hernando, Donny Gumilar, Refsi Meilawati

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

