Dr. Miles Davis, a local Muslim and Board of Trustee member of Amana Mutual Funds Trust, has been appointed Dean of the Shenandoah University Harry F. Byrd Business School in Winchester, Virginia. Davis will replace Dean W. Randy Boxx on July 1st 2012.
Davis has a long history with the University not only as an associate professor of management but as the founding director of Shenandoah University’s Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Over his fifteen years of teaching experience and robust business experience, Davis said his faith played an integral role in how he views the industry. Although, he noted, the Muslim community often overlooks the connection between Islam and business.
“We spend a lot of time within the Islamic community, we often talk about manners and characteristics but we often don’t discuss day to day business which is ironic because the Prophet’s first wife, Khadijah, was a merchant and trader,” said Davis. “We have a rich history of how to deal with business.”
Business and trade, he said, helped move Islam across the world.
“So what’s the key to being a successful businessman? You need not look much further than the first line of the Holy Qur’an,” noted Davis.
“Almost every chapter of the Qur’an begins with ‘Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem’,” said Davis. “We often forget compassion and mercy.”
In the true nature of an academic, Davis laid out a case scenario of a person who was overdue on repaying a loan. While the lender has the right to demand payment, suspend service or pile on interest, Davis argued that it would actually be of more benefit to the lender to first investigate why the payment could not be made. If the reason was understandable and repayment was likely at a slightly later date, something far more valuable would be gained than money.
“What you have purchased with that is loyalty because you stood by them when times were difficult,” he said. “Think about the type of world that we would have if we didn’t take advantage of each other.”
That, said Davis, was simply a matter of being just and fair, a basic tenant of Islamic justice.
“Part of having faith isn’t just to do things when its easy and people are going to go along with it but part of our faith is doing things when people don’t even know we are doing them,” he said.
Though Davis doesn’t feel the need to explain his position or practices as a Muslim, he does believe that the values and principles that Islam provides can help introduce new ways of conducting business. He pointed to Muhammad Younus’ introduction of micro-financing as a primary example of how compassion and mercy can translate into positive financial and business gain.
In his capacity as Dean, Davis hopes to put Shenandoah University on the map and emphasize its existing programs.
“Part of my job is to extend the brand and let people know what we are doing at our university and we are doing great things,” he said.
Davis also offered business students his advice.
“Learn how to learn and learn to think critically because the world is changing.”
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