Allah Almighty says: {That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire supremacy upon the earth or corruption. And the best outcome is for the righteous.} [Al-Qasas: 83]
1) It is prohibited to ask for a leadership post if it is intended for a bad purpose, like attaining superiority and control over people and issuing evil commands and prohibitions.
2) It is the pious who will attain the good outcome in this world and in the Hereafter.
674/1 - Abu Sa‘īd ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “O ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah, do not seek a leadership post, because if it is given to you without you asking for it, you will be helped by Allah, but if it is given to you after you have asked for it, you will be held responsible for it. Whenever you take an oath to do something and then find that something else is better than the former, then do what is better and make expiation for your oath.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It is part of piety and religiousness not to ask for a leadership position, for when a person does so and he is given the position, he is left to his himself, not to the support from Allah.
2) If a person is given a position without him asking for it or aspiring to it, Allah will help him in the discharge of his responsibility.
675/2 - Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “O Abu Dharr, I see that you are weak and I love for you what I love for myself. Do not rule over two persons and do not manage an orphan’s property.” [Narrated by Muslim]
676/3 - He also reported: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you not appoint me (to an official position)?” He patted me on my shoulder and said: “O Abu Dharr, you are weak and it is a trust. It will be a cause of disgrace and remorse on the Day of Resurrection, except for the one who takes it up with a full sense of responsibility and fulfills what is entrusted to him.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) It is required for any leadership post that the person be strong and trustworthy; {Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy.} In case of failure to find a person possessing these two attributes perfectly, then the best should be appointed.
2) Authority is a great responsibility and tremendous trust. So, whoever assumes it should undertake it properly and not breach the trust that Allah assigned to him.
3) A Muslim should advise his fellow Muslim not to assume a leadership position if he sees certain incompetence or weakness in him. A case in point is the Prophet’s advice to Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) to keep away from leadership.
677/4 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “You will be keen on leadership positions, and it will be a source of regret on the Day of Judgment.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) Pursuit of leadership positions and the love for high status corrupts one’s religiosity.
2) A wise person would consider the consequences of matters in the Hereafter and thus abandon anything that would negatively affect his afterlife.