One of the the things which can transform someone from an asset to a liability is when he does not recognize the limits of his talents, and tries to exceed them. I’m afraid that this mistake occurs frequently in our movement.
Sincerity, energy, and passion about a cause are vital, but they are not substitutes for knowledge, skill, and ideas. The most important condition for ‘Umar bin al-Khattab whenever he would appoint someone for a job, was capability. He replaced Shurahbeel bin Hasanah with Mu’awiyyah, not because he doubted Shrahbeel’s sincerity or passion for Islam, ut because, as he said, “I wanted a man who is more capable.”
The famous du’aa of ‘Umar also indicates how profoundly important actual qualifications are, not just zeal and sincerity, when he said:
“O Allah, I complain to You about the capability of the evildoer, and the incapability of the trustworthy one!”