Discipline - One of the Foremost Tenets of Islam and Spiritualism For All-Round Development
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
8 May 2021
Loss Of
Spiritualism And Loss Of Belief in God Has Led To Moral And Social Damages In
This Modern Era Of Materialism
Main
Points:
1. Human
beings have been commanded by Allah, the Most Merciful, ‘to read’ as a student
for the whole of their lives.
2. Religious
and spiritual teachings focus on a person’s ability to self-purification.
3.
Celestial Bodies Are Run In A Disciplined Organised System
4.
Discipline Is Inner Strength of Spiritualism.
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Human
Beings have been commanded by Allah, the Most Merciful, ‘to read’ as a student
for the whole of their lives as ‘learning’ is a course which continues from the
lap of a mother till the last breath. Like a student in an educational
institution, one has to keep learning with the utmost attention, punctuality and
regularity that comes with discipline in life. Discipline brings the traits of
care and obedience of a human being to the fore which is the source of success.
Loss of
spiritualism and loss of belief in God has led to moral and social damages in
this modern era of materialism. Religious and spiritual teachings focus on a
person’s ability to self-purification. Self-purification is the soul of
discipline that is the basic need for a person, in every stratum of life, be it
a businessman, a politician, a scientist, a technocrat, a professional or a
player to achieve success and satisfaction of mind. As Roy Baumeister has said
in Willpower:
“Self-regulation failure is the major social
pathology of our time.”-
Quran and
Hadees traditions also command human beings to take discipline as the core
value of life to understand their relationship with Allah, the Most Merciful
and Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the Mercy for the Universe (رحمتُ
للعالمینﷺ).
Whether it is Namaz, Roza or Haj, there is a lesson of discipline in them.
According to a narration by Ibn Umar (RA):
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "Establish
your lines straight, for indeed the angels pray in lines. Align your shoulders,
close the gaps, yield your hands to your brothers, and do not leave any gaps
for Shaytan. Whoever connects a line, Allah maintains him, and whoever breaks a
line, Allah cuts him off." (Ahmad, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i and others. See
Sahih ul-Jami' no. 1187)
Celestial
Bodies Are Run In A Disciplined Organised System
The sun,
the moon, the star, the sky and the days and nights, all run in an organised
manner in an unprecedented disciplined system. A little failure because of the
laxity of human beings creates small indiscipline in the system and the world
witnesses huge loss in the form of natural disaster. Allah, the Almighty says
in the Holy Quran:
"We will show them Our signs in the
horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the
truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all
things, a Witness?" (Ayah Fussilat:53) - Sahih International
The truth
is clear through the uninterrupted running of the universe and all its
celestial bodies that it is discipline created by Allah, the All-Knower that
human being enjoys life and the liberties, bestowed by Him because of the
theory of discipline created by God.
Discipline
in the Life of a Believer
Fasting
(Roza) is a great teacher of discipline. Observing fast is one of the greatest
lessons of self-discipline that a human being learns during his lifetime.
Muslims learn to curb their materialistic desires of lust and transgression
that degenerates a person to the level of self-destruction.
Performance
of Haj is also a lesson in the discipline that teaches how to abandon comfort
and learn to value time. Haj time is different from that of everyday time. All
the rituals are to be performed as per the rules of the Haj and it has to be on
time. Haj teaches people not to be lenient in their everyday life as during the
Haj.
Haj, Roza
and Namaz teach to live a life as per the divine method promulgated by the Holy
Quran and Hadees. These lessons benefit human being in attaining their wills of
a successful life.
Consider
following verses from the Holy Quran that command being disciplined:
"Be steadfast as you have been commanded,
you and those who have turned with you (to God)." (Holy Qur’an, Surah Hud (11), Verse
12)
"Be as steadfast (in pursuing your sacred
purpose) as you have been commanded to be, and do not follow the desires of the
people." (Holy
Qur’an, Surah Al-Shura (42), Verse 15)
"And seek help through patience and the
prayer; and indeed, it (is) surely difficult except on the humble ones,” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:45)
Our desire
for success in life is humane as is discipline a human trait. Therefore success
depends on the teachings of discipline that we get through a guide that could
be a person, a community or a bunch of religious traditions. The Holy Quran
says:
"O you who believe, fear Allah, as He
should be feared, and let not yourself die save as Muslims." (Surah Al-Imran:102)— Mufti Taqi
Usmani
The Holy
Quran shows to us a clear picture of the Day of Resurrection that will be run
in a strictly disciplined manner. It says:
"The day it comes no one shall speak
except by His leave. So, some of them will be wretched and (some)
blessed."
(Surah Hud:105)— Mufti Taqi Usmani
Discipline
Is Inner Strength of Spiritualism
Spiritualism
is based on the inner strength of a person that creates the power of
Self-Examination, Silence and Solitude, Simplicity and Fasting, and Gratitude
and Service to the creation of Allah. Spiritual discipline is a difficult
character to develop but once developed it brings the light of knowledge and
trains a person in meditation, prayer and fasting. Spiritual is very aptly
described by Thomas Merton as:
“Ask me not where I live and what I like to eat.
Ask me what I am living for and what I think is keeping me from living fully
for that.”
Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) and His Discipline
Before the
holy birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the Arabia peninsula was governed by the
undisciplined and unruly Arabs. It was Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who brought the
semblance of rule and regulation in their unruly life through the show of
discipline in his own life. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) won the hearts of the people
through his exhibits of discipline in life that attracted them and turned them
into his followers. So, Islam was not spread by sword but by discipline. Aswad
ibn Asram reported:
"I said, “O Messenger of Allah, instruct
me.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Can you
control your tongue?” I said, “But what do I control if I cannot control my
tongue?” The Prophet said, “Can you control your hands?” I said, “But what do I
control if I cannot control my hands?” The Prophet said, “Do not say anything
on your tongue except what is right, and do not stretch out your hand except to
do good.”
Discipline
and the Nation Building
Great
nations are built on the shoulders of great men. Great men reach their
greatness by complying with the rules of discipline the most among other
things. For us to become great and make our nation great we must discipline
ourselves spiritually and mentally and act for the betterment of our countrymen
in particular and the world in general. For a person and/or for a nation it is
but necessary to acknowledge the fields and the resources that will create a
sense of discipline to curb out the weakness of our personality and take us on
the path of development and prosperity. Allah, the Most Merciful says in the
Holy Quran:
".... Indeed, Allah will not change the
condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah
intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them
besides Him any patron." (Ar-Ra'd 13:11) - Sahih International
And
Allah knows the best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.