Discipline and Islam: Knowledge (Ilm) and Noble Character (Akhlaq) in Islam

Not only that discipline is a secret of the success of great men, our
universe also stands on the same foundation. If the solar system is
working regularly, if the stars are revolving around the
sunsystematically and if there is no flaw function for millenniums it
is only due to the fact that the solar system is based on order.
Order is found in everything around us from the largest bodies of the
universe to the minutest thing called"atom". Everything in this world
is made up of tiny atoms. A wonderful discipline is in action andit is
seen in each and every movement of the universe. There are tiny atoms
in every system.
Every atom has its own center, which is called 'proton'. Many
'electrons' move round the center like stars and moons. In the words
of a great Muslim scholar: "If you tear up the heart of everyatom you
will find its sun in its center."
The universe is the best guide for all of us. We should learn about
life and the causes and reasons of its stability and success from it.
This universe tells that: "The secret of my survival is the regularity
and orderliness which my Creator has ingrained in me."
If the educational system of any country becomes chaotic, if the trade
and economy of any nation is disturbed, if the balance of supply and
demand is upset, if the law and order of any country turns corrupt, if
the army gets out of control the end of that nation becomes certain.
When Imam Ali (pbuh), Commander of the Faithful, was fatally injured
by the sword of Ibne Muljim, the first bequest uttered by him to his
sons, after advisingthem to refrain from Allah's (SWT) disobedience,
was regarding this orderliness in every affair: "I advise you to
refrain from disobeying Allah (SWT) and to abide by law and order and
regularity in life."
One of the ways of orderliness is to divide our daily time according
to our needs. Doing everynecessary work in its proper time is life. We
should further this foundation of life. We must refrain from
disorderliness and indiscipline because irregularity ends propriety
and destroys our talent and competence.
The leader of the God-fearing people, Imam Ali (pbuh) says, "A Muslim
must divide his timeinto three parts. Onepart should be reserved for
Allah's (SWT) worship,one for earning livelihood and the third for
attending to the demands of the body which cannot be ignored."
If there was no orderliness or discipline in our past can we benefit
from such orderliness in the remaining years of our life?
"Certainly, we can ..." because the three stages of our life,
childhood, youth and old age are like three compartments of a ship
which can be separated from one another by pressing a button. If a
compartment is damaged it can be separated from the rest.
Only he is successful who can, using his wisdom, separate different
compartments of his life and deal whit them separately.
It is pitiable that man, instead of gaining from the present
opportunities, should remain sorrowful for his past, thus wasting the
time available to him andbecome careless about brining order in the
forthcoming time.
A competent minister was carrying out his administrative duties with
the help of his assistants.
When asked as to how hewas arranging his affairs he replied, "I never
postpone today's work for tomorrow. In my viewit is not correct to
delay anything."
We see signs in offices and workshops saying: Time is Gold. It
surprises me because the value of time becomes more than gold if
everything is donein time.

Ramadan: A School of Piety - I

The nation of Islam is the last nation with the most recent divine
message. Allaah The Almighty, the Bountiful, the Generous made our
Prophet,, the master of all the Prophets and made our nation the most
populousin Paradise and the one with the highest ranks. The Messenger
of Allaah,, said:
·"We )Muslims( are the last to come and the foremost on the Day of
Resurrection though the former nations were given the Holy Scriptures
before us."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
·"By Him in whose Hands is the soul of Muhammad,I hope that you will
be one-half of the people of Paradise, for none will enter Paradise
but a Muslim soul, and you, in comparison to the people who associate
others in worship with Allaah, are like a white hair on the skin of a
black ox, or a black hair on the skin of a red ox."]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[
Allaah The Almighty has preferred us to all the other nations. He
Says)what means(:}You are the best nation produced]as an example[ for
mankind.{]Quran 3:110[
Allaah The Almighty also made us witnesses over all other nations:}And
thus we have made you ajust community that you will be witnesses over
the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.{]2: 143[
The superiority of the nation of Islam over all other nations is not
because it belongs to a specific race or because it speaks a specific
language, or because of the distinctive looks of itsmembers. Rather,
it is because Allaah The Almighty has chosen it to be the only
religion that He The Exalted accepts and no other religion or belief
will be accepted. Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}Indeed, the
religion in the sight of Allaah is Islam.{]Quran3:19[
Consequently, whoever adheres strictly to the religion of Islam and
abides by the orders of the Noble Quran, and follows the way of
Prophet Muhammad,, the best of human beings, will surely obtain the
goodness mentioned in the verse and the promised reward. Whoever
doubts the religion, lets his desires overcome him, follows his lusts,
and deviates from the right way, will surely be excluded from the
people of such honor.
Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaahhave mercy upon, said,"They are the followers
of Muhammadwho have the soundest minds and natures, and the most
knowledge. They are the nearest to the truth in all matters for Allaah
The Almighty has chosen them from all other nations in much the same
way as their Messenger is the best of all other Messengers. No other
nation has the knowledge, forbearance and wisdom with which Allaah The
Almighty has endowed them."
Imaam Ahmadreported in hisMusnadfrom theHadeethof Bahzibn Hakeemfrom
his father on the authority of his grandfatherthat the Messenger of
Allaah,, said:"You are the final of seventy nations, you are the best
and most honored among them to Allaah."
It is clear that the Muslims are the most honored nation in the sight
of Allaah The Almighty with respect to their knowledge and minds.
Moreover, when the sciences, ideology, deeds and ranks of the nations
that preceded them were displayed to them, they acquired evenmore
knowledge and forbearance, besides what Allaah The Almightyhas endowed
them with from His knowledge and forbearance.
As the nation of Muhammad,, has the shortest age compared tothe other
nations, Allaah The Almighty has gifted itsome seasons in which the
rewards are multiplied, ranks are raised, and sins are forgiven. The
month ofRamadan, which the nation rejoices at receiving, is one of the
best chances; the greatest seasons in which many will be redeemed from
Hellfire, the ranks of the righteous will be raised high, and the sins
of the wrong doers will be forgiven.
Many are the necks that are redeemed from Hellfire inRamadan, and many
are the people who are forgiven in it.
Imaam Maaliksaid inAl-Muwatta',"The Messenger of Allaahwas shown the
lifespan of the people )who had gone( before him, or what Allaah
willed of that, and it was as if he felt that the lives of the people
of his nation were too short for them to be able to do as many good
deeds as others before them had been able to do with their long lives,
so Allaah The Almighty gave him Laylat Al-Qadr, which is better than a
thousand months."
WelcomingRamadan
At-Tabaraani narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurahsaid: The Prophet,,
ascended the pulpit and said:"Aameen, Aameen, Aameen."Then, he
said:"Jibreel came to me and said, 'O Muhammad! He who lives until one
of his parents becomes old, andthen he dies and does not enter
Paradise and he enters Hellfire, so let Allaah The Almighty keep him
away.' It was said Aameen, so I said Aameen."
This means that if a person grows up and one of his parents is still
alive, and his kind treatment to them does not entitle him to
receivethe forgiveness of Allaah The Almighty, then he should be
expelled from the mercy of Allaah The Almighty by the invocation of
Jibreeland the Prophet,:
"Then, he said: "O Muhammad! He who seesthe month of Ramadan come and
go, and then he dies without being forgiven and he enters Hellfire, so
let Allaah The Almighty keep him away." He said, "Say Aameen,'' so I
said Aameen. Then, he said: "O Muhammad! He who hears you mentioned
and does not say Salaat)i.e. does not ask Allaah The Almighty to send
peace and blessings( upon you and he dies and enters Hellfire, so let
Allaah The Almighty keep him away." He said, "Say Aameen,'' so I said
Aameen.
At-Tirmithi and Al-Haakimnarrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat
the Prophet,, said:"He is doomed, the man who hears me mentioned and
does not say Salaat )i.e. does not ask Allaah The Almighty to send
peace and blessings( on me. He is doomed, the man who witnesses
Ramadan comeand go and he is not forgiven. He is doomed, the man whose
parents reach old age and they are not a cause for him to enter
Paradise."
It is as if forgiveness is granted to everyone inRamadanand no one
willbe denied it except the one whom Allaah The Almighty denies.
Sa'eed narrated from Qataadahboth, that it was said,"Whoever does not
receive forgiveness in Ramadan, will not be forgiven in any other
month."This is to highlight the serious danger of the neglectful
person, and not to make people despair of the mercy of the Most Great
and Most Just.

Sighting the Crescent of Ramadan - II

Muslim countries pay special attention to the month ofRamadanand go
out to observe its crescent in order to confirm the sighting. When the
sighting is confirmed, Muslims start fasting, the minarets of mosques
are lit, the mass media celebrates the occasion and announces the glad
tidings of the advent of the month, people congratulate eachother,
guns are fired, scholars launch campaigns for spreading knowledge and
giving sermons and religious lectures are given everywhere in
religious associations.
It is no surprise that we receive the crescent ofRamadanwith all these
scenes, since it marks the beginning of fasting and descent of mercies
on theslaves of Allaah The Almighty. It is also the key to the blessed
days that the believing hearts long for from year to year, while
repeating at each moment the supplication: "O Allaah, make us
witnessRamadanand grant us success to perfectly fast, perform the
voluntary night prayer and obey You."
The majority of scholars are of the opinion that all Muslims worldwide
are required to fast when the crescent is sighted in any country. They
quoted the general indication of the Hadeeth)narration( in which the
Prophetsaid:"When you see the crescent, observe fast, and when you see
it )again( then break fast."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ They arguedthat
it is a general address for the Muslim Ummah )nation( as a whole.
A group of the scholars is of the opinion that the people of a given
country are not obliged to follow the sighting of other countries.
They quoted the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Kuraybwhere he
said,
"While I was in Shaam, the month of Ramadan commenced. We saw the
crescent on the night of Friday. I then returned toAl-Madeenah at the
end of the month. 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abbaas asked me, 'When did you see
the crescent?' I said, 'We saw it on the night of Friday.' He said,
'Did you see it yourself?' I said, 'Yes, andthe people also saw it and
they fasted and so did Mu'aawiyah.' He said,'But we saw it on the
night of Saturday. So we shall continue fasting until we complete
thirty days or we see it )the new crescent of Shawwal(.' I said, Is
not Mu'aawiyah's sighting and fasting sufficient for you?' He replied,
'No; thisis how the Messenger of Allaahcommanded us.'"]Muslim[
The majority of scholars argued that this Hadeeth is reported
concerning a person who started to observe fasting according to the
sightingof his own country and then he was informed that the crescent
was seen a day before in another country. In this case, he continues
fasting along with the people of his own country until they complete
30 days or see the crescent of the next month. This identifies
thedivergence in this case. Still the opinion of the majority of
scholars is thepreponderant one, particularly because this matter is
very easy today.However, it requires further care from the Islamic
countries until it becomes a reality.
Until all the Muslim countries adopt one viewin this regard, the
peopleof each country are required to fast when the country officially
declares the beginning of fasting, even if this is different from
other counties a day before or after. There should be nodifference in
one countryand thus some people fast and others do not fast. This
makes the difference so wide. Moreover, when someone sights the
crescent alone, he shouldnot fast alone because the Prophetsaid:"Your
fast is the day when you fast, and your breaking the fast is the day
when you break the fast, and your sacrifice is the day when you offer
the sacrifice."]At-Tirmithiwith similar words[
Scholars commented thatit means that each one should observe fast and
break it along with the Muslim community. However, when one is alone
in a certain place and he sights the crescent, he has to observe
fasting, because he is alone.

Ramadan Articles - Sighting the Crescent of Ramadan - I

Unlike the crescents of other lunar months, the crescent of Ramadan is
given special attention because it is the crescent of the best month
in the sight of Allaah The Almighty. This month is favored with
several virtues; the most important is the revelation of the Quran on
the best night of the month. Thus, scholars of Fiqh )Islamic
jurisprudence( have occupied themselves with elaborating the rulings
relevant to the sighting of the crescent, astronomers with making
relevant calculations and means of observation and Muslim caliphs in
celebrating the night of the sighting. Poets and writers vie with each
other in praising the crescent and reflecting the feelings of joy in
people's hearts.
The crescent of Ramadan in the eyes of scholars of Fiqh:
Scholars of Fiqh unanimously agree that the lunar month could
betwenty-nine or thirty days. In a Hadeeth)narration(, the
Prophetsaid:"Allaah has made the crescents signs to mark fixed periods
of time for mankind. When you see it )the crescent(, observe fast, and
when you see it )again( then break fast. If you can not see it )the
crescent(, thencomplete thirty days )for the month of
Sha'baan(."]Al-Haakim[
Sighting the crescent is what counts, not calculations. Ibn
'Umarnarrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"We are an unlettered
nation, we neither write nor know calculations. The month is like this
and this)sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of 30 days(."]Al-Bukhaari[
Al-Haafith Ibn Hajarcommented,
"The Arabs were described as unlettered because writing was rareamong
them. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}It is He who has sent
among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves.{]Quran 62: 2[ This
is not refuted by the fact that some of them had knowledge of writing
and calculations, as such people were few and rare. Calculations in
this context are pertaining to stars and planets. The Arabs knew
little about this. So, the rulings relevant to the beginning of
fasting and other acts of worship were made contingent on sighting the
crescent in order not to place them under the hardships of making
calculations. This ruling iseffective even if there will come
generations fully aware of calculations. Even the explicit meaning of
words reveals exemptingcalculations in this regard at all. This is
supported by the part of the Hadeeth that reads:"If you can not see it
)thecrescent(, then complete thirty days )for the month of
Sha'baan(."TheProphetdid not say: then ask those who are knowledgeable
of calculations. The rationale is that completing thirty days unites
people and keeps them far from divergence and dispute."]Fat-h
Al-Baari[
According to the majorityof scholars, the beginning of Ramadan is
determined by one of two ways, completing 30 days of Sha'baan or
sighting the crescent, even by just one trustworthy person. It was
narrated that Ibn 'Umarsaid, "People sighted the crescent, and when I
told the Prophetthat I had sighted it, he fasted and ordered people to
fast." ]Abu Daawood[
Another group of scholars is of the opinion that sighting is not
confirmed unless two trustworthy men give testimony, as is the case
with the crescent of Shawwaal. As evidence, they quoted the Hadeeth of
'Abdul-Rahmaan ibn Zaydthat he gave a sermon on the 29th day of
Sha'baan and said,"I sat with the Companions of the Prophetand they
related to me that he said: 'Fast when you see it, and cease fasting
when you see it and perform the rites of Hajj based upon that and if
it is hidden by clouds then complete thirty days )of Sha'baan(. If two
Muslim witnesses testify then fast and cease fasting."]Ahmad[
There is also the Hadeeth of the ruler of Makkah, Al-Haarith ibn
Haatibas it was narrated that hesaid,"The Messenger of Allaahordered
us to perform the rites of Hajj upon sighting )the crescent(; and if
we couldnot see and two trustworthy witness testified, we should
perform the rites accordingly."]Abu Daawood[
The majority of scholars, however, argued that the utmost that the
mention of the two can signify is the rejection of the testimony of
only oneperson. However, the aforementioned Hadeethof 'Abdullaah ibn
'Umarindicates that the Prophetindeed accepted the verbal testimony of
Ibn 'Umar; and this is of a stronger indication.