In The Light of Experiences

One time, after prayer, the head of the madrasa, Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi stood up in the mosque to deliver a speech. He said, “In prayer, you are taught to act collectively. This teaching is not limited to the mosque; your life outside the mosque must also be lived with the same discipline and unity.” He was an exceptional speaker. During his speech, he used several verbs from the Bab Tafaa‘ul (a form in Arabic grammar that conveys the meaning of cooperation and participation), such as tawaafuq (agreement), tashaark (partnership), and ta‘aamul (interaction). In this way, the practice of congregational prayer five times a day in every madrasa teaches unity and discipline. Thus, every madrasa functions as a training center for order and discipline in practical terms. Those who know me are aware that I possess an exceptional degree of order and discipline in my temperament. Discipline has become my second nature. This trait is likely the result of the consistent training I received during my madrasa years. The discipline of worship instilled in the madrasa became so deeply embedded in my nature that it has never left me. In this context, it would be accurate to say that every madrasa is essentially a training center for discipline. It serves as a lifelong institution for teaching individuals how to live life in an organized and disciplined manner. 4. An incident from my time at the madrasa remains profoundly instructive. I wrote about this in one of my essays titled Haalaat Badal Sakte Hain (“Circumstances