a national imperative: discipline

A NATIONAL IMPERATIVE: DISCIPLINE A NATIONAL IMPERATIVE: DISCIPLINE By Mr. Justice Muhammad Naseem Chaudhri, Judge, Lahore High Court What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? But this involves tremendous sacrifice. To give others a brething‑space we have to squeeze ourselves a good deal. If we really wish to let others enjoy the fruits of their honest labour, we will have to scrupulously maintain social harmony in a peaceful environment. Potentialities of human nature can only be realized in tranquil and congenial conditions of a corporate life whose cohesion and solidarity alone rule out any possible germination and growth of social tyranny, injustice and suppression of basic human rights. All this calls for an absolutely selfless conduct which, under the circumstances, has become rare, if not extinct altogether. The present race for power and pelf, bankering after unearned incomes and an unbounded expansion of learning and science appear to have made men only more selfish. It is, therefore, socially imperative and' ethically equally sound to curtail our growing physical needs and exercise austere curbs on unbridled urges for sensuous gratifications. Unchartered freedom and unregulated liberty have always invariably degenerated into licentiousness and moral stagnation which brought about the debacle and decline of many a brilliant culture and civilization of the world., It was to ward off such an impending danger to the community and the individuals that our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) strictly exercised self‑discipline and self‑effacement with all its rigours and hardships throughout the whole span of his glorious life. His adherence to the beautiful principle of. social conduct, "Al Fakru Fakhri", complete self‑denial is my pride' brought a revolution in the lives of his companions and followers who subsequently adorned the pages of Islamic history with unique examples‑of supreme self‑sacrifice and self‑abnegation. If we muster up courage enough to discard our artificial garbs and masks of hypocrisy and self‑aggrandisement and surrender our lives completely to be shaped by the precepts and examples of our ancestors, rather than by unruly impulses and uncontrolled circumstances, we can still affect the tide in the direction of setting‑up a wholesome society wherein self‑discipline, self -control and self‑denial lead men to sovereign heights. By keeping ourselves restrained within our own limits, physically and mentally, we can bring the sun shine of happiness in the dark and dismal lives of our brethren. But when we keep in mind for a moment the present antithesis between what we preach and what we actually practise, the shape of things emerging on the panorama of our future set‑up looks by no means heartening. If the anguish of unrealized aspirations, if the torment of unfulfilled yearnings and longings continue to plague and torture' men indefinitely, the prevailing gloom of frustration can hardly be mitigated by dissipated efforts at reforms of various types. So long as our voracity for material possessions and comforts does not come to an end, so long as our attitudes and poses do not cease to be motivated by ulterior ends and sordid purposes, all talk of improvement, progress and development in diverse fields of nation‑building sounds absolutely humbug. What, then, should be done to make life less difficult for others? No reform, no improvement and for what matter, no discipline, can be super imposed from without. No pattern of development and no*discipline can take the place of self‑development and self‑discipline. Self‑discipline is born from within. It emanates and flows from the very heart where the reality of convictions, the truthfulness of principles and the verity of faith and beliefs have their habitation. Firm faith and unshakable belief impart potency and force to discipline, whether self‑discipline or the discipline of corporate life. It is this kind of discipline that eradicates all evil and brings peace, harmony and contentment to every human habitation, whether of the prince or that of the pauper. Self‑discipline gives self‑confidence that purifies the heart. A pure heart, of course, is a source of inexhaustible strength. "My strength is the strength of seven because may heart is pure" has been aptly told by the poet. The need for discipline, personal and collective, of the type the Quaid -i‑Azam had exhibited all his life through his thoughts, actions, conduct and behaviour, has never been more pressing than it is today. In fact, we are today in the very throes of a moral crisis. All principles and norms of good conduct are ruthlessly disregarded. Rules and regulations, framed with a view to ensuring our efficiency and integrity, are being violated at will with impunity. Respect for law and solicitude for others' rights have been cast to the winds. Patriotic fervour and love for the land have become handy stances and pretences to earn ever‑more political dividends. . Corruption, bribery and malpractice flourish unchecked in every field. Expediency and self‑adultation are in popular vogue everywhere. Personalities are projected, lime‑lighted and elevated at the cost of good principles. A complete reversion of values has taken place. Passion continues in strife with eternal laws. The monster of vice stalks and struts at large over the stage. The catastrophe is to be enacted soon or late. Everybody is sitting blissfully in smug complacency. Who will heed writing on the wall? It was not for nothing that the Quaid‑i‑Azam proclaimed discipline to be one of the basic pillars of national existence. What have we made of his insistent emphasis on discipline, unity and faith? Actually we have banished these golden rules from all walks of our national life. Educational institutions, training centres, democratic bodies, clubs and societies, where discipline must reign supreme, have been converted into so many dens where lawlessness, rowdyism and chaos are rife, of course, with very few exceptions. The powers and authorities that are there at the helm, are unable to enforce discipline because of their own lapses and failings. Cheap baits in the form of ever -increasing concessions and privileges are offered only to retain a semblance of discipline and organisation in these institutions. But, tactics as these, have only worked in the reverse direction. As a result, confusion is worse confounded and the quiet, sequestered atmosphere, conductive to the smooth turn‑out of healthy, responsible and law‑abiding citizens of tomorrow, remains constantly disturbed, charged with ever‑mounting tensions, throughout the year. Under these conditions, not only education cannot make head‑way, but also character building, training in useful citizenship and inculcation of love for discipline and good, upright conduct remain futile exercises. Good intention are laudable indeed but it requires an iron hand to get them translated into good actions. The force of personality and example alone make the iron‑hand effective. If that force is lacking, no amount of good intentions and verbal exhortations can do the miracle. The Quaid‑i‑Azam once stepped back in face of an unruly mob, surging forth at the platform to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader. With raised finger, he called them to order and stand disciplined. At once the mad frenzy abated and the crowd went behind the lines. There was perfect calm at the railway station. His word did the magic which a thousand prattles and a score of tactics could never have done. The crisis of character, no doubt, has overtaken us in all walks of life. It is to be averted and finally defeated basically in its breeding‑grounds, namely, business centres, institutions, public places and homes by enforcing strict discipline with personal example and precept by the business‑magnate, the teacher, the public servant and the parent. If we all wish to keep the foundations of national life firm and stable of all time to come, we will have to spurn at temptation`s, eschew social and moral vices and incorporate in our own lives and ethically sound pattern. That is the best of character, the best of discipline. Both go hand in hand in making life less difficult for everyone. We have to remember that mural laws govern the universe as much as the physical laws. Vice creeps in through the loopholes left in our moral conduct. And then, in due course, nemesis overtakes us surely, though a bit slowly. Acts of omission are as much fatal as sins of commission. When it is all over, it is no use looking up for excuses and apportioning blame. Self‑control and self‑discipline give the best guarantee for survival, both individual and collective. While summing up it would be salubrious and feasible to quote the famous command/saying of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) "Do unto others that you would have done unto you".