"Ascending to Greatness"
"Before we aspire to conquer the monumental challenges of our faith, let us first ascend the humble hills of discipline and obedience, for it is in the gentle slopes of consistency that we forge the resolve to vanquish the towering mountains of adversity."
–Whalid Safodien
The Feather Pen
Interpretation of "Ascending to Greatness" – A Call to Master the Fundamentals Before Claiming Greatness
I, Whalid Safodien, did not write these words lightly. They were born from a profound realization—a realization that many who claim to uphold the truth have, in fact, neglected its very foundations. When I witnessed the error in moon sighting in South Africa, I did not merely dismiss it as a minor discrepancy. Instead, I turned to the Quran, to Surah Ar-Rahman (55:5), where Allah declares:
"The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation."
This verse is not a mere poetic statement; it is a divine assertion of cosmic order, a challenge to mankind to recognize the perfection of Allah’s creation. I delved into celestial mechanics, studying the orbits, the mathematics, the unerring precision with which these celestial bodies move. And what did I find? That the Quran’s description is not only accurate but scientifically irrefutable.
Yet, when I looked at those entrusted with guiding the Ummah—the maankykers (moon sighters) and the muftis—I saw a tragic irony: many were clinging to human error while ignoring divine precision. They had not mastered the "small hills"—the fundamental disciplines of knowledge, consistency, and obedience—before attempting to scale the mountains of religious authority.
The Deeper Meaning of "Ascending to Greatness"
My words are a warning and a roadmap:
"The humble hills of discipline and obedience" – Before we dare to lead, before we claim to know, we must first submit. Submission is not weakness; it is the bedrock of strength. The Prophet (ﷺ) did not begin with conquest; he began with patience, prayer, and unwavering consistency.
"The gentle slopes of consistency" – True faith is not built in moments of passion but in the quiet, daily acts of worship, study, and self-correction. The one who cannot be steadfast in small matters will falter in great ones.
"The towering mountains of adversity" – The challenges facing the Ummah today—misguidance, division, and weak leadership—are not overcome by grand speeches alone. They are overcome by those who have trained themselves in the small battles first.
A Direct Challenge to the Claimants of Authority
To the maankykers who rely on flawed sighting methods while ignoring astronomical precision: Have you truly mastered the small hills?
To the muftis who issue rulings without deep study: Have you climbed the slopes of discipline, or do you expect to leap to the summit without effort?
Allah’s signs are clear. The Quran’s truth is undeniable. But if we refuse to humble ourselves, if we rush toward greatness without first mastering the basics, then we will continue to err—and worse, lead others into error
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So let us return to the fundamentals. Let us study, let us obey, let us perfect our discipline—so that when we finally stand before the mountains of challenge, we do so not with arrogance, but with the unshakable strength of those who have already conquered themselves.
– Whalid Safodien
The Feather Pen
