Chapter of Ta'zir: It is Discipline

The Shaykh : Then the author said: "Chapter of Ta'zir". Linguistically, ta'zir means prevention, as in the saying of Allah the Exalted: meaning, "prevent them from what you prevent yourselves and your children from." So, ta'zir in language means prevention. As for its technical definition, as the author said: "It is discipline". This ta'zir, and the reason for its appropriateness to the linguistic meaning is that discipline prevents the one being disciplined from committing what is not befitting, is that not so? Now, regarding discipline, the author (may Allah have mercy on him) said "it is discipline" and did not specify its type, neither its genus nor its species. Consequently, it varies according to the people, according to the sin, according to the time, and according to the place. It varies. For some people, we may discipline them by reprimanding them in front of their people, and this may be more severe for them than anything else. Take ten million riyals from him and do not reprimand him in front of people, or not? And for some people, it is the opposite; they are lenient regarding what concerns their bodies, but they do not want anything taken from their wealth. If he stumbles and his finger gets bruised, he says, "a little bit," or "with the sandal." And for some people, their discipline is by dismissing them from their job, or suspending them, or something similar. The important thing is that the author benefited us by his saying: "It is discipline", that ta'zir is everything that results in discipline, and discipline is rectification. Rectification of morals, as in the saying of Allah the Exalted: So the character of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the Qur'an. Yes. So, if someone asks, "What is discipline?" It is rectification, or doing what results in rectification.