Al-Risala (English), December 1989
Al-Risala (English), December 1989, p. 2
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is named as the default author of the periodical; a piece that carries another writer’s byline is credited to that writer.
Monasticism
1989 12 December 2 Monasticism (311)
The true believer is half-way to
inhabiting the world to come.
Monasticism as a system of religious worship has been variously interpreted both in its spirit and in its practice. At different periods in history certain sects have even taken monasticism to uncalled for extremes. The Quran, however, makes God’s purpose quite clear in the following verse: “After them* we sent other prophets, and after them Isa (Jesus), son of Mariam (Mary). We gave him the gospel and put compassion and mercy in the hearts of his followers. As for the monasticism which they invented themselves (seeking thereby to please God) – for we did not prescribe it for them – they did not observe it faithfully. We rewarded only those who were true believers, for many of them were evil-doers.” (57:27)
According to this verse, monasticism implies renunciation of the world in the name of God; the teachings of Jesus Christ had been the same as those of the Prophet Mohammad. But, 200 years after Jesus Christ, his followers began to stray from the true path. One group gave themselves up to monasticism. They left the world for the jungles and the mountains. Renouncing all worldly things, they began to lead a life of self-inflicted persecution.
This renunciation of the world, for them meant going to extremes in matters of religion. They had been taught the virtues of abstinence in the purely psychological sense. But, for psychological abstinence, they mistakenly substituted physical abstinence. They had been commanded to participate in the world’s activities without making worldly attainments their desired goals in life. But they misconstrued this avoidance of worldly goals to mean total uninvolvement in worldly affairs.
True believer spends his life among the people, but keeps his attention diverted towards God. He may engage in worldly activities, but his mind is actually functioning on a spiritual level. Living in this world, he is already inhabiting the world to come.
*Noah, Abraham, etc.
