Tell us, may Allah reward you, about the worshippers and the ascetics who turned away from the adornments of this worldly life and its trial, and turned toward Allah, His Book, and the Sunnah of His Messenger.
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The questioner : Tell us, O honorable Shaykh, may Allah reward you, about the worshippers and the ascetics who turned away from the adornments of this worldly life and its trial, and turned toward Allah, His Book, and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the true, eternal life in which there is happiness and tranquility in both abodes, may Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : First, we must know that the worshippers and the ascetics are not as many people imagine them to be. They are not those who turned away from the entire world and secluded themselves in a corner, far from people, not enjoining what is right nor forbidding what is wrong. No, the worshippers are those who performed the worship of Allah according to what the Shari'ah requires, and the ascetics are those who abandoned what does not benefit them in the Hereafter. As for what benefits them in the Hereafter, they do it, even if it is from the matters of this world. For this reason, when a group of the Companions gathered, one of them said, "I will not marry women," and another said, "I will not eat meat," and another said, "I will stand in prayer and not sleep," and the fourth said, "I will fast and not break my fast." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked them and said (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1401.
So the reality of asceticism is that a person abandons what does not benefit him in the Hereafter, not that he abandons all the matters of this world. And worship is that a person worships Allah the Exalted in a manner that conforms to the Shari'ah brought by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). These are the worshippers.
As for those who seclude themselves in places, do not know the people, and the people do not know them, and they do not partake of any of the good things that Allah has made lawful for them, these are closer to blame than to praise. For Allah the Exalted says:[Al-A'raf 7:32]. So the result is that the worshippers and the ascetics are, first, the worshippers who perform the worship of Allah as required by the Shari'ah of Allah, and the ascetics are those who are ascetic regarding what does not benefit them in the Hereafter, not regarding all the matters of this world. Some matters of this world may benefit a person in the Hereafter, such as wealth, for example. Wealth may be beneficial to a person in the Hereafter. And how good is the righteous wealth of the righteous man. And how many there are who benefited the Muslims with their wealth: they supported the poor, repaired the roads, assisted in jihad, and printed beneficial books. Much good came from their wealth, and they were engaged in wealth. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. This is a message received from a listener of the program from Sudan. The listener says in the first question.
The Shaykh : First, we must know that the worshippers and the ascetics are not as many people imagine them to be. They are not those who turned away from the entire world and secluded themselves in a corner, far from people, not enjoining what is right nor forbidding what is wrong. No, the worshippers are those who performed the worship of Allah according to what the Shari'ah requires, and the ascetics are those who abandoned what does not benefit them in the Hereafter. As for what benefits them in the Hereafter, they do it, even if it is from the matters of this world. For this reason, when a group of the Companions gathered, one of them said, "I will not marry women," and another said, "I will not eat meat," and another said, "I will stand in prayer and not sleep," and the fourth said, "I will fast and not break my fast." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked them and said (peace and blessings be upon him):
I observe prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry women also? And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with Me
أما أنا فأقوم وأنام، وأصوم وأفطر، وأتزوّج النساء، فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس منيSo the reality of asceticism is that a person abandons what does not benefit him in the Hereafter, not that he abandons all the matters of this world. And worship is that a person worships Allah the Exalted in a manner that conforms to the Shari'ah brought by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). These are the worshippers.
As for those who seclude themselves in places, do not know the people, and the people do not know them, and they do not partake of any of the good things that Allah has made lawful for them, these are closer to blame than to praise. For Allah the Exalted says:
Say, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?" Say, "They are for those who believe during the worldly life [but] exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection."
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ قُلْ هِيَ لِلَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. This is a message received from a listener of the program from Sudan. The listener says in the first question.