The benefits of the verse: “And when you said, ‘O Musa, we cannot endure one kind of food, so call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from what the earth grows: its herbs, its cucumbers, its garlic, its lentils, and its onions.’ He said, ‘Will you exchange that which is lesser for that which is better? So go down to any city, and you will have what you have asked for.’”
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The questioner : Is asceticism not a religious objective, Shaykh?The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.The questioner : Is asceticism itself not a religious objective?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is.
The questioner : Because there are hadiths regarding asceticism.
The Shaykh : Regarding asceticism? Yes, but what is asceticism? What is it?
The questioner : Does it mean wearing a patched robe...?
The Shaykh : No, no, that is practicing asceticism. Asceticism is leaving what does not benefit in the Hereafter, and scrupulousness is leaving what harms in the Hereafter. Asceticism is leaving what does not benefit, and scrupulousness is leaving what harms. Although some people think that scrupulousness and asceticism mean the same thing, this is not correct. For example, the one who avoids permissible things because he is content with what is more beneficial—what is he called? An ascetic. He leaves them to reach what is more beneficial in the Hereafter, and he is considered an ascetic. And the one who leaves forbidden things to engage in permissible things, even if they are not more beneficial in the Hereafter, is called scrupulous. And when we say that asceticism means a person practices austerity, austerity is not praiseworthy unless it is for a religious purpose. The religious purpose is like what we mentioned regarding 'Umar, or for example, if a person lives among poor people, and even if he wears what is fitting for him and his wealth, it would break their hearts and have an effect on their souls. Leaving that is also one of the matters for which a person may be praised.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is.
The questioner : Because there are hadiths regarding asceticism.
The Shaykh : Regarding asceticism? Yes, but what is asceticism? What is it?
The questioner : Does it mean wearing a patched robe...?
The Shaykh : No, no, that is practicing asceticism. Asceticism is leaving what does not benefit in the Hereafter, and scrupulousness is leaving what harms in the Hereafter. Asceticism is leaving what does not benefit, and scrupulousness is leaving what harms. Although some people think that scrupulousness and asceticism mean the same thing, this is not correct. For example, the one who avoids permissible things because he is content with what is more beneficial—what is he called? An ascetic. He leaves them to reach what is more beneficial in the Hereafter, and he is considered an ascetic. And the one who leaves forbidden things to engage in permissible things, even if they are not more beneficial in the Hereafter, is called scrupulous. And when we say that asceticism means a person practices austerity, austerity is not praiseworthy unless it is for a religious purpose. The religious purpose is like what we mentioned regarding 'Umar, or for example, if a person lives among poor people, and even if he wears what is fitting for him and his wealth, it would break their hearts and have an effect on their souls. Leaving that is also one of the matters for which a person may be praised.