Does riyazah (asceticism) exist in Islam? Is it necessary for man to isolate himself from the world?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The Quran, which was sent by Allah through Hz. Jibril to Hz. Muhammad for the guidance, welfare and happiness of humanity, has universal principles that address the people of all ages up to the Day of Judgment and that show us the ways of knowledge, advancement, success and civilization

The principles brought by the Quran have not grown old up to this time and they will not grow old up to the Day of Judgment. A person can attain real happiness by following the way that the Quran, which includes all principles of happiness for humanity, shows and by practicing in his life its principles that are full of wisdom.  

One of the ageless universal principles that the Quran contains is to work.  Working is Allah's pre-eternal law. Everything in the universe surrenders to this law; the existence of every atom is based on working. Every creature constantly works in order to continue their life. If electrons did not turn around the nucleus in an atom, which is the smallest part of matter, atom would break into pieces. If planets did not continue their movement in the solar system, the order of the realm would break. If our heart stops, our life will end.

There are two kinds of working. One is worldly and the other is otherworldly. Our religion accepts them as complementary to each other. For, it is impossible to separate the world from the hereafter. The hereafter is intertwined with the world in the same way as our spirit is intertwined with our body. The otherworldly realm is the inner aspect and spirit of this world. If one of them is ignored, the other will be left incomplete.

The Quran does not want man to be through with the world, to follow the way of asceticism absolutely, to pour himself into worshipping and to beg and pray to Allah all the time. The Quran does not accept it if those who follow the Quran tend toward the world fully, to work only for the world and to be greedy for material things. For, neither of these two understandings is appropriate; to keep away from life for a person means to waste one’s energy, power of intellect and will and his working power. It means to act negligently in the duty of improving the universe, which was placed on him. 

Besides, to work only for the world all the time causes to cut off the bonds of love and assistance, to be deprived of mercy, to get used to hardheartedness, to make greed and stinginess one’s habit, to increase love of materialism and to plunge into pleasures and the ornaments of the world. 

The system of decrees in the Quran is based on establishing a close relationship between the world and the hereafter, realization of the understanding of completing each other, considering “the world as the field of the hereafter” and enabling man to attain bliss both in the world and the hereafter.

For, if the world is the field of the hereafter, the hereafter is the place of harvest.  It is not possible to sow in the hereafter without reaping in the world. It is necessary for man to evaluate the worldly life well and to do righteous deeds that are in compliance with the consent of Allah in order to attain bliss and success in the hereafter.   

As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran:

“But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief.” (al-Qasas, 28/77)

As it is seen, we are ordered to seek the hereafter and not to forget the world in this verse; in other words, the following is meant: Do not ignore the worldly life, which is limited and temporary. For, the bliss in the hereafter depends on it. The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following in a hadith: “The world is the field of the hereafter.”

The Prophet has some other advice related to dealing with the world and the hereafter together:

"The best one among you is the one who does not abandon the world for the hereafter and who does not abandon the hereafter for the world, and who works for both of them together. For, the world is a means that takes man to the hereafter."

"Do not be a burden to others."

"He whose two days are equal is at a loss."

Hz. Prophet rebuked the Companions who planned to work only for the hereafter and to abandon the world and the worldly boons:

A group of Companions went to the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) and asked them how the Prophet (pbuh) worshipped. When they were informed about it, they considered their deeds little and said, "Where are we in comparison with the Prophet (pbuh) while Allah forgave his past sins and future sins?" One of them said,

- I will perform prayers all night long and will not sleep. Another said,

- I will perform fasting continuously. Another said,

- I will abstain from women and will never marry. They made a vow like that.

When the Prophet (pbuh) was informed about them, he summoned them and warned them as follows:

“Are you the people who said such and such things? By Allah, I fear Allah more than you do, and I am most obedient and dutiful among you to Him, but I sometimes perform fasting and sometimes break it. I both perform prayers and sleep at night. I also marry women. This is my Sunnah. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.”

In our religion, working only for the world is not in question. It is not appropriate for man to abandon the worshipping rendered fard by Allah and to be interested in the world only by saying, “Working is regarded as worshipping.” Yes, working is regarded as worshipping; working legitimately in order to earn one’s living is regarded as worshipping but after fulfilling fard worshipping.

The Quran condemns those who work only for the world as follows:

“If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them--such things as We will, to such persons as We will: in the end have We provided Hell for them: they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected. Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter, and strive therefor with all due striving, and have Faith― they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah).” (al-Isra, 17/18, 19)

The following is stated in another verse:

“To any that desires the tilth of the Hereafter, We give increase in his tilth; and to any that desires the tilth of this world, We grant somewhat thereof, but he has no share or lot in the Hereafter.” (ash-Shura, 42/20)

The Quran, which came like Khidr in an age when humanity was on the brink of destruction due to aberration, ordered people to work for both the world and the hereafter, opening the way to real civilization. Therefore, when the basic principles introduced by the Quran were applied fully, Muslims attained material and spiritual peace, showing examples of civilization.

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