Tradition

اَلزُّهدُ فى الدُّنْيا قَصْرُ الأَمَلِ وَ شُكْرُ كُلُّ نِعْمَة وَ الوَرَعُ عَنْ كُلِّ مآ حَرَّمَ اللّهُ

The Prophet (S) is narrated to have said: “Asceticism in this world is found in three things- the cutting short of desires, thankfulness for the blessings, and abstinence from the unlawful.”1

Brief Commentary

A great number of people do not have a proper understanding of asceticism in Islam and they in fact see it as a life isolated from society and from all things related to money and wealth. Due to this idea, they see such a life as one full of hardship and something related to obscure mysticism; they see it as being contrary to progress and societal growth. This is while true asceticism is actually a progressive program of life and it can be instrumental in the building of the overall society. This narration mentions how true asceticism is actually found in the cutting short of desires, being thankful for one’s blessings, and abstinence from what is unlawful.

• 1. Tuhaf al-’Uqul, p. 58, Al-Kafi, vol. 5, p. 71, Wasa'il Al-Shi’a, vol. 17, p. 15, Al-Khisal, vol. 1, p. 14.