Surah Al-Hadid (57) — Ayah 27

27. Then, after them, We sent successive messengers. And after them We sent Jesus, son of Mary, and We gave him the Gospel. And We placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism [45], which they themselves invented [46][47], We did not prescribe for them. They adopted it only to seek Allah’s pleasure [48], but they did not observe it as it should have been observed [49]. So We gave those of them who believed their reward, but most of them are rebellious [50].

[45]
The Literal Meaning of ﴿رأفة﴾:

The meaning of ﴿رأفة﴾ is for one’s heart to be moved upon seeing someone in distress, to feel overwhelmed, to be tender-hearted, to be overcome with softness; and the meaning of mercy is to help in removing that distress. Since Sayyiduna Isa (Jesus) ؑ himself was tender-hearted and gentle, and spent his whole life teaching gentle behavior and living with love and affection for one another, these two qualities also permeated his community, i.e., the Christians.

[46]
The Meaning of Monasticism:

﴿رَهْبَانِيّةَ﴾ “Rahb” refers to such fear in which anxiety and caution are also included (opposite of “raghb”), and this fear is not temporary or momentary, but rather long-lasting and continuous. Monasticism or “rahbaniyyah” means the path of fearfulness, i.e., to abandon worldly pleasures and adopt seclusion due to a long-lasting and continuous anxiety-inducing fear. To set up a hut or shack outside of populated areas, such as in a forest, and to be engaged in the worship of God or meditation. And “rahib” means recluse, dervish, monk; plural “ruhban.” Now the question is: out of what fear did these Christians adopt this path? Some commentators say that, out of fear of irreligious kings, these people adopted this way to protect their faith. Others say that when the doctrine of Trinity became the official religion and those who did not accept it were persecuted, these people, being monotheists, chose this path to escape the oppression of others. It is possible that these things are correct to some extent; however, there are also other reasons for this monasticism. Therefore, if we accept these statements of the commentators as correct, then the existence of monasticism should have remained limited to the Christians only. However, this path is found not only among Christians but also among Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, etc., and it is considered a universal religion, and among Muslims, this path is known as “din-e-tariqat.”

[47]
Monasticism is an Innovation (Bid‘ah):

From this sentence, two things are understood. First, that the Christians invented this innovation, because Allah did not command them to adopt such a path. Second, since the fundamental teachings of all the Prophets (peace be upon them) have been the same, there is no room for monasticism in any religion, and it will be counted as an innovation (bid‘ah). Incidentally, the definition of bid‘ah is also understood from this: every act that is included in the religion as a religious and meritorious act, while there is no basis for it in the Shari‘ah, is a bid‘ah.

[48]
Innovation is Always Started Thinking it is a Good Deed:

This sentence has two meanings: one, that We had made obligatory upon them such acts by which Allah’s pleasure could be attained, and this act was not among those which they started; and second, that they invented this path also for the sake of attaining Allah’s pleasure. It should be clear that all the innovative acts that have been started were always begun with good intentions and for the sake of attaining Allah’s pleasure, and this is the deception of Satan, which most people do not understand.

[49]
The Path of Tariqat and the Four Renunciations:

Those who adopted this path set certain rules for themselves and imposed certain restrictions upon themselves, which even they could not fulfill, because those restrictions were against human nature. These restrictions are called, in brief, the “four renunciations” (chahar tark), i.e., abandoning four types of things:

(1) Renunciation of the world, i.e., abandoning all worldly pleasures.
(2) Renunciation of the Hereafter, i.e., becoming indifferent to the reward and punishment of the Hereafter.
(3) Renunciation of eating and sleeping, i.e., abandoning or minimizing food and drink, and similarly abandoning sleep or rest.
(4) Renunciation of desires of the self, i.e., doing the opposite of whatever the human self desires.

Torturing the Body in Various Ways:

Their belief was that the greatest obstacle in the path of spirituality is our material body. Therefore, to weaken and exhaust this body, they began to inflict various kinds of tortures upon it: eating and drinking as little as possible so that only the connection between soul and body remains; sleeping as little as possible; abstaining from worldly pleasures which Allah had given them the right to enjoy; spending nights outside in severe cold with bare bodies; standing in one place in extreme heat; observing silence; lying in mud; and inventing many other such practices. In short, enmity with one’s own life became their first principle. Thus, by torturing the body and denying its needs, they became engaged in dissolving their own bodies.

Avoidance of Relatives:

Their second step was to cut off relations with the people of the world. According to them, their relatives and other friends with whom they had social ties were also a great obstacle in this path. Among worldly ties, their greatest enmity was with women. History records such heart-wrenching incidents that a mother, driven by maternal love, went to see her sons in the jungle, but these monks refused to meet their mother. She kept yearning and pleading just to see them once and cool her eyes, but these hard-hearted monks did not give the slightest importance to her plea, and she had to return disappointed.

The Incident of Jurayj:

A similar incident of a monk named Ibn Jurayj is mentioned in Bukhari and Muslim. Ibn Jurayj had built a hut in the jungle. His mother, driven by maternal love, came to see him and called out to him. He was engaged in worship. Hearing his mother’s voice and recognizing it, he still remained engaged in his worship and gave no importance to his mother’s call. The next day, his mother came again, and again he paid no attention. On the third day, the same thing happened, and his mother was so grieved that she involuntarily uttered this curse against her ascetic son: “O Allah, do not let my son die until he sees the face of a prostitute.” How could the curse of a grieving mother go unanswered? Ibn Jurayj was so famous for his worship and piety that most of the Israelites became jealous of him and wanted some accusation to be leveled against him so that his high status would be lost. Secret consultations began for this purpose. A notorious prostitute, unmatched in beauty, took on this task and presented herself to Ibn Jurayj, who rejected her. This woman, proud of her beauty, became enraged at this indifference and insult and resolved to take revenge. She presented herself to a shepherd, became pregnant by him, and when the child was born, she spread the rumor that this child was from the monk Ibn Jurayj. That was enough; people rushed and began to beat Ibn Jurayj without hesitation and demolished his hut. When Ibn Jurayj asked the reason, they told him the whole story. Ibn Jurayj said, “Wait a little.” The people stopped, and he performed ablution, engaged in worship, and with much weeping and supplication, prayed to Allah for his exoneration. The mother’s curse had already been accepted. Now Allah, having mercy on him, accepted his prayer as well. When he came to the people, the prostitute was standing there with the child, watching the spectacle. Ibn Jurayj pressed the child’s belly and asked, “Tell me, who is your father?” By Allah’s power, the child spoke: “So-and-so shepherd.” Only then did the people leave Ibn Jurayj alone. Some of them even apologized to him and said, “If you wish, we will build you a hut of gold.” But Ibn Jurayj said, “Just build me a hut of clay like before.” [مسلم۔ کتاب البروالصلۃ، باب تقدیم برالوالدین]

Children Who Spoke in the Cradle:

In this lengthy hadith, three children are mentioned who spoke in the cradle: one is Sayyiduna Isa (Jesus) ؑ, the second is this child attributed to Ibn Jurayj, and similarly, a third child is mentioned. Imam Muslim has mentioned this hadith in the chapter “Good Treatment of Parents,” thereby proving that such monasticism, when it conflicts with the commands of the Shari‘ah, is a major sin. This incident sheds full light on the monastic practices of that era.

Avoidance of Marriage:

The matter of wives was even more delicate, because marriage and children bring many economic and social responsibilities upon a person. Therefore, these people had a strong aversion to married life. Although Allah did not command them to adopt such monasticism, they did find some indications for its permissibility. For example, Sayyiduna Isa ؑ spent his 33-year life traveling for preaching and did not marry.

Women Remaining Virgins and the Spread of Immorality:

Then, among Christians, there was no allowance for second marriage. Just as these monks had adopted this path, many women also adopted it, established their own convents, and vowed to remain virgins for life. But since all these acts were against divine law and nature, soon these convents turned into dens of immorality. Many illegitimate children were killed at birth, and those who survived were dedicated to some church. This is only one aspect of the evil of monasticism, and the evils that spread in society due to this path are as follows:

1. The God-fearing people in society, due to their wrong approach, withdrew from social responsibilities and other human relations, which shook the very roots of morality, civilization, politics, and community. The inevitable result was that cunning and ungodly people took over the government. “Corruption in the land” became widespread, and the message of guidance and code of life sent by Allah was uprooted by the very hands of these religious elders.

The Unpleasant Effects of Monasticism on Society:

2. The second result of the monks’ approach was that ordinary people began to think that religion and the world are two separate things. Religion or faith is merely worship and meditation, and religion is limited to that. As for worldly affairs, everyone is free. If social relations or codes of ethics had any importance, why would these God-realized people turn away from them? Then, since the monks’ approach was contrary to divine law, the fabric of religion was torn apart as a result.

3. Worship, humility, self-effacement, and asceticism are praiseworthy qualities before Allah, but these monks exaggerated these qualities so much, and self-denial and self-mortification became so intense, that self-awareness and self-recognition—which are the soul of national life—came to be regarded as a crime. Man began to be ashamed of his humanity and considered progress not in the development of humanity but in its abandonment. Allah had made him the best of creation and subjected the rest of the universe to him, but he himself became so distrustful, dejected, and broken-hearted that he began to prefer animals, even inanimate objects, over himself.

4. The fourth effect was that the remaining people in society who had any traces of piety and righteousness also turned to the shrines and sanctuaries of these monks and saints, resulting in the gradual desolation of mosques and places of worship dedicated to Allah, while the splendor of convents, shrines, and sanctuaries increased. In view of these various evils, the Shari‘ah has declared monasticism to be blameworthy.

In this regard, consider the following Prophetic ahadith:

1. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not be harsh on yourselves, for a people were harsh on themselves, so Allah was harsh on them (i.e., the standard they invented was set as their test). The remnants of that people are in churches and monasteries.” Then the Prophet ﷺ recited this very verse. [ابوداؤد، كتاب الادب، باب الحسد]

Monasticism is Blameworthy in Shari‘ah:

2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, the religion is easy. No one makes the religion hard upon himself except that it overcomes him. So act properly, be moderate, and rejoice, and seek help from Allah in the morning, evening, and a part of the night.” [مشكوة، كتاب الصلوٰة۔ باب القصد فى العمل]

3. The father of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr married him with great enthusiasm, but he showed no interest in his wife, spending his nights in worship and his days fasting. Both his wife and father were displeased with this behavior. Eventually, the father informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of the situation. Abdullah bin Amr himself narrates that the Prophet ﷺ called him and said: “I have heard that you fast continuously and do not break your fast, and you pray all night. Do so: fast and break your fast, pray and sleep, for your eyes have a right over you, your soul has a right over you, and your wife and children have a right over you.” I said, “I have strength for more than that.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Then fast like Dawud (David).” I asked, “What is that?” He said: “He would fast one day and leave it the next, and he would not flee from the enemy.” Then the Prophet ﷺ said again: “Whoever fasts continuously has not truly fasted.” [بخاری، کتاب الصوم، باب حق الاہل فی الصوم]

This hadith is mentioned in Bukhari at various places in different forms. In one narration, it is said: “Your body and your guest also have a right over you” (the words “bab haqq al-daif” are additional), and in another narration, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Abdullah bin Amr from perpetual fasting. When he said, “I have strength for more than that,” the Prophet ﷺ first said, “Then fast three days in a month. Allah will give you tenfold reward, so that will be like fasting the whole month.” Abdullah said, “I have strength for more than that.” Then the Prophet ﷺ said, “Then fast one day and leave it the next.” Later, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever fasts perpetually, he has not truly fasted.”

Some Ahadith Regarding Monasticism and the Results Derived from Them:

From this hadith, it is understood: (1) that continuous fasting makes a person so weak that he is no longer capable of jihad in the way of Allah; (2) this hadith refutes several concepts of monasticism or Sufism, one being self-mortification or weakening the body, and the other being the Sufi notion that striving against the self is superior to jihad in the way of Allah; (3) every act that is against the Sunnah, no matter how good it may seem, is rejected.

4. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ narrates that three men came to the houses of the Prophet’s ﷺ wives (Sayyiduna Ali, Abdullah bin Amr, and Uthman bin Maz‘un, may Allah be pleased with them) and asked about the Prophet’s ﷺ worship. When they were informed, they considered it insufficient and said, “Where are we compared to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whose past and future sins have been forgiven?” (i.e., we should worship more than him). One said, “I will pray all night and never sleep.” The second said, “I will fast every day and never break my fast.” The third said, “I will keep away from women and never marry.” The Prophet ﷺ came and asked, “Did you say such and such things?” By Allah, I am the most God-fearing and pious among you, yet I fast and break my fast, I pray at night and sleep, and I marry women. Whoever dislikes my Sunnah has nothing to do with me.” [بخاري، كتاب النكاح، باب الترغيب فى النكاح] From this hadith, the following points are understood:

(1) Living a celibate life, avoiding social life to devote oneself to worship, mortifying the body for self-purification, and exceeding the Sunnah in worship, no matter how virtuous it may seem, are all against the pure Sunnah. If only these things are removed from monasticism, its entire structure collapses.

(2) The Prophet ﷺ informed us of the ultimate limit of the Sunnah. Now, whoever exceeds the limits set by the Prophet ﷺ in the fields of asceticism, piety, and worship, is guilty of innovation, misguidance, and disbelief. And it is worth remembering that innovation is always started with good intentions and the hope of reward.

(3) The one who abandons the Sunnah is sinful, but the one who does more than the Sunnah, considering the limits of the Shari‘ah to be insufficient and adding to them, is an innovator, misguided, and a misleader. Later, those who follow this innovation will also share in the sin of the one who started it.

[50] Among those who adopted monasticism, many became involved in sinful impurities. Only a few remained purely engaged in the worship of Allah, and they will receive the reward for their good deeds.