Editing Monasticism (section)

==Islam==
Islam forbids the practice of monasticism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=33. How Does Islam View Monasticism? |date=22 December 2021 |url=https://www.al-islam.org/180-questions-enquiries-about-islam-volume-2-various-issues/33-how-does-islam-view-monasticism |access-date=27 February 2024 |archive-date=14 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514044155/https://www.al-islam.org/180-questions-enquiries-about-islam-volume-2-various-issues/33-how-does-islam-view-monasticism |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[Sunni Islam]], one example is [[Uthman bin Maz'oon]]; one of the [[Sahaba|companions]] of [[Muhammad]]. He was married to [[Khawlah bint Hakim]], both being two of the earliest converts to Islam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inter-islam.org/Biographies/sawdah.htm|title=Hazrat Sawdah|website=www.inter-islam.org|access-date=31 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219053117/http://www.inter-islam.org/Biographies/sawdah.htm|archive-date=19 February 2014}}</ref> There is a Sunni narration that, out of religious devotion, Uthman bin Maz'oon decided to dedicate himself to [[tahajjud|night prayers]] and take a vow of [[chastity]] from his wife. His wife got upset and spoke to Muhammad about this. Muhammad reminded Uthman that he himself, as the Prophet, also had a family life, and that Uthman had a responsibility to his family and should not adopt monasticism as a form of religious practice.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mutahhari |first=Murtada |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9CYtyoaY5yEC&pg=PA5 |title=Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World |date=2011 |publisher=ICAS Press |isbn=978-1-904063-46-9 |language=en}}</ref>

Muhammad told his companions to ease their burden and avoid excess. According to some Sunni [[hadith]]s, in a message to some companions who wanted to put an end to their sexual life, pray all night long or fast continuously, Muhammad said: "Do not do that! Fast on some days and eat on others. Sleep part of the night, and stand in prayer another part. For your body has rights upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, your guest has a right upon you." Muhammad once exclaimed, repeating it three times: "Woe to those who exaggerate [who are too strict]!" And, on another occasion, Muhammad said: "Moderation, moderation! For only with moderation will you succeed."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.islamicstudies.info/family/ideal_muslim/ideal_muslim.php?id=4 |title=The Ideal Muslim |access-date=2014-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323004019/http://www.islamicstudies.info/family/ideal_muslim/ideal_muslim.php?id=4 |archive-date=23 March 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Monasticism is also mentioned in the following verse of [[Quran|Qur'an]]:

<blockquote> Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Isa(A.S.), son of Mariam, to follow, and gave him the Injil, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented – We ordained it not for them – only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.
:—Qur'an Verse 27, Surah Al-Hadid (chapter 57)<ref>Qur'an Verse 27, Surah Al-Hadid (chapter 57)</ref></blockquote>

Nevertheless, as [[Christian de Chergé]] laid out in a conference of the [[DIMMID]] in 1995, there are three significant similarities between Muslim and monastic spirituality. Firstly, the central place of obedience in the monastic tradition parallels the importance of surrender or submission in Islam. Secondly, similar to monastic communities which come together several times a day for prayer, Muslims practices ritual prayer (salāt) five times a day. Finally, the [[Lectio Divina]], the meditative reading of Sacred Scripture interpreted as God's word directed to the reader is echoed by the Muslim conviction that in and through the Qur'ān, God speaks to each individual.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Skudlarek, OSB |first1=William |title=Monastic Interreligious Dialogue |url=https://paulist.org/the-conversation/monastic-interreligious-dialogue/ |website=Paulist Fathers |access-date=25 February 2024 |date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225150840/https://paulist.org/the-conversation/monastic-interreligious-dialogue/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Islam does encourage one to abstain from pursuing the life of the world solely, but it does not obligate that believers must abandon the worldly life entirely, and this is known as zuhd in Islam.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} At best, the only monasticism of Islam is Jihad, as mentioned by Hadith and Tafsir. Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said that the Prophet said, "Every Prophet has Rahbaniyyah (monasticism); Jihad in the cause of Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, is the Rahbaniyyah of this Ummah."<ref name="Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Tafsir of 57:27)">{{cite book |author=Ibn Kathir |title=Tafseer Ibn Kathir |section=Al-Hadid |url=https://archive.org/details/TafseerIbnKathirenglish114SurahsComplete/057Hadid/page/n59/mode/2up?view=theater |page=60 |language=ar, en}}</ref>