1.26. ASCETICISM BETWEEN OBJECTION (DHAMM) AND PRAISE (MADH)
This is like His asking for asceticism and censuring its opposite in the ayah:
‘Those who wish for the worldly life and its adornments, We will repay them for their deeds in the worldly life, while they are in it without being short-changed. They are those who do not have but Hell-Fire in the Afterlife” (Hud (11): 15-16).
And Allah, exalted is He, said:
“Competing for worldly goods diverts you” (al-Takathur (102): 1),
Also, Allah, exalted is He, said:
“And you consume the inheritance whole. And you love wealth completely”(al-Fajr (89): 19-20).
And he said:
“Verily! Mankind is ungrateful towards his Lord. And to this, he [himself] is a witness over that. And indeed he (mankind) is madly (intensely) in love with the best of this world” (al-(Adiyat (100): 6-8).
He also said:
“Know that the worldly life is play, vanity, an adornment and competition in worldly goods between you” (al-Hadid (57): 20),
the ayah. This topic is extensive.
Here the intention is only to distinguish legal, or praiseworthy asceticism from what is not; and also to distinguish the legal, or praiseworthy desire from what is not for indeed there is a great deal that resembles asceticism in laziness, failure (‘ajz) and idleness (batala) from legal commands, and a great deal that resembles legal desire in covetousness (hirs),greed (tama ) and acts which misguide the efforts of its companion.
As for piety, then it is to avoid the act, to have caution towards it, abstention, refraining and vigilance from it. It is to revert to distaste for a matter, disinclination from it and hatred (bughd) for it. It is an existential matter as well- wen if it has differed regarding what is required by the prohibition. Is it the lack of the prohibition or an act to the contrary? The majority of the people of affirmation hold the second view- so there is no doubt that something or someone is not called ‘piety’ ‘pious’ or fearful of Allah’ unless there is abstention and refraining which is an act of opposition to what is forbidden.
The confirmation is that along with the lack of prohibition, there occurs the lack of harm associated with prohibited actions and it is censure and punishment for it and similar such things; and along with the presence of abstention, caution and avoidance, there are found righteous acts, obedience and fear of Allah, thus there is an advantage for this act in praise, reward and similar things. Thus the lack of harm is due to the lack of evil actions, and the presence of benefit is due to the presence of good actions.
By Shaykhu’l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
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