A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
Defining asceticism (zuhd) and scrupulosity (wara').
Among the best definitions given for both asceticism and scrupulosity.
The statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah.
Asceticism is abandoning what does not benefit one in the Hereafter.
And scrupulosity is abandoning what one fears will cause harm in the Hereafter.
Therefore, asceticism is a higher station than scrupulosity.
Because one who possesses scrupulosity might still engage in things that do not benefit him in the Hereafter,
provided there is no harm in them.
Based on this,
every ascetic is scrupulous,
but not every scrupulous person is an ascetic.
Scrupulosity and asceticism require intention.
Both asceticism and scrupulosity must be accompanied by an intention.
For mere abandonment, without regard for its relationship to the Hereafter,
is not called asceticism or scrupulosity.
A person might abandon certain worldly matters out of a desire for rest or laziness,
not because those things distract him from the affairs of the Hereafter.
Whoever is in this state,
does not benefit from his leisure for the sake of his Hereafter;
rather, he suffers the greatest corruption,
for he neither builds his worldly life nor his Hereafter.
Asceticism and what aids one in obedience.
Everything that aids one in the obedience of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,
is not considered part of asceticism to abandon.
So, whoever enjoys permissible things without excess that would distract him from the Hereafter,
and intends by that to gain strength for the obedience of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,
has not departed from the description of the ascetics,
because this is something that benefits him in the Hereafter.
Can there be asceticism alongside wealth?
Asceticism can exist alongside wealth,
just as it exists alongside poverty.
Among the prophets and the foremost of the early believers,
were those who were wealthy,
yet that did not remove them from being among the ascetics,
because they were not distracted by their wealth from the Hereafter;
rather, they utilized it for their benefit therein.
Imam Ahmad was asked about a man
who possesses a thousand dinars:
Can he be an ascetic?
He replied: "Yes,
on the condition that he does not rejoice if it increases,
and does not grieve if it decreases."
Scrupulosity is not merely a matter of abandonment.
It is a mistake
to believe that scrupulosity is only a matter of abandonment;
rather, it also pertains to action.
Performing obligatory duties is considered part of scrupulosity,
because failing to perform them causes harm in the Hereafter.
Thus, part of scrupulosity is maintaining obligatory kinship ties,
enjoining good and forbidding evil,
fulfilling the rights of the poor and the neighbor,
and the rights of the general body of Muslims, and so on.
There must be a legal basis
for exercising scrupulosity regarding any matter.
Scrupulosity in any matter should be based,
whether in abandonment or action,
upon evidence from the Qur'an or the Sunnah.
There is no scrupulosity based on whims or corrupt conjecture,
such as the state of those prone to obsessive doubts regarding purity and impurities,
where they think this obsession of theirs
is a form of scrupulosity and concern for the validity of worship,
even though it is blameworthy in the eyes of the Shari'ah.
Likewise, for those who exercise scrupulosity by abstaining from marriage,
or from sleeping at night, or from breaking their fast during the day;
the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, condemned this,
and said regarding it: "Whoever turns away from my Sunnah,
is not of me." (Agreed upon).
Part of the perfection of scrupulosity is knowing
the better of two good things and the lesser of two evils.
Part of the perfection of scrupulosity is knowing
the better of two good things and the lesser of two evils.
When there is a conflict,
one prioritizes the better of the two good actions and the lesser of the two evils.
Otherwise, a person might fall
into a type of false scrupulosity.
For example, one who abandons prayer
behind imams who are innovators,
or abandons Friday prayers and congregational prayers,
thinking that this is a form of scrupulosity.
The reality of luxury (taraf).
Luxury is the most intense factor that diverts a person
from scrupulosity and asceticism in this world.
It does not simply mean enjoying blessings.
The one who is immersed in the pleasures of the world
and its desires—
for the one whom blessings have made "mutraf" (luxurious/arrogant),
is the one whom blessings have made insolent and ungrateful.
Ingratitude (batr) is the rejection of the truth.
Luxury has never been mentioned in the Qur'an except in a blameworthy context,
as in the saying of Allah the Almighty:
“If only there had been among the generations before you men possessing a remnant (of good sense) to warn (their people) from corruption in the earth, as did a few of those whom We saved from them! The wrong-doers followed that by which they were made sapless, and were guilty.” (11:116)
"And they were criminals."
“And We sent not unto any township a warner, but its pampered ones declared: Lo! we are disbelievers in that wherewith ye have been sent.” (34:34)
"But their affluent ones said:
'Indeed, we are disbelievers in that with which you have been sent.'"
Among the most important things that aid in scrupulosity
and asceticism in this world is shortening one's hopes,
which is the realization of the nearness of departure
and the swift passing of life.
Allah the Almighty said:
Whoever realizes the swift disappearance of this world
and its transience,
along with what accompanies its acquisition
of pains, griefs, and distresses,
and then realizes along with that
the inevitability of the coming of the Hereafter
and the swiftness of its approach,
along with what follows it of permanence
and the nobility of the goodness it contains—
whoever realizes all of that
will shorten his hopes in this world,
and his scrupulosity and asceticism therein will be realized,
and he will be among those who are truthful in their preparation
for the meeting with Allah.
This is the key to all righteous deeds
and the barrier against evil deeds.
Shortening one's hopes is the first of the means
that aid in asceticism in this world.
Among the means that aid in asceticism in this world,
in addition to the aforementioned shortening of hopes:
First,
frequently remembering death,
visiting the sick,
attending funerals,
and visiting graves.
Second,
keeping company with the righteous
whose sight and speech remind one of the Hereafter.
Third,
frequently reciting the Qur'an and reflecting upon it.
Fourth,
frequently remembering Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,
supplicating to Him, and beseeching Him.
Fifth,
constantly holding one's self to account,
and thinking about the purpose of its creation and its final destination.
Sixth,
reducing social mixing with people
except in what is beneficial,
and setting aside times for the servant to be alone with his Lord,
such as I'tikaf during Ramadan,
sitting for dhikr from after the dawn prayer until sunrise,
and from after the afternoon prayer on Friday until sunset.
Among the fruits of asceticism and scrupulosity:
Scrupulosity and asceticism in this world
protect a person from falling into the desires of this world.
For the scrupulous person who is an ascetic in this world
is the furthest of people
from seeking status and leadership therein,
and from envy and hatred because of it.
Just as he is the furthest of people
from the trials of showing off and boasting,
concealing the truth and mixing it with falsehood,
and using trickery against the law of Allah,
and the sins
that stem from attachment to the desires of this world.
Asceticism and scrupulosity
facilitate the journey on the path to Allah.
That is the general benefit
of scrupulosity and asceticism in this world:
facilitating the journey on the path to Allah
and the sincerity of preparation for meeting Him, the Almighty and Majestic.
For whoever wishes to reach his destination
with his message,
let his heart be lightened of the burdens of the world,
just as one who travels on foot
lightens the burdens on his back.