(E) Islam’s Concept of Life
Thereisnoopposition,inIslam,betweenthematerialandthespiritual
life.Islamdoesnot approveofthosewhodo notworkinthisworldor
makenoeffort;butneitherdoesitacceptthosewhoonlyworkfortheir
materialbettermentwithoutanyregardtothespirituallife.ImamJa`far
as-Sādiq (a.s.)said: “He whoabandons thisworld forthe next(i.e., he
whowithdrawsfromtheworldlylifeinthenameofasceticism)andhe
whogivesupthenextworldforthisworld—botharenotfromamong
us.”[10]
SoitcanbesaidthatinthismatterMuslimsshouldadjusttheiractions
with equal movement in thisworld, by advancingwith itshappiness,
andinthespiritualworld,byenrichingwithitscontentment.Thereisno
monasticismin Islamifmonasticism meansbeing aburden onsociety,
withdrawal from social life, egoism or seclusion. The Prophet said,
“Thereisnomonasticismforus;themonasticismformyfollowersisto
struggle in the way of Allāh.”[11]