Asceticism as understood in the secular sense does not exist...

Asceticism as understood in the secular sense does not exist in the Qur'an… In any case what Christian asceticism considers worldly is accepted by Islam as a part of other-worldly things on one condition, that is to be abstemious in the way of God. Islam does not differentiate between the two worlds in which Muslims believe. In Islam commerce or agriculture has both the worldly and other-worldly significance, depending on the objective.

If your trading is legitimate, and not based on usury or unfairness, but intended to gain incomes to avoid beggary and to serve your society and augment its economic strength, Islam considers this as part of one's devoutness. So are agriculture and animal husbandry, if they have a similar goal. All these are included in devotions to God on part of those who are aware of Islamic goals and pursue them.

In the same way whatever other schools of thought consider as worship are regarded by Islam as a part of worldly life, so that praying and fasting are not only beneficial for the next world, but also for this one. Thus, we cannot consider asceticism as belonging to one world. Islam has described both legitimate and illegitimate things. It has said that drinking, gambling and usury are forbidden and harmful for both worlds.

Islam does not agree with Christian asceticism, and it is unfortunate that many of us understand it in its Christian or secular sense. There is another meaning attached to asceticism which must be explained. It is not a question of separating the two worlds and their tasks, and forsaking the pleasures of one of them for the other. Such people do not recommend leaving aside the tasks of life.

They say it is a duty which must be fulfilled that we must try to avoid pleasures in this world to prevent a decrease of enjoyment in the next! Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna) says (in his book: Namat Nahume Isharat) that an ascetic is one whose aversion to the worldly enjoyments is geared to attainment of the other-worldly satisfactions. This does not mean, however, one can properly or legitimately exchange pleasures of this world for those of the next.

Islam does not teach that if one enjoyed this world, he will be deprived of the next. Man is not granted enjoyment in the Hereafter because of abandoning it here. Also, it does not mean that each being is allotted a certain amount of pleasure that must be secured here, while leaving other enjoyments for the hereafter.