Mental origin

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Monkery among Christians Historical origin

Basically, the mental reaction of various individuals and nations to defeats and failures is different. Some tend to seclusion and subjectivism, and disturb the course of their social thoughts in general, but some others, the number of which is less than the first group, become more rigorous and harsh, and return from superficial challenge to the rooted and underlying challenges.

Monkery is actually the same reaction of defeated individuals and nations of the first group.

Now that we know the historical and mental origin of monkery, and it is made clear that monkery is against man's healthy nature, the following tradition can explain the attitude of Islam towards it:

Osman Ebne Mazoun inclined to monkery as a result of a mental defeat (losing his beloved child) and resorted to worship to relieve his grief. When the Prophet S.A. was informed, he forbade him and said:

«اِنَّ اللهَ تَبارَکَ وَ تَعالى لَمْ یَکْتُبْ عَلَیْنَا الرُّهْبانِیَّةَ».

The Great God has not assigned monkery for us.

Then he added to it a fundamental phrase:

«اِنَّما رُهْبانِیَّةُ اُمَّتِی الْجِهادُ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ».

Surely, the monkery of my nation is struggle in the way of God.(1)

In other words, if monkery means neglecting the pleasures and comforts of life, it should be applied for serving preservation of Islamic principles and magnificence of the society, like warfare.

And it is narrated from Imam Mousabne Ja'far that someone asked him:

«عَنِ الرَّجُلِ الْمُسْلِمِ هَلْ یَصْلُحُ اَنْ یَسِیحَ فِی الاَْرْضِ اَوْ یَتَرَهَّبَ فِی بَیْت لا یَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ؟ قالَ(علیه السلام): لا».

Is it permitted for a Moslem to select journey and vagabondage, or monkery, and not going out of house? He said: no.(2)

Wandering in this tradition may refer to a sort of monkery in the form of tourism without luggage and provision with the purpose of separation from cities and societies and or escaping house and family.

Anyhow, it is deduced from above tradition that monkery and social seclusion, either in the form of sitting at home, closing the door and leaving the world, or in the form of wandering without any means and escaping home, life and society, is condemned in Islam because it is in contradiction with the spirit of Islamic instructions.

Moreover, Holy Quran has called monkery, which is common among Christians, a condemned innovation:

وَ رَهْبانِیَّةً ابْتَدَعُوها ما کَتَبْناها عَلَیْهِمْ اِلاَّ ابْتِغاءَ رِضْوانِ اللهِ فَما رَعَوْها حَقَّ رِعایَتِها).

And monasticism they invented - We did not prescribe it for them, only seeking the good pleasure of God; but they observed it not as it should be observed.(3)

The total of these evidences explains the attitude of Islam towards monkery. And one point remains here unsolved, that is: Has monkery existed in the other religions?

According to the Islamic documents there has been a sort of monkery in Christianity, but very different with the present monkery and program of monks. Because the appearance of above phrase indicates that God has prescribed a sort of monkery for them, with the purpose of seeking God's pleasure, but they did not observe its limits, and invented another one instead of it that Quran has called it an innovation.

Now, we shall see what this legitimate monkery meant.

Certainly, in the original Christianity, as per historical and religious documents (even the gospels) there have not been giving up marriage absolutely, social seclusion and separation from society, and habitance in the convents and cloisters, which are among the today's monkery ceremonies.

As per definite documents, a number of apostles and Disciples of Christ married and associated with people.

Therefore, the legitimate monkery may signify the same lexical meaning and fear of God mingled with a sort of asceticism, and being heedless to worldly splendor, and simplicity while living within the society, as Christ A.S. and his disciples were.

But the phrase but they observed it not as it should be observed, has two senses.

First, they did not observe the limits of legitimate monkery, and violated its regulations, and innovated therein, and altered it into monasticism and leaving normal life in the world and giving up marriage absolutely.

Second, they did not observe the same false and innovative monkery, and as it will be later referred, some of them committed unlawful deeds in the covenants instead of righteousness, chastity and being heedless of the world, and proceeded in the way of worldliness, and provided the facilities for revelry, pleasure, and carouse in some of those centers, being established with the name of monkery.


1- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 170/8, narration 112
2- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 119/70, narration 10
3- The Iron sura (57), verse 27

 

 

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