>>24700821
Muslims have institutions that the West translates as monasteries, but celibate monasticism is not a thing in Islam.
Muslims have Zawiyas, lodges for poor and unmarried ascetics led by a Shaykh, like an Abbot, that also serve as houses of worship and houses of learning. These institutions are generally obscure to the West and are found mostly in North Africa and West Asia (Middle East). This is what you would call an Islamic monastery, but celibate monasticism is not allowed. It is rooted in the Sunnah (tradition) of Al Suffah in Madinah. The Prophet, peace be upon him, built a platform in his Masjid (mosque) in Madinah to provide lodging for the poorest and unmarried followers of Islam. He also shared his daily meals with these homeless Muslims and lived in a small home without any luxury.
Al Suffah literally means the shade, as the platform was shaded with palm leaves. The Sufi tradition, the Islamic mystical and ascetic tradition, is rooted in Al Suffah. It is the inward, intellectual aspect of Islam that is peaceful and spiritual. Some of these ascetic brotherhoods number in the millions and form an invisible network that spans nations from East to West. Some have chains of transmission directly from the Twelve Imams. Muslims also have saints in the mystical tradition.
It is the Sunnah to house and feed the homeless in the Masjid. The Faqir, literally meaning poor, live full time as ascetic mystics inside Masjids and Zawiyas. They spend their days praying, meditating, studying Islam, and doing basic chores as well as economically valuable labor much like Christian monks. Christian monasteries are highly successful institutions as they take vows of voluntary poverty and spend all day working and praying. Some make cheese, candles, incense, and so on. They sell these things to provide for the monastery. Monks are not lazy, they work hard. They achieve complete economic self-sufficiency in balance with nature and in my view are the model of the perfect human society.
The Sunnah is heavily influenced by Christian monasticism. For example, praying seven times a day like the Divine Office as well as voluntary fasting and charity. The Sunnah, in my view, provides the model of the perfect human society. It is like celibate asceticism without the celibacy. Shariah, translating as the clear and well-trodden path to water, provides the divine blueprint of the perfect human society where all needs are met and humanity lives in perfect harmony with nature and each other. The Shariah is the combination of the Koran and Sunnah.
The mystic seeks spiritual perfection. To become an individual citizen of Shariah by strictly followint the Koran and Sunnah. The ultimate goal of the Muslim mystic is to achieve a mystical understanding of God and to reach a point where it is possible to receive divine revelations and perform miracles.
