Asceticism in Medina: Features and Models from Early Islam

-, Qutaiba Waleed Jawad; -, Mohammed Tareq Hammoodi

doi:10.34278/aujis.2026.192245

	Asceticism in Medina: Features and Models from Early Islam
Anbar University Journal of Islamic Sciences
Article 21, Volume 17, Issue 3, September 2026, Pages 2278-2315 PDF (6.7 M)
DOI: 10.34278/aujis.2026.192245
Authors
Qutaiba Waleed Jawad -; Mohammed Tareq Hammoodi -
University of Anbar - College of Islamic Sciences
Abstract
Asceticism is a profound spiritual liberation from the shackles and attachments of this world. It is based on purifying the heart of worldly desires and elevating the soul toward divine perfection. This sublime meaning is embodied in the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)، who was a unique model of asceticism. God chose him to be the perfect example، and asceticism was the essence of his life and the foundation of his message. The concept of asceticism among early Sufis was founded on the Prophet's approach، an extension of his eternal prophetic school. The Medina school in the first century AH was one of the most prominent stages in the intellectual and behavioral formation of this path، where the foundations of knowledge and purification were laid، and the features of Islamic thought developed in its religious and spiritual dimensions. Asceticism in this blessed school was not merely a matter of abstaining from permissible things; rather، it was a strict commitment to noble morals and an inculcation of prophetic values. From this، true Sufism arose as a living extension of the spirit of prophecy. Scholars and mystics followed the path of asceticism، emulating the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). They established schools and paths، making it a solid method of purification and conduct، the influence of which remains in the nation's heritage to this day.
Keywords
Sufism; asceticism; role model

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