Lesson thirty two :Asceticism in its real sense

Imam Ali( A. S. )said:

الزَّاهِدُ فِى الدُّنْيا مَنْ لَمْ يَغْلِبِ الْحَرامُ صَبْرَهُ وَ لَمْ يَشْغَلِ الْحَلالُ شُكْرَهُ.

Translation

The real ascetic in the world is one who illegal property does not defeat his endurance, and legal property do not hinder him from God's remembrance and duty of thanksgiving..

Brief description

Some of the uninformed people have altered sense of asceticism in a negative form. They have interpreted asceticism as leaving divine graces and economical facilities and living like the poor.

While this is not true. Asceticism in its real sense is what is narrated above from Imam Ali( A. S. )and could be summarized in two phrases:" Endurance and connivance against illegal property" and" not forgetting responsi bilities and duties for legal property". Should we interpret asceticism so, it whould be a reforming, improving and training factor in the society rather than a negative and detaining factor.