Abstract/Sommario: In spite of the fact that Christian Monasticism has been viewed with suspicion by Muslims, Muslim Tradition says that, when Muhammad started doubting his call, he was taken to a Christian monk, named Waraqa, who assured him of his revelation. There was also another monk, named Bahira, who met Muhammad during one of his trade journeys towards Syria and, according to a Muslim traditional story, discovered in him "the sign of Prophethood". The author first investigates the meaning of the ...; [Leggi tutto...]
In spite of the fact that Christian Monasticism has been viewed with suspicion by Muslims, Muslim Tradition says that, when Muhammad started doubting his call, he was taken to a Christian monk, named Waraqa, who assured him of his revelation. There was also another monk, named Bahira, who met Muhammad during one of his trade journeys towards Syria and, according to a Muslim traditional story, discovered in him "the sign of Prophethood". The author first investigates the meaning of the word "monk" within what he calls "Islamic language" and particularly the Qur'an. Them he deals with the famous hadith which says . " No monasticism in Islam", showing that this expression never required a negative approach to Christian monasticism in the Muslim world. Finally he analyses the relationship between Sufism and Monasticism, concluding that although the expression "in Islam there is no Monasticism" means that monasticism is not accepted as a canonical obligation by Muslims, he is however not forbidden to "pray (more than canonical prayers) in order to obtain the agreement of God, or give his interpretation a regular and moral form, and neither can it mean that prayers performed in this way, as well as God's reminiscence (dhikr) aren't meritorious or are not worship"