Asceticism in the Quran and Traditions

No doubt, the most important factor for achieving felicity, to which the holy religion of Islam has given special attention, is self-refinement and cultivation of the soul. According to Islam, such refinement is fulfilled through combat with the self which is the same as asceticism. Some kinds of asceticism are approved by Islam and others are rejected. Given the influx of false eastern and western mystical schools to today's society and the deviation from pure Islam, the present paper seeks, besides the expounding the view of Islam about asceticism and its position in religious teachings, to elaborate on the correct procedure of any measure in this regard and explain obstacles to asceticism in the view of the infallible Imams who hold that asceticism is guaranteed only within the limits of sacred law and the context of divine injunctions. Such asceticism can lead the wayfarer to high mystical degrees.