Brahmacharya in Islam..00
Question
hello,
Thank you for your answers here. It's great.
Can you relate to us 'How does brahmacharya practiced in Islam'.
Though we have different system of belief, it has been for many years till then that i realized the benefits of brahmacharya- which i simply term it as 'chastity'. Yes, i cannot deny the immense energy derived from it ones it is practiced with devotion. It really enhance the practice of meditation  for us, it is Salah.
Yet, just wanna tell you that i'm a little cautious about extending it beyond limit. In the Qur'an, in addition of not having sex during menstruation, during daytime of fasting, and during 70 days of Hajj, in Surah Baqarah verse 226 if i'm not mistaken, it is said that it is not allowed to take an oath of not having sex with ones legally wife beyond 4 months. On the otherhand, masturbation is haraam ( means forbidden ) from puberty upto marriage ( that is, from 14 years old upto 25. Meaning more or less 13 years).
Because of this, seems like, i'm in the state of doubt or 50-50, weather to pursue it like upto years. I say this because, i usually break it intentionally every after 4 months fearing that i'll commit a serious mistake against the 'divine law'. Not that, i cannot resist the urge because i now find it easy to do it. It is just a matter of following the guidelines of brahmacharya like what you have outline here.
Can you please enlighten my humble inquiry about this sir Dhananjay.
Maybe you already have a glimpse of an inquiry like mine here. I say this because maybe I havenÂt yet encounter a QurÂanic verses about it. Also, maybe there were words of wisdom from Muslim saints about this that I didnÂt yet encounter.
My sentiments here put me into tears due to your answers. I can feel your honesty. I really do.
Wishing you a good day and happiness..
Answer
Hello K,
Delighted to know of your interest in Brahmacharya, Thank you for the questions let me try and answer:
Q: What is the importance of Brahmacharya in Islam and for what periods of time can it be practiced?
A: While I'm not an authority on Islam, I shall answer this question based on the Universal concept of Brahmacharya, cutting across religion, caste, creed and geography.
Brahmacharya is defined as ÂAbandonment of and freedom from sexual enjoyment for ever in thought, word and deed at all places and times". The aim of indulging in this train of thought and action is to free ourselves from the grip of ignorance, delusion and evil and unite ourselves with the supreme creator, thereby attaining infinite bliss and meeting the purpose of the human life.
There is a saying in the Hindu scriptures "Tad ekam sat, vipraha bahudha vadanthi" - He alone is real, He is only one - The sages call him by various names. It means the supreme creator is only one; religions are only different roads to reach him. All religions are true and real. All religions when practiced right lead one to the supreme creator. Mohammed the prophet called him as 'Allah', Hindu sages call the blessed lord as 'Brahman', Jesus the sage called him as 'Christ'. All these great sages were beyond petty concepts such as hate, greed, fanaticism and ignorance. They preached a religion with the sole aim of liberating mankind from suffering and uniting it with the blessed lord. Any man who is true to himself becomes saintly immaterial of his religion.
Brahmacharya is the direct road to lead one closer to him -'God'. What is it that keeps us in the midst of pain and suffering and away from him? It is the result of our past sin and ignorance that has wound itself in layers around our 'self'. If man wishes to unwind himself from this sin he cannot achieve it without the practice of celibacy in thought, word and deed. By the honest and true practice of celibacy for even a few months anyone can personally observe that the inherent nobility, kindness, love, affection, strength, peace of mind and sheer bliss present within starts to surface. In other words man starts to unwind himself from the grip of pain and starts moving towards the domain of supreme bliss. He starts his journey towards perfection and eternal divinity.
In the Qur'an it is said: - "Surely, men who submit themselves to God and women who submit themselves to Him, and believing men and believing women,and truthful men and truthful women, and steadfast men and steadfast women, and humble men and humble women, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their chastity and women who guard their chastity, and men who remember Allah much and women who remember Him  Allah has prepared for all of them forgiveness and a great reward. (Al-Â‐QurÂan, 33:36)
What does this signify? It directs man to surrender himself to the lord, be kind to fellow humans, follow the path of truth, indulge in austerities to cleanse ourselves and follow a life of celibacy to disentangle ourselves from the grip of evil.
Mohammed the prophet has clearly stated in the Qur'an that the aim of Islamic teachings is to help one progressively transcend from the natural state to the moral state and from there on to the final and high spiritual state.
Allah further says:- " Follow not the footsteps of Satan" - (Al-QurÂan,2:209)
Here the footsteps of Satan are all those activities and temptations that take one away from Allah or the supreme creator. When Satan or ignorance beckons us to follow him, it doesn't show us the ultimate destruction it is leading us to. Rather it makes us take one small step at a time which appears harmless. Once a few steps are taken on this slippery slope called evil, Satan's (Ignorance and delusion's) job is done and one is sure to slide helplessly to his doom. So it becomes very important never to even take the first step and keep oneself ever vigilant against lust.
It is further said:-
ÂIndeed he truly prospers, who purifies himself" - (Al-Qur'an, 87-15)
Indulgence in the sexual act however less frequently keeps familiarity of the sex sensation as a source of delusive pleasure alive. As long as this familiarity is kept alive, the gates of purification cannot open.
The sexual act is legitimate for only one single purpose - 'Procreation'. The moment man indulges in this act for a purpose other than producing offspring; he is offering a seat to Satan or ignorance in his mind, body and psyche. The Holy Hindu sages have declared ÂA man can visit his wife and have intercourse with her once per wanted child".
The concept of sex for pleasure in marriage is a trick resorted by those who have no other bond other than the bond of physical sex. This concept is not true love. True love is never selfish. True love doesn't require the gratification of carnal pleasure to support itself. Man and wife can enjoy true bliss and togetherness once they practice a few months of combined celibacy. They will then see the real benefits of chastity and the deep, true love that blossoms between them which was never there while being in a sexual relationship. It is hard at the start to go into such a life, but then nothing special comes without effort.
It is said that a man and wife who practice celibacy with purity incur the appreciation and blessings of Gods from above. No statement can be truer. Words fail to describe the bliss, positivity and strength gained by such a mode of life. I would request people to get a real taste of this concept by leading a life of celibacy for a few months and see how their life improves at the mental, physical, material and spiritual levels for themselves.
If you are practicing periods of celibacy lasting up to four months, it is a clear sign that God is already with you and has his hand upon you. Only a handful of people succeed in remaining celibate for such periods of time. I would request you to take your wife into confidence towards reaching longer periods of celibacy and finally becoming a celibate for life. One reaches great heights further to such a life at the physical, mental, moral and spiritual levels and loses nothing.
Trust this helps
God bless and have a nice day :-)
Dhananjay