The origins of Retreats in Christianity and IslamArzani, H. & Scholte, E.M. (2011)Abstract:In the last decennia the popularity of Retreats has grown impressive. Many people are in search of contemplation and reflection and a growing number op people over the globe chooses to go on retreat -a series of days passed in solitude or with a group away from the daily life and environment, consecrated to practices of asceticism, prayer and contemplation. The current forms of Christian and Islamic Retreats can be seen as carefully arranged aids to spiritual life, usually organized in a specific religious environment as monasteries and mosques. This is however a phenomenon that has grown only over the last centuries. The origins of these Retreats can be traced back to the religious scriptures, the Bible and the Koran, naturally complemented with accounts on the lives of the founding figures, Jesus and Mohamed.In order to understand the roots of retreats, this article is an exploration of the historical origins of Christian and Islamic spirituality that gave rise to the principles and practices of retreats. As Abrahamic religions, in both religions the roots can be traced back to religious experiences of figures as Abraham, Moses and Elijah, each complemented with a specific focus on the founders of the religions. Keywords: Christian retreats; Islamic retreats; spiritual withdrawal; historical origins spirituality; religious experiences; spiritual encounters;Research question: What are the historical origins of contemporary Christian and Islamic Retreat?Purpose article: Developing and increasing knowledge about- and interest in spirituality among people