23. SOCIALISING VERSUS SOLITUDE
One day I went to the Masjid of al-Risafah to gain some solitude (khawla). My thoughts roamed around thinking about the place and the righteous people and scholars who used to be in it.
While I was there, I found some of the people who abstained from worldly affairs and lived in a small house next to the Masjid. I asked one of them, ‘How long have you been here in this solitude?’ He replied, ‘For around forty’ years.’
After thinking about it I found out that his house was dirty and in an unclean state; I also started to think how such a person abstained from marriage for so long! My ‘self (nafs) then started to commend his state of solitude and condemn this worldly life and its deception; but the voice of knowledge objected to such a notion and urged the sense of reasoning to understand the reality’ of the matter. I realised that principles of religion corroborate what knowledge advocates, so I spoke to my ‘self and said, ‘You should know that they [i.e. abstainers] are of two types:
The first type are those who strive to forebear such conditions, missing the benefit resulting from being in the company of people of knowledge and missing the virtues of work; having offspring, bringing benefit to others and benefiting from sitting with intellectual people.
The solitude turns them into experiencing a condition similar to beasts as they start to favour isolation for the mere sake of isolation. In fact, their nature may become harsh and their character (khalq) may become rigid. The effect of not releasing the accumulated semen in their bodies may poison, ruin health and mind.
Such solitude may even cause them doubts and give rise to (deviant) thoughts of being one of the most pious favoured servants of Allah (awliya) and thus becoming content with what they already know.
Shaytan may manipulate them and cause hallucination (khiyalat), making them think they are miracles or supernatural powers (karamat)— and worse still, he may start to think he is the ultimately favoured slave while in fact he is unaware of people’s resentment (karaha) towards him.
This is because the Prophet “forbade a person to sleep alone in the house” but such people spend all their time alone by themselves. He “forbade people from abstaining from marriage”115 and what they do is what he forbade. He “forbade from isolating oneself to worship (rahabaniiyah)” and all that are from of the subtle tricks (khuda) of Iblis whereby he misleads people to fall into misguidance through what may appear as noble and beneficial.
The second type are those Shaikhs who maintain worship and love of Allah and have no power to heed to this worldly life, so they were in solitude through no real choice for they have no shelter to stay in, and therefore are excused as they take the ruling of the sick.
The first type decided to be disconnected from knowledge (‘ilm), work (‘amal) and earning their provision. All their endeavours hinged on hopes that some inspiration may knock on their doors, so they sufficed with blindness after they were able to see and sickness after being healthy.
My ‘self (nafs) objected to what I said and told me, ‘I do not accept what you said. You are in favour of marrying pretty women and enjoying the delicious food and drinks! If you are not from the people of worship then at least do not condemn them!’ I replied, ‘If you are willing to understand, I will talk with you because if you care for the apparent images (without seeing beyond) then you have no intellect!’
As for seeking pretty women for marriage; there are many purposes for which marriage is sought, namely having children, maintaining healthy body by letting out semen that may cause harm if accumulated and to ensure it is completely out, which cannot be except if a person is with someone he is totally attracted to. Semen may come out without the need for penetration, yet only with sexual intercourse can it assuredly rid all of it and thereafter making the mind clear without becoming further distracted. This is similar to advising the judge to eat food before delivering any judgement and also forbid him to give a ruling while he is angry or engorged. To achieve the full purpose, the children produced shall be more perfect. Besides, the self has to satisfy its share just like how the camel has to eat to survive its journey and maintain its strength.
As for the food and drinks, it is only the ignorant who seek such pleasures from it or for the sake of it. These graces are intended to remove the distractions resulting from hunger so the mind remains not occupied with such matters.
And if you ponder upon the condition of the first generation of Muslims you shall be amazed. The Prophet married ‘A’ishah (radiy Allahu ‘anha) and she was a beautiful lady, he saw Zainab {radiy Allahu ‘anha) whom he liked, so he married her and the same case was with Safiyyah {radiy Allahu ‘anha). He also used to send someone to propose on his behalf if someone suggested one for him and he had interest in marriage.
‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib {radiyA llahu ‘anhu) had four wives and seventeen female-slaves when he died. And before this nation, there was Prophet Dawud (‘alayhi as-salam ) who had one-hundred wives while Prophet Sulayman (‘alayhi as-salam ) had one-thousand wives. Hence he who claims that such way is defiance or faulty’ or that these people were following their desires and spent their lives in such purposes while they could have used their life for better things, is a person who accuses the perfect people with being deficient while, in fact it is he whose understanding is deficient.
Sufyan al-Thawri used to have a roast lamb and faloudhaj11 whenever he travelled and he was known for eating good food and used to say: ‘If you do not treat your ride well (i.e. your body), it will never operate.’
These pleasures that I have pointed out, if intended for the natural need to have or to satisfy the self, or to achieve the worldly and religious purposes through them, are valid and correct. The objection (is not valid) of those who bow and prostrate without understanding the prayer (salah) they perform and use different forms of dhikr o f Allah with words that are unsuitable.
Nay, it is knowledge that alone stands as the best attribute and the most honourable act of worship, for it directs one to the benefits and speaks out the advices.
The benefit of knowledge is well known to extend to others while the benefit of someone’s asceticism (zuhd) does not go beyond the doorstep of the ascetic. The Prophet said: “To be a reason for the guidance of a man is better for you than all that the sun shines on”
[To understand this meaning], bear in mind the superiority of Messengers over Prophets. And the superiority of hunting animals over animals that cannot hunt, and the superiority of mud used for beneficial purposes and the useless mud.
The ultimate purpose of scholars is to know through their knowledge (ilm), the permissible to enjoy while most of the ascetics are ignorant being enslaved with kissing the hand because they abandoned what has been made permissible.
It is often the solitude being the reason for missing much of the knowledge required to rectify the affairs of people and the cause of calamities from which the religion of a person has been ruined.
If solitude (‘uzla) is required then it is only when secluding oneself from evil. And Allah knows best.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
Comments
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.