24. SOLITUDE IS MEANT TO AVOID EVIL NOT GOODNESS
I still struggle with my ‘self as to whether I should continue preaching at assemblies where I see sinners repenting as well as ascetics, or should I seclude myself from people and dedicate all my time to worshipping Allah and live an asceticism lifestyle.
This kind of [inner] struggle 1 have found to be from the Shay tans deception because the Shaytan notices that my sermons are attended by numerous people who weep for their previous sins, many of them do not leave the assembly until they repent and detach themselves from the idle life they have lived.
I have had approximately fifty to one-hundred people repenting during my assemblies and sometimes even more. Most of them are youth who were indulging in idle play and sins.
This must have intimidated the Shaytan as he noticed how I attracted those whom he tricked into his evil traps. Thus wanted to distract me from what I was doing and keep me away from people so he can again trick those whom I pulled away from his path. [His frustration] made him attempt suggesting to me that being in such assemblies made me flaunt before people.
1 replied, ‘If you mean bettering the structure of my words and making them eloquent so that the meaning is expressed via the best words, it is actually a virtue and not a shortcoming. However if you mean that I intend with my speeches what Allah forbade, then that is impossible and I seek Allah’s refuge from such an act.’
[As he failed in his attempts in this regard] he started suggesting asceticism as it will stop me from being involved in anything unlawful. However, I said, ‘If I liked the state of asceticism and succeeded in secluding myself from everyone, then what if afterwards my wealth became depleted or some of my family members were in need— would this not ruin me? Thus, let me work so I can collect what suffices me and protects me from begging people; so that if I live long then what I earned will be something I benefit from, otherwise my family will.’
I do not wish to be like a traveller in the desert who spills his water upon seeing the mirage of water and so, as he realised what he saw was just a delusion, his regret could not help him.
The correct thing to do is to prepare your bed before sleeping and collect money to avoid seeking help from others in the future when you become old. The Prophet said, “Leaving your heirs with sufficient funds is better than leaving them in need of other’s charity.” He also said, “The best money is [when] it is possessed by a good man.”
As for solitude (‘uzla), it should be practiced to avert and abstain from evil, but not from the good because abstaining from evil is obligatory at all times. Whereas teaching the seekers of knowledge and directing the seekers of guidance are as a matter of fact, the [better] acts of worship of the learned.
This is why some scholars often prefer to author a book or teach beneficial knowledge to others over offering voluntary prayers and fasting, because the former is a seed whose harvest is plenty and its goodness extends for a longer time.
There are two reasons why the ‘self naturally inclines towards the temptations of Shaytan-.
1. Firstly: The innate nature of humans is naturally disposed towards being indolent because secluding oneself from others is much easier than performing deeds [like teaching knowledge], which requires exertion.
2. Secondly: The love of being praised, because when a person is known for his asceticism, common people become more inclined towards him.
It is therefore pertinent to look into the ways of the first generation; the Prophet and his Companions, and follow their steps.
Were there any reports from them mentioning any of them ever secluding themselves from people, or abstained from knowledge as some ignorant ascetics and Sufi’s do?
[Do they not know that] Prophets dedicated their time to be with people and encouraging them to do good and forbidding them from evil.
As for those who are incompetent in the field of religious knowledge and so decide to stay away from people to avoid evil, they are exempted from the admonished ones as they intend to guard themselves considering their condition and intention.
On the other hand, the learned whose knowledge qualifies him to distinguish and recognise what he deals with, people will benefit from him.
(source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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