SELECTIONS FROM THE REVITALISATION OF THE SCIENCES OF RELIGION Al-Ghazali’s Ihya’ Ulum al-Din Seclusion Chapter One Schools of Thought Regarding Seclusion, the sayings and each party’s opinion The various schools of thought and many righteous ancestors have held differing views regarding seclusion. Some have preferred seclusion to associating. Among these were Sufian al Thawrri, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Dawoud al Ta’i, Fudail ibn Iyad, suliman al Khawas, Yousuf ibn Asbat, Hozafah al Marashi and Bishr al Hafi. Most of the righteous ancestors have preferred associating and having more acquaintances, friends, brothers, and to drawing close to the believers to assist them in the religion, and to cooperate together in piety and goodness. They number among them, Said ibn al Maseeb, al Shabi, Ibn Abi Layla, Hisham bin Auwra, Ibn Shbromah, Churiah, Charik bin abdAllah, Ibn Oyeenah, Ibn Al Mubarak, Al Shafií, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, and others. The Argument of those who Favor Associating and its Weakness They argue according to the sayings of Allah, the Almighty: “…Do not follow the example of those who became divided and differed…” (Koran Ch. 3 verse 105) And He, the High, the Exalted also said: “…and how He united your hearts …” (Koran Ch. 3 verse 103) He bestows upon the people by the cause, which brought their hearts together. This is a weak argument because what is meant by this differs in opinion and schools of thought regarding the Book of Allah and the roots of Shariah (Islamic Law). What is meant by bringing hearts together is to extract any hatred from the hearts, as it is the cause for disharmony. Seclusion does not contradict that. They also used the sayings of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, “The believer is likable, there is no goodness in the one who does not like others, nor others like him.” This is a weak argument because it indicates the blameworthy aspects of the bad character, which prevent friendship. They also use his saying: “Whoever departs from the group one hand span has taken the bond of Islam from his neck.” And he also said: “Whoever departs from the group, then dies, he has died in unbelief.” This argument is weak because what is meant by this Hadith is the group, which agrees by consensus on one Imam, so disagreement with them is wrongdoing. The argument of those who favor Seclusion They argue by means of what Allah, the Almighty said in the account of Ibrahim (peace be upon him): “Now I will go away from you and that you call upon, other than Allah. I will call on my Lord. Perhaps I shall not be unblessed in calling my Lord.” (Koran Ch. 19 verse 48) Then Allah, the High, the Exalted said: “So when he turned away from them and those they worshipped, other than Allah, We gave him Isaac and Jacob. Each of them We made a Prophet.” (Koran Ch. 19 verse 49) Indicating that this is by the blessings of seclusion. This argument is weak because there is no goodness in associating with unbelievers except calling them to Islam, and when you despair of that, you must depart their company. While the argument is about associating with Muslims and what blessing there is in it. They also argue by means of the sayings of Moses (peace be upon him): “And if you do not believe me, then leave me!” (Koran Ch. 44 verse 21) Here Moses has fled into seclusion when he despaired from them, and Allah, the High, the Exalted said about the people of the cave: “When you depart from them and from what they worship, other than Allah, seek refuge in the Cave. Allah will extend His Mercy to you and will furnish you with a gentle issue of your affair. …” (Koran Ch. 18 verse 16) He commanded them to seclude themselves. Our Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, secluded himself from Koraysh when they harmed him, and he ordered his Companions to seclude themselves and to emigrate to Abyssinia, then they joined him in Madinah after Allah, the Almighty gave them victory there. This is also seclusion from the unbelievers after despairing from them. As the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, did not seclude himself from the Muslims, nor from those who he expected to be Muslim from among the unbelievers. The people of the cave were believers and they did not seclude themselves from each other, but they secluded themselves from the pagans, while the argument that is raised here is the seclusion of Muslims from each other. Chapter Two The Benefits of Seclusion The benefits of seclusion are divided into Religious benefits and worldly benefits: The religious benefits are divided into what you can gain from worship in seclusion, by consistency in worship and reflection and pursuing of knowledge, to avoiding temptations, which are prevalent in associating with people, such as: hypocrisy, backbiting, failure to enjoin good and forbid evil, to be influenced by associating with people of bad character and behavior. As to the worldly benefits are divided into what you can gain from seclusion, as the professional would be able in his seclusion to avoid the forbidden things he exposes himself to when eh associates with others, such as being deluded by this worldly life and how everyone vies for the gains of this life, his greed for gaining what the people have and their greed towards what he has. Associating will show up his virtues, if he has any, he will be harmed by the bad manner of the one he spends time with, he will have to argue with him all the time, or be harmed by his misthinking or his backbiting or envy or the harm of his heavy personality or ugliness of character. Avoiding these is the benefit of seclusion. The Disadvantages of Seclusion ‘Know that to achieve the religious and worldly aims you must be assisted by the others, and that will not be achieved except by associating with others. All, which is of benefit to you in associating is missed in seclusion, and what is missed is of the disadvantages of seclusion. So look to the benefits of associating and the need for it, and what you gain from it, such as mutual benefit, teaching and instruction, to gain the reward for standing for justice and due right, humility, the benefit gained from the experience of others, and the use of it as an example for yourself. These are among the benefits of associating with others.