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AlGhazalisIhya-Book_of_Seclusion, page : 6
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
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