[Smeaphvalialm]

Sheikh Mokhtar maghrui " most people know how to be with their nafs they never developed uns (intimacy) with Allah

zawyah , khalwah or ozlah,(seclusion ) is a form of ibadah that a moonin need to develop to improve his dhikr(remembrance ), fikr (contemplation), and uns (affinity, intimacy) with Allah aziwajal and decrease his attachment and involvement to dunya. inshAllah I will summarize blessed Imam gazali's wonderful words here on two discussion.
1. discussion and words of some saintly men on khalwah. 2. benefits and harm of khalwah(next time),3. method of khalwah (next time inshAllah)
May Allah swt accept this as a good deed and give you similar reward for reading and implementing it Ameen ya rabilalamin


Imam gazali may Allah SWT elevate his position in jannah describes two prominent views among scholars of Islam on khalwah.

1. Imam (RA) mentions that some pious men believed that khalwah (seclusion) is better than socializing and mixing with people he RA mentions great saints such as sofyan thury RA, ibrahim adham RA, Dawood taeie RA, fodhail ayadh RA, hudheyfah marashi RA, booshre hafi RA, and many other saintly men of Islam.
2. Imam RA calls the second group (ulamaie dhahir) outward oriented scholars, who promote socializing and mixing with people as better choice than khalwah

3, words of some saintly men of Islam on khalwah

Omar (RA) said; establish a share for khalwah in your life

Hasan basri (RA); when a man did ghinaah(lived with little one has been blessed with) he became content and if he did khalwah he freed himself from shahwah (lust) and gained health.

ibn Sireen (RA): khalwah is ibadah

ibn-ul-ward (RA); hikmat has ten branches nine of it is being quiet and tenth is khalwah

ibn khathim (RA); learn ilm (knowledge of deen) and keep away from people.

malik ibn anas (RA); used to visit muslim brothers, sick people, and go to funeral he RA stopped them one by one and did khalwah rest of his life.

Khatim Asm (RA) ; One ruler asked himask me anything you wish I will reward you with it. He RA said; I ask that you do not see me nor do I see you anymore

Sahl Tastari (RA); one person asked him if it is possible to have some communication(sohbah) between the two. He RA said if one of us die who will you have sohba with then have with the same person sohbah right now too.

Sahl Tastari RA; also said I have been conversing with Allah aziwajal for trhe last thirty years and people think I have been conversing with them

hasan basri; They told to Hasan RA that, there is a young guy who has been coming to masjid. and that he is strange, he always avoids everyone, keeps away from paople and sit behind the colum all by himself. He Ra asked people to inform him when they see him next time. people informed him. He inquired from the young man; why do you always sit by yourself and avoid people? the boy answered I have an important issue that keep me busy. Hasan farther asked then why do you not attend the deeni majlis that hasan basri holds? the man answered my issue is keeping me busy from hasan too. then the imam RA asked ; what is that issue that keeps you away from every one?
I dont find any moment that a blessing come to me from Allah SWT and a sin from me to him. I do shukr on neamah(blessings) and istighfar on my sins so I have no time left. Hasan replied keep doing what you do because your figh is better than hasan

One person asked a saintly man how do you have so much patience in lonely life style. He said I am not alone. I am always with Allah SWT. when I want to talk to him I do salat and when I want to listen to what he say I read the quran

Uweis garany RA; ibn-hayyan went to see uways RA. uways asked how can I hwlp you? he said I have come to be with you for a while. Uways said I never understood the person who knows Allah and find solice with some one else.

Malik Dinar ; if anyone does not prefer talking with Allah SWT to talking with people his ilm (knowlledge) is little and his life is wasted

Fodhail Ra said; when the darkness of night approaches I find so much happiness inside me; I say to myself until morning I will sit with Allah swt. and when the light of the dawn appears in horizon I become sad that people are going keep me busy and away from Allah SWT