80. Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (RZ) has narrated that Prophet Muhammad (SLM) stayed at the cave of Hira (in Makkah) for one month. He did not come out of the solitude of the cave for relaxation or for getting rid of tiredness or sorrow. Nor did he come out of the cave for any other reason of lust or to quench sensual desires. But he used to come out for reasons of religion like the ablution, the Friday prayers or for congregational prayers.

81. In his commentary of the Muslim (a book of Hadith), Imam Nowawi (RA) has said that khala (vacant space ) is a limited thing and is also called khilwat (seclusion). This is the eminence of the virtuous and the arifeen, (those who have the knowledge of Allah).

82. Abu Muslim (RZ) says that Prophet Muhammad (SLM) liked seclusion (uzlat) because this gave freedom from cares and anxieties. This freedom he used for his remembrance of Allah and thinking (about the attributes of Allah). This also helped him to cut his human relationships with those he loved, and gave humility to his heart (khushu-o-khuzu).

83. According to the narration of Jabir bin Abdullah (RZ), Prophet Muhammad (SLM) went into the cave of Hira. Allah says quoting the words of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) (Abraham): "And he (Abraham) said: 'Verily I am going to my Lord Who will guide me" (S. 37 : 99 AMD). Here, 'going to my Lord', means retiring to seclusion which means leaving relatives and brothers and homeland (watan). And this was the situation of the young men of Kahf. Allah says: "And when ye withdraw from them and that which they worship except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave;…" (S. 18 : 16 MMP). The name of this is seclusion (khilwat).

84. And in the story of Mary, (as Allah says in Quran): "…Every time that he (Zakariya) entered (her) chamber to see her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: 'O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?…" (S. 3 : 37 AYA). This chamber is khilwat. It is difficult eften for people (makhluq) without the deeds of seclusion.

85. Every Muslim knows that khilwat and uzlat are permitted in Shariat. It is not prohibited (haram).

86. Allah says: "And We had permitted Moses to commune with Us for a period of thirty nights and We extended it by further ten nights, so that his communion with his Lord amounted to forty nights….(S. 7 : 142 SAL). This is called seclusion.

87. Similar is the case with David (AS). Says Allah: "… (He) fell down, bowing (in prostration), and turned (to Allah in repentance)" (S. 38 : 24 AYA).

88. And in respect of Solomon (AS) (Allah has said): "… It was only then that they (the jinn) felt that had they known (in time) what had been kept away from their knowledge, they would certainly not have continued in their humiliating toil" (S. 34 : 14 SAL).

89. The fact is that Solomon (AS) had seen when he was to die, so much so that he fell down as a dead body. Had he not been in the habit of remaining in seclusion, he would not have stood (before his death). This shows that the seclusion was his. Hence, there was seclusion for all Prophets (AS). Prophet Muhammad (SLM) was always in seclusion. And all the companions of Prophet Muhammad (SLM) and Imam Mahdi (AS) used to be in seclusion, so much so that they achieved the Vision of Allah and they met Him. But all that was not for the useless people like us.

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