Solitude (Khalwat) 2

Solitude (i.e. total dissociation from people) is not permissible for one who has duties and obligations to discharge, whether such duties pertain to others or oneself, and whether it be worldly obligations, e.g. providing maintenance to one’s family when one does not have the ability of Tawakkul (trust in Allah), or Deeni obligations, e.g. the acquisition of necessary Deeni knowledge.

Certain Ahadith which prohibit solitude refer to these two states just mentioned. Such an example of prohibition is the case of Hadhrat Uthmaan Ibn Mat’un (Radhiyallahu anhu). He was forbidden from adopting solitude since he was yet in need of acquiring knowledge of the Deen. At the same time Muslims also were in need of him regarding matters of the Deen, especially in the fields of spreading the Word of Allah and developing Islam.