“Literally meaning solitude and living alone, khalwah and uzlah (privacy and seclusion) within the context of Sufism denote an initiate's going into retreat to dedicate all of his or her time to worshipping God under the guidance and supervision of a spiritual master. He or she seeks purification from all false beliefs, dark thoughts and feelings, and conceptions and imaginations that separate him or her from the Truth, closing the doors of his or her heart to all that is not God, and conversing with Him through the tongue of his or her inner faculties. Seclusion is one dimension of privacy; austerity is another.”¹⁾

“Those who always feel themselves in the presence of God do not need to seclude themselves from people. Such people, in the words of Rumi, are like those who keep one foot in the sphere of Divine commandments and turn the other, like a compass needle, round the world. They experience ascent and descent at every moment. This is the seclusion recognized and preferred by the Prophets and saints.”²⁾

“Seclusion means avoiding constant company with people, withdrawing to one side, living alone, and choosing solitude. In fact, seclusion constitutes one dimension of privacy (khalwah); therefore, these two words—between which there is only a slight difference—are sometimes used interchangeably.

As a Sufi term, khalwah means cutting off every kind of connection with one’s surroundings, cleansing the heart of all worldly desires, stripping away the ego, and—aiming thereby to reach the Real—secluding oneself in a cell and occupying oneself only with remembrance, self-watchfulness, worship, and spiritual discipline.

In other words, khalwah is the name for withdrawing into seclusion under the supervision of a guide, devoting oneself to worship, purifying the heart from false beliefs, base feelings, evil thoughts, ugly conceptions, and corrupt imaginings; closing oneself off to everything other than the Real; and conversing with the Real through the language of the subtle spiritual faculties.”³⁾

“The Pride of Humanity (peace and blessings be upon him) declared that remaining among people and enduring the harms that come from them is better than detachment and seclusion. For this reason, in our view, permanent privacy (khalwah) and seclusion (uzlah) mean fleeing from society and from the duties that must be fulfilled within society.

Therefore, even if it is done in the name of personal perfection or personal spiritual gifts, I think a person who runs away from these duties falls into sin. For what is essential in Islam is to be with the Real among people and to run to the service of humanity.”⁴⁾

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