Solitude of the Heart with God (Halvet)
One of the most significant channels nourishing a person’s spiritual life is withdrawing from crowds and remaining alone with their Lord (halvet/uzlet). While the obligatory acts of worship in our religion are performed communally, the supererogatory acts of worship, contemplation, and tears necessary for the heart’s maturation must always be kept private. Gaylani (q.s.) issues this startling warning to the spiritual seeker: “Keep secret matters pertaining to your inner world… May you be granted the ability to keep secrets,” 26. Recklessly recounting one’s spiritual experiences, acts of worship, or inspirations within the soul to the public is a hidden pride of the ego and a waste of spiritual energy.
The Protective Shield of Silence and Secrecy
Just as it is essential for a seed to remain hidden beneath the soil for it to sprout, silence is also necessary for the light of faith and gnosis to take root in the heart. “Silence… The health of the heart lies in not having a tongue that reaches out to God.” The person who immediately recounts every dream they see or every ecstasy (wajd) they feel misses out on that spiritual benefit. A true dervish possesses dignity, appearing outwardly silent and ordinary even though vast oceans churn within them, concealing their secrets from all but God.
Hidden Devotion Nourishes Sincerity
Acts of worship (teheccud, hidden dhikr) performed away from people, in the darkness of night or in a desolate place, are actions with the least likelihood of hypocrisy and ostentation. A single tear shed for God alone while one is secluded is more acceptable than a thousand tears shed in public. As the servant hides their love for their Lord as a secret, that love grows, intensifies, and ultimately transforms into divine union. Those perfect servants who dissolve their illusory sense of self in secrecy and only seek God’s gaze rule eternally as invisible sultans of the earth.