The Deception of Outward Seclusion
O, truth-seeker embarking on an eternal journey, fearing to be drowned in the sea of fleeting desires! Know that the greatest spiritual ailment of humankind is forgetting God and becoming completely immersed in the world and its creations. Many people with weak resolve seek a remedy for this illness by fleeing to mountains, retreating into caves, and isolating themselves from others. However, the most exalted secret taught to us in the Makâmât-ı Şâh-ı Nakşibend work is not to imprison the body in mountains, but to detach the heart from everything other than God (masiva). A person who only distances their body from people but still harbors desires for worldly fame, status, and pleasures in their heart is not in seclusion, but in the prison of their own ego. As Hazrat Imam Ghazali (may Allah be pleased with him) frequently warns; one cannot equate someone present at the peak of a mountain with a confused mind to someone present in a marketplace with a pure heart like the Kaaba. The true wisdom lies not in fleeing, but in being able to stand unshaken amidst the storm.
Body in the Marketplace, Heart in the Lodge
One of the most impactful principles in Shah-i Nakshibend (may Allah be pleased with him)’s spiritual training is the rule of “Halvet der Encümen” (Being with Truth Among People). A person is obligated to work diligently through lawful means to earn a living, provide for their family, and benefit society. However, this work should only be an action of the body. While hands are engaged in commerce and the tongue utters worldly words, the most hidden chamber of the heart must be solely occupied with the remembrance (zikr) of Allah. A believer whose “hands are in profit, and their heart is with the Beloved” is accomplishing the most difficult task in the universe. Even while present in the busiest marketplaces and the most crowded gatherings, being able to remain alone with one’s Lord in one’s inner world constitutes an invisible seclusion (inward retreat). He appears outwardly as an ordinary merchant, craftsman, or worker; but in the realm of the unseen, he is a friend of God blossoming in the shadow of the Throne.
Trial and Maturation Within Society
The ego hides and conceals its flaws when it is alone. However, it reveals its pride, envy, anger, and intolerance when it mixes with society. A dervish who has undergone training from a perfect guide matures not by fleeing people but by patiently enduring their hardships. A heart that does not lose its composure in the face of people’s injustices, criticisms, or unwarranted praise has attained the secret of halvet der encümen. Being able to look with compassion upon one who does evil to you, and being able to entrust the words of one who praises you to Allah rather than your ego, are spiritual degrees that can only be gained while among people. The Naqshbandi path does not push the dervish outside of society; on the contrary, it places him in the heart of society as a moral exemplar and guide.
Being the Guardian of the Heart and Vigilance
To be able to establish this immense balance, a person must be a vigilant guardian at the door of their own heart. Every kind of worldly allure, carnal desires, and greed for possessions lurks around, seeking opportunities to enter the heart. A believer should not allow any fleeting desire seen with the eyes or heard with the ears to seep into the center of the heart. The heart is only the abode (nazargâh) of Allah; introducing worldliness into it is like spreading impurity on a king’s throne. A servant who properly performs this guardianship while living in society comes under divine protection in both worlds. He is the most free and fortunate person in the universe, hearing the whisper of his Lord amidst the noise of crowds.