Disadvantages of seclusion and dissociation

The Official Website of Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi

صفحه کاربران ویژه - خروج
Sort by
 
Exceptional cases in which seclusion is permitted Arguments of advocators of seclusion and association

Besides the above mentioned advantages and profits for seclusion and dissociation, there are several disadvantages for seclusion and numerous advantages for association which can be accounted for the reasons of excellence and preference of association:

1- The first point clarifying importance and value of association is that acquiring most of virtuous moral habits is only possible in the society and not in solitude, because most of these habits are concerned with the way of relations with each other. Courtesy, modesty, kindness, self devotion, forgiveness, remission, bravery, patience, suppression of anger, affection, pity and soul appropriation, appear in the relations and associations of men and we shall surely live in the heart of society for acquiring these virtues.

On the other hand, being secure from moral vices including envy, pride, lie, slander, through seclusion and dissociation is not actually a virtue and honor, rather it is a kind of waive by waiver of subject, and it is just like a person who excludes himself from sexuality by any means for being saved from taint to adultery. Although such person is protected from this stain, but this chastity is not a virtue, rather is only a safety. The virtue is when a man lives in the society and goes ahead to the edge of crag in the critical moments like Joseph, and preserves his mastery on his soul and returns (of course not creating such events deliberately and on purpose).

Thus for acquiring virtuous habits which are considered as the scale of humanistic values, there is no alternative save living in the society and associating with people.

And in the other words, such typical attributes are achieved through challenge with desires and vicious factors, as resistance and strength of forest woods is due to growing in the hard storms of events, and if they are grown in seclusion and in a closed and restricted environment, lose their resistance, secluded and dissociable individuals will gradually lose their spiritual and moral powers. The following tradition may refer to this reality:

At the time of Prophet S.A. one of the Moslems went to the mountain for worship and secluded. He was brought to Prophet S.A. The Prophet said him:

«لا تَفْعَلْ اَنْتَ وَ لا اَحَدٌ مِنْکُمْ، لَصَبْرُ اَحَدِکُمْ فِی بَعْضِ مَواطِنِ الاِْسْلامِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ عِبادَةِ اَحَدِکُمْ اَرْبَعِینَ عاماً».

Neither you, nor none of the Moslems do this, because patience and resistance of one of you in the Islamic environments is better than forty years of worship.(1)

This phrase is a reply to the first reasoning of advocators of seclusion.

2- Solitude and seclusion is the source of several mental deviations as well as taste distortion, because even if a man is brainy, virtuosic and tasteful, still he has some mistakes, which are only revealed when encountering the others. In association, man finds his mistakes very soon, but in seclusion, since there is not any way for correcting them, he continues his deviated courses, and like the one who is going astray, the more he proceeds, farther he becomes from the main road, and sometimes he finds other deductions based on that deviated thought and gradually a mass of mistakes will occupy his brain, devaluating his thoughts in general.

Meanwhile, this is another reply to the advocators of seclusion who say meditation in seclusion is better possible, as the danger of deviation is much more in seclusion.

3- The other big fault, in which man is involved in seclusion, is vanity and selfishness. Based on self-love instinct, man is usually very interested in himself and his works, and self-love instinct is in fact like a magnifier which through its magnification power, shows man's thoughts and action greater than what they actually are. On other hand, it shows man's faults smaller than what they actually are, and sum of these two aspects is vanity and selfishness.

Seclusion and dissociation is a very favorite environment for culture of this vicious attribute. But man knows himself as he actually is, through association with the others, and also is informed of the real degree of his perfection and virtues, and becomes aware of his faults, and also faces with the individuals more prominent and perfect than himself, and consequently finds his fault, and this cuts the root of vanity in him and or minimizes it. And on this account, it is widely seen that secluded and dissociable persons have made big and sometimes odd claims all showing their deep vanity and selfishness.

Moreover, another great advantage of association with people is clarified herein, that is recognizing one's own faults. People, particularly those who do not have friendly relations with us or are our enemy, are a good mirror for our faults, and if they were not, a lot of our faults remained unknown to us for ever. If we live in seclusion, we have broken this mirror and our mental appearance will be like the discordant appearance of those who never look at the mirror!

4- Suspicion on God's servants: one of the other disadvantages of seclusion and dissociation is suspicion on people, and in fact this is one of the effects of vanity which involves such people, because after being affected by severe conceit and extremist belief on oneself and not observing an appropriate reaction from people (appreciation and gratitude as much as such people expect), this idea is gradually formed in them that people are engaged in mistake, ill-will, misunderstanding, prejudice, and disregard to values in their judgment and such people being ungrateful, partial, and disregardful to virtues are vicious, astray and deviated and do not deserve any association and communication.

As such, seclusion itself is a factor for intensification of seclusion and support of this mentality and more isolation from people.

5- Peevishness and anger: Dissociable people are peevish and angry, and they are very intolerant of disturbing encounters with people. They may be disturbed by observing a little harshness or hearing a sentence against their desire, and so called lose their temper, and show offensive and rigorous reactions. Although, this is not a generality, but it is observed in several cases.

In contrast, associable people are often gentle and good tempered and become angry less often.

The reason is obvious. Patience and tolerance is usually acquired through exercise and facing with unpleasing events and the spirit getting accustomed to them, and since social life is naturally accompanied with disturbing encounters, man gradually becomes patient.

Moreover, dissociable people are often mirthless, rarely laugh, less often fun, have less recreation, and their life is monotonous and boring. This point disturbs their spiritual balance, and causes a sort of uneasiness in them, and if they are afflicted to some complexes, they always live in a sort of anxiety and mental disease because of not having available any means for removing them, and this increases their anger and ill humor.

6- Deprival from sciences and experiences: There are a lot of sciences and knowledge which should be acquired through listening to the great men and their methods and being inspired by their way of thought. It goes without saying that such sciences could be only acquired through association, and it is not possible to acquire expertness and different experiences in seclusion. Rather, the way of achieving them is, living in the heart of society. We also know that life has no fruit save useful and beneficial experiences.

Taking into account above realities and the advantages and disadvantages mentioned for association and seclusion, the preference of theory and logic of advocators of association is clearly obvious.


1- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 7/4

 

 

 

Exceptional cases in which seclusion is permitted Arguments of advocators of seclusion and association
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Lotus
Mitra
Nazanin
Titr
Tahoma