Abstract:

This study examines the concept of seclusion (ʿuzlah) among the ascetics of the second century AH / eighth century CE, addressing whether their seclusion represented a complete withdrawal from society or rather a behavioral and reformative practice aimed at moral and social reform. The research focuses on the religious, social, and political factors that led some ascetics to adopt seclusion, and clarifies the various forms this practice assumed, ranging from total seclusion to partial seclusion and verbal seclusion.The study is divided into two main sections and a conclusion. The first section addresses asceticism (zuhd) in Islam, beginning with an examination of its linguistic and technical meanings, followed by an analysis of the factors contributing to the emergence of asceticism in Islamic society. The second section is devoted to the concept of seclusion, discussing it from the perspective of the ascetics themselves, exploring the motives behind their adoption of seclusion, and identifying its different patterns.

Keywords: Meanings, Seclusion, Ascetics, Century, Hijri