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Withdrawal from people (uzla)

العُزْلة

In the lexicon, uzla is a noun from i'tizal, avoiding a thing with the body or the heart; as a technical term it is withdrawal from mixing with people by seclusion and cutting off 1. It differs from khalwa, being alone with oneself 1. Scholars agree that withdrawal is better in times of trial and corruption, unless one can remove the trial, in which case one must strive to remove it 1. Outside such times they differ: most jurists and hadith scholars prefer mixing with people while being safe from their harm, while some prefer withdrawal for its safety, and the ruling varies with the person 2 3. Withdrawal has benefits, such as devotion and avoiding the sins that company often brings, and a loss, namely the benefits that come from help of others 4. Writers on spirituality give etiquette for the one who withdraws, including wishing others safety from one's own evil rather than one's safety from theirs, and leaving blameworthy traits 3 5.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Prophetic Era
Region
Global / Diaspora
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

Spirituality and SufismEthics and character

Summary

In the lexicon, uzla is a noun from i'tizal, avoiding a thing with the body or the heart. As a technical term it is withdrawal from mixing with people by seclusion and cutting off 1.

Solitude

Khalwa is a person being alone with himself, and it differs from uzla 1.

The ruling on withdrawal

Withdrawal is better in times of trial and corruption, unless one can remove the trial, in which case one must strive to remove it 1. Outside such times, most jurists held that mixing with people while safe from their harm is better, while some preferred withdrawal for its safety 2. The ruling is said to vary with the person 3.

Benefits and harms of withdrawal

Its benefits include devotion and freedom from the sins that company often brings 4. Its harm is the loss of what is gained from the help of others 4.

Etiquette of the one who withdraws

Writers on spirituality give etiquette for the one who withdraws: he should wish others to be safe from his evil rather than seek his own safety from theirs, leave blameworthy traits, and be with people in good and apart from them in evil 3 5.

People and things also explored

Tabattul (withdrawal from the world)· Shukr (gratitude to God and to people: its meaning, its rulings, its virtue and its opposite)· Good opinion of God and optimism (husn al-zann billah)· Fear of God (khawf)· Self-admiration (ujb)· Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)· Ada' al-shahada (performing testimony: the duty on request, the excused witness, and the wording)· Prophetic adab (proper conduct)

Sources

  1. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11590
  2. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11591
  3. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11592
  4. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11594
  5. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11593
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Withdrawal from people (uzla)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/uzla/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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Tabattul (withdrawal from the world)