Discovering God

then learning lessons has the position of spiritual food. Without material food, the body cannot be healthy. Similarly, without intellectual food, spirituality cannot develop. Intellectual Seclusion Itikaf is the Islamic practice of staying in the mosque for a certain number of days, devoting oneself to worship, and staying away from worldly affairs. One kind of itikaf is that which is practised in the mosque during the month of Ramadan. This is mentioned in the Quran in the second chapter (2:187). The second kind of itikaf is what may be called intellectual seclusion. According to a number of traditions, the Prophet of Islam used to reflect most of the time. This is what is meant by intellectual seclusion, that is, deep thinking in silence. Itikaf of the mosque is of a limited period. On the contrary, intellectual seclusion is unlimited. The companions of the Prophet used to engage in intellectual seclusion. (Shama’il al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 225) Some examples have been mentioned in Islamic literature. For instance, after the death of Abu ad Darda Ansari, someone asked his wife what special worship her husband engaged in. His wife, Ummud Darda, replied: Attafakkur wal itibar. That is, thinking and taking lessons. (Hilyat al-Awliya, vol. 1, p. 208)