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Chapter VII: Duties of Travel

(1) One should intend by loneliness to save himself from the harms of men. (2) He will seek safety from the harms of other people. (3) He will intend to be free from the faults in fulfilling the duties to the Muslims. (4) He will intend to prefer loneliness for divine services (5) He shall engage himself in learning, zikr, fikr and other divine services. (6) He will not allow the people to mix with him. (7) He will not allow others to put questions to him . (8) He will not ask the news of any place or any man. (9) He will remain satisfied with little. (10) He will remain patient at the harms of his neighbours, if any. (11) He will be deaf in hearing of the praise of others. (12) He shall know the merits of the path of the next world. In other words, he shall follow the rules and regulations of zikr with humility of mind, think of the wonderful creations of God, the heavens and the earth, sun moon, stars and

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of the sovereignly of God, think of life and death and of the conditions in grave after death.

It you do not give up the passions and temptations of the world, your patience in secluded living will not become perfect.
The heart cannot be cleansed of impurities making short of your hopes and passions as you have got no power to prolong life.
Think after getting up from bed in the morning that you will not be able to reach evening. In this way, you will be able to curtairl your hopes and check passions. Know it for certain that he who cannot earn the love of God in his mind and His remembrance will not be able to bear loneliness after death. He who earns this attribute will be able to bear it, as death cannot destroy the place of God's love and remembrance. He will live in the midst of mercy of God. For this reason, God said about the martyrs : Don't think that those who have been killed in the way of God are dead, but they are alive near their Lord and get provisions.

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Source: Imam Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Islamic Sciences)
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