To live out of society in Sunnah?

Question

Salam,

I am wondering if it is prohibited in Sunnah to be Muslim and to live aside of society, even what we consider to be "muslim" countries..

I am speaking about my experience, I do not agree with their way of being muslims as I see alot of contradictions (again, it is my own opinion, and how I feel). Of course there is good people everywhere, but wrong things are taking the lead, I don't want to see/hear/read more about that.

The best way to avoid to do Ithm by being angry, crticizing 24/7, being sick (I'm hot blood from north africa, super fast reacting when I see bad things), juging people..for me is to live and cut any contact. Taking into account that I do it from time to time and people find me arrogant.

When I say "living" I mean live humans in general, I do not think that "developed countries" are better. Why not to come back to nature ? Is there any texts/hadiths in this ? (isolation, eating from what my hands will grow, praying, being healthy in all senses).

I know the Hadith :

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : لا يحل لمسلم أن يهجر أخاه فوق ثلاث فمن هجر فوق ثلاث فمات دخل النار

But there is technology and I can keep contact with my relatives easily, and they can come to see me anytime they want.

Salam

Answer 1

Living in solitude (العزلة) is permissible and may be mustahab in specific circumstances.

Texts from the Quran include the example of Abraham عليه السلام and the Companions of the Cave:

وإذ اعتزلتموهم وما يعبدون إلا الله فأووا إلى الكهف ينشر لكم ربكم من رحمته ويهيئ لكم من أمركم مرفقا

And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allah, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility.

^{— Quran 18:16}

وأعتزلكم وما تدعون من دون الله وأدعو ربي عسى ألا أكون بدعاء ربي شقيا

And I will leave you and those you invoke other than Allah and will invoke my Lord. I expect that I will not be in invocation to my Lord unhappy.

^{— Quran 19:48}

Some of the Hadith that are relevant include:

يوشك أن يكون خير مال المسلم غنم يتبع بها شعف الجبال ومواقع القطر، يفر بدينه من الفتن

A time will soon come when the best property of a Muslim will be sheep which he will take on the top of mountains and the places of rainfall (valleys) so as to flee with his religion from afflictions.

^{— Bukhari}

فقال: يا رسول الله أي الناس خير؟

قال: رجل جاهد بنفسه وماله، ورجل في شعب من الشعاب: يعبد ربه، ويدع الناس من شره

He asked: O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Who is the best of mankind?

The Prophet said, "A man who strives for Allah's Cause with his life and property, and also a man who lives (all alone) in a mountain path among the mountain paths to worship his Lord and save the people from his evil."

^{— Bukhari & Muslim}

References:

• تفسير القرطبي
• فتح الباري
• العزلة للخطابي