Rather, it went to the very heart of the unique Naqshbandi way of seeking God – what the manuals called, after Abd al Khaliq Ghujduvani (ks), khalvat dar anjuman, that is “solitude within society” or seeking God while immersed in society. Naqshbandis taught that mastering the interiorized techniques of silent dhikr, muraqaba, rabita, ideally to the point of turning them into a ‘natural disposition,’ would enable practitioners to embark on seeking God continuously, inconspicuously, and in the thick of society, without any need for ascetic withdrawal from the world or for the extroverted and inferior rituals of other Sufis. A “solitude within society” of sorts was, of course, the common reality for Ottoman Sufis of diverse affiliations, who pursued their devotional regimens while living among the larger community, raising families, and being engaged in gainful occupations. But Naqshbandis made of the continuous seeking of God “within society” a deliberate and superior endeavor. Moreover, they claimed that unlike other Sufi ways, with their potentially distracting devotional practices, the Naqshbandi way provided the uniquely sober and interiorized techniques that made this endeavor feasible and effective.

ref: Le Gall, Dina (2005). A Culture of Sufism – Naqshbandis in the Ottoman World – 1450-1700. SUNY Press