What is the ruling on secluding oneself from people and devoting oneself to worship and staying away from tribulations, and is this permissible if one's parents are alive, and what is the authenticity of the hadith: "And a man in a mountain pass worships his Lord, the Mighty and Exalted, and leaves people from his evil"?

The hadith used to argue for the superiority of isolation is understood to refer to isolation during times of tribulation, or for someone from whom people are not safe. The fundamental principle is to prefer mixing with people and to be patient with their harm, due to the immense benefits and rewards therein. Mixing should be in matters that bring benefit, while avoiding excessive and harmful interactions, which are the malady that brings all evil. Interactions can be divided into four categories: that which is like food (sincere scholars), that which is like medicine (when needed, such as for livelihood), that which is like a disease (indispensable in special cases), and that which is utter destruction (people of innovation and misguidance).