Hayaa (Shame & Respect/ Modesty)

[ummtaalib]

Islam – The Perfect Code of Life

 

 

 

Islam is the perfect code of life. It provides complete guidance in all spheres of life and teaches man how to conduct and how to fulfil his worldly and deeni needs. Islam advocates respecting human rights and promotes sublime conduct when interacting with the creation. In aspects of honesty, trustworthiness, kindness to parents, respect to elders, and decency in manner, speech and dressing, Islam is second to none. From among the core values that Islam encourages one to adopt is the quality of Hayaa (shame and respect).

 

 

In essence, hayaa (shame and respect) is the stepping stone to acquiring the true morals, values and ethics of Islam. After examining the various laws and injunctions of Islam, whether relating to the domestic, social or economic aspects of one’s life, one will reach the conclusion that the element of Hayaa (shame and respect) forms an integral part of all practices.

 

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said:

 

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم :لكل دين خلق وخلق الإسلام الحياء (موطا إمام مالك رقم 1610)

Every religion has a distinguishing characteristic, and the distinguishing characteristic of Islam is Hayaa (shame and respect).

 

In a humble attempt to promote hayaa, this series in future will be dedicated to this topic. It is hoped that, Insha Allah, it will make us more conscious of the various aspects of shame and modesty. May Allah Ta’ala enable us to truly adopt hayaa in every facet of our lives. Aameen.

 

Ihyaauddeen

[ummtaalib]

Hayaa in Dressing

 

The Mubaarak lifestyle of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) was an embodiment of Hayaa (shame and modesty). From his ibaadat to his eating, sleeping, interacting and even attending the call of nature, every action portrayed the highest levels of shame and modesty. In every dimension of his Mubaarak life, he ensured that the desired degree of Hayaa was never compromised. On one occasion Hazrat Asmaa(Radiyallahu Anha), the respected sister of Hazrat Aaisha (Radiyallahu Anha), entered the home wearing a thin garment. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) disapproved of this type of clothing for the women of his ummah and immediately corrected her. He explained to her that the entire body of a woman should be covered in a manner that together with the cloth being non-transparent, even the shape of the body should not be discernible. (Sunan Abi Dawood #4106)

This lesson of Hayaa, taught with respect by the master (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), was so deeply entrenched in the heart of Hazrat Asma (Radiyallahu Anha) that it remained with her till the end of her life. Hence, it is reported that when she reached old age, her beloved son Hazrat Munzir bin Zubair (Radiyallahu Anhu), after returning from Iraq, sent her a cloth as a gift which was of very fine and superior quality. She had lost her sight, and so held the fabric in her hand feeling it carefully. Then with disappointment she said: “Return the gift to him.” When the cloth was returned to Munzir (Radiyallahu Anhu), he was hurt at this. He came to Hazrat Asma(Radiyallahu Anha) and said to her: “O my mother, the cloth is not transparent! (Hence, it is fine for you to wear).” Hazrat Asma (Radiyallahu Anha) replied: “Even though it is not transparent, however due to it being tight, it will still reveal the shape of the body.” He thereafter bought for her common garments made in Marw and Quhistaan. She accepted them saying, “It is these types of garments that you should give me to wear.” (Attabaqaatul Kubra li ibn Sad, pg. 199)

One can well imagine what will be the response of our beloved Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and the Sahaabah (Radiyallahu Anhum) if they were to witness the tight fitting and body revealing clothing worn by the Muslim women of today.

[ummtaalib]

Imaan in Grave Danger

Honesty, trustworthiness, kindness to parents, respect to elders, decency (in manner, speech, dressing, etc.) and a host of other basic values are cherished by one and all. The reality, however, is that such values are gradually becoming rare and extinct. While there could be many factors which cause this lamentable situation coming about, one of the main factors is definitely the erosion of Hayaa (modesty and shame). This is clearly understood from the Hadith: “If you have no shame, do as you wish” (Bukhari #3483).

It is often witnessed that one who lacks shame is prepared to stoop to any level – no matter how low – in order to achieve what he wishes. He will shamelessly lie, shamelessly disrespect elders and seniors, shamelessly abuse his own parents, behave shamelessly, dress shamelessly, etc. In fact, if hayaa (shame and respect) is totally eradicated, one’s Imaan is in grave danger. One will be prepared to even forego his Imaan in order to acquire his goal. The reality of this is clearly evident in the many cases where, after becoming involved in illicit relationships, people have given up their Imaan merely to marry the non-muslim they have fallen in love with. Thus we find shamelessness, which led to the illicit relationship taking place, eventually resulted in the loss of Imaan!!! Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has declared in his Mubaarak Hadith: “Imaan and hayaa are companions. When one leaves, the other follows.” (Bayhaqi #7331)  

In this era of fitna, almost everything is calculated and designed to destroy hayaa. From the media to dressing styles, from chocolate wrappers to billboards, everything is vigorously promoting shamelessness and obscenity. The only security and protection a believer possesses by which he will be able to save his Imaan and respect is to increase the levels of hayaa in his life. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Hayaa is an integral part of Imaan.” (Ibn Maajah #58)

Ihyaaudden

[ummtaalib]

Clothed yet naked

 

Every human being is born with several basic needs. Among the basic needs is the need for clothing. Allah Ta’ala declares: “O children of Adam (Alayhis Salaam)! We have sent down to you clothing to cover your nudity as well as adornment for you, and the garment of piety is the best (7:26).” By mentioning the aspect of covering before the aspect of adornment, the Qur’an-al-Kareem impresses upon us that the primary object of clothing (i.e. to cover one’s satr) is more important than its secondary benefits (i.e. adornment). Hence, if the clothing does not adequately cover one’s body, causing part of the satr to remain visible, then such a person, though clothed, will be regarded as naked in the eyes of Shariah. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has prophesized the coming of such crucial and critical times in the ummah where women will be clothed yet naked.

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “There will be two groups (in my ummah) who will be punished in Jahannum whom I have not yet seen (i.e. they will emerge after my demise). One group will carry whips with them resembling the tails of cattle, with which they will (oppressively) lash the people. The second group will be those women who will wear clothes yet will still be naked (i.e. they will wear tight fitting or flimsy clothing), they will attract men towards themselves, and they themselves will be inclined towards men, their heads will resemble the humps of the Bukhti camels (i.e. they will wear buns which will be high like camel humps). They will neither enter Jannah nor smell its fragrance despite its fragrance being perceivable from a great distance away. (Saheeh Muslim #2128)

Shariah has provided extensive guidelines in regard to the description of the clothing a woman should cover herself with.

1. The clothing must provide cover for her entire body, otherwise in the eyes of Shariah they will not be worthy of being called “clothes.” It is compulsory upon a woman to cover her entire body and hair (with the exception of her hands till her wrists and feet) before non-mahrams (strange men).

2. The clothing must be such that it should neither be transparent nor should it reveal the shape of the body. Hence if the clothing is tight-fitting to the extent that the shape of the satr is discernable, such a woman is also included in the description of being “clothed yet naked.”

3. When leaving the home, a woman should ensure that the laws of hayaa and modesty are maintained. The Hadith commands that she should dress in an unattractive manner, should not apply perfume and she must don the niqaab. It is a fact of life that there exists a basic natural inclination towards the opposite gender. Wearing attractive clothing further incites such inclination which leads to fitna.

4. The type of clothing that is essentially for one gender should not be worn by the opposite gender. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is reported to have said: “Allah Ta’ala has cursed those men who imitate women (in dressing, etc.) and those women who imitate men.” (Tabraani #4003)

Ihyaauddeen

[ummtaalib]

Hayaa – Shame and Modesty

newsletter_11_web.pdf

[ummtaalib]

What is Hayaa?

Haya itself is derived from the word hayat which means life. But that is something that we will get into later on in this essay. This term covers a large number of concepts. In English, it may be translated as modesty, shyness, self-respect, bashfulness, shame, honour, etc. The original meaning of Haya according to a believer's nature refers to a bad and painful feeling accompanied by embarrassment, caused by one's fear of being exposed or censured for some unworthy or indecent conduct.

 

Islamically Haya is an attribute which pushes the believer to avoid anything distasteful or abominable. It keeps him/her from being neglectful in giving everyone what is due upon them, and if for any reason he/she is not able to keep up with his/her commitment then they will feel extremely bad and ashamed about this. The reason being that he/she will have displeased Allah by breaking a commitment. Haya plays a huge role in the lives of Muslims because it is a very important part of our eeman (faith/belief). If we do not have any form of haya then it is most likely that our eeman is very weak.

 

Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA): The Prophet SAW said, "Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya (This term "Haya" covers a large number of concepts which are to be taken together; amongst them are self respect, modesty, bashfulness, and scruple, etc.) is a part of faith." (Bukhari)

 

We also learn from the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) the importance of having Haya and how it is not something to be ashamed of, but instead one should be ashamed if they do not have it. Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (RA): The Prophet SAW passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding Haya and was saying, "You are very shy, and I am afraid that might harm you." On that, Allah's Apostle said, "Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith." (Bukhari) Now the above hadith is also a form of proof that "shyness" is not just something regarding women but also an attribute that believing men should have, for it is an indication if their fear of Allah and an indication of the value of their deen. Now to discuss the different types of haya. How many types of haya are there?

 

 

Haya' is of two kinds: good and bad:
The good Hayâ' is to be ashamed to commit a crime or a thing which Allah and His Messenger (saw) has forbidden, and bad Hayâ' is to be ashamed to do a thing, which Allah and His Messenger (saw) ordered to do. Firstly, to talk about the types of Good haya. For example, one should build one's personality and character with the good dimensions of haya. The most important is that one must be shy of doing ANYTHING displeasing to Allah (azw), with the belief that one would have to answer all one's deeds.

 

If one develops a sense such as this, it would help one to obey all of Allah's commands and to stay away from sins. Once one realizes that Allah (azw) is watching all the time and one would have to answer to every move one makes, then one would not neglect any order from Allah or His Messenger (saw). The stronger this sense of haya becomes, the more it motivates one to make sure that Allah (swt) doesn't see one doing anything forbidden. The way to develop this haya is to keep learning and absorbing more and more knowledge of Deen.

 

Another type of haya is more of a social aspect concerning others besides Allah (swt). Normally these things often come in regard with ones relationship with family. For instance a child not wanting to do something displeasing to his mother, or a wife not wanting to do something displeasing to her husband or even a student who is careful about saying something incorrect in front of his teacher (dai'i). And finally, the type of haya in which one becomes shy of oneself. This is when one reaches the peek of eeman. What this means is that if one does, says, or sees, anything wrong or even commits the tiniest of sin, one starts to feel extremely bad and embarrassed and feels extremely guilty in the heart. This builds a high degree of self-consciousness and that is what strengthens one's commitment to Allah (azw).

 

After discussing the various types of "beneficial" haya, it is time to discuss the type of haya which is not only against the teachings of our Prophet (saw) but it is also solid proof of the weakness of someone's eeman. This negative aspect revolves around a person's shamefulness or shyness of doing something that Allah (swt) has ordered us to do through the Quran or our Prophet's (saw) sunnah. This constitutes the shamefulness or embarrassment of doing a lawful act or something that is ordered upon us from Allah (azw). Meaning for someone not to follow an obligation of Islam, due to the fact of being shy infront of others about it. This is totally forbidden because then one is giving the people of this dunya more respect than the One who created this whole universe. It also means if someone is shy or afraid to seek knowledge of Islam for worldly reasons, because they do not want others to see them or to know of their ignorance.

 

This once again goes contrary to what Allah (swt) has told us in the Quran, which is to seek knowledge and preach it to others. In this society there are many examples. People will go out and get degrees in law schools, or science, or engineering and they will put four to six years of their lives studying for this stuff that will only benefit them in this world. Why? You ask? Well most likely, in society people including Muslims, choose their careers according to how much money they will make and what status they will have in society as to being a lawyer or a doctor etc. They do not realize that in Islam the BEST stature of a Muslim is that of a "dai'i" or a teacher of Islam. These Islamic teachers and scholars are even higher in the eyes of Allah (azw) then one who only sits at home and preaches or does ibaadah. If they want to study law, why not Islamic Shariah? If they want to study science, why not Islamic Science? So this explains how people consider the worldly careers to be of higher value and are embarrassed to even express an interest in Islamic Studies.

 

Only because they will not be considered as high as the other "educated" people. This is having the bad haya or "shame" of something that is encouraged to us by Allah (azw) and His Messenger (saw).Today vulgarity and all its ingredients have become a common place even among well-known Muslims in the zeal of imitating the non-believers. It is these people who have been struggling to bring Muslim women out of Hijab into immodesty "be'hayai" and indecency. They have adopted the lifestyles of the Christians more than the traditions of the Prophet (saw). Such people are in a dilemma. On the one hand, they desire to freely look at the half-clad bodies of the wives and daughters of other Muslims on the streets; and on the other hand, they do not have the courage to deny the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Prophet (saw).

 

Neither can they say they have given up Islam, nor can they bear to see Muslim women wear Hijab and showing some Haya. Actually the fact is, indulging in indecency for so long has killed the sense of modesty (haya) which Islam had commanded them to preserve. It is this natural desire of maintaining one's honor which compels men to protect the respect and honour of their women. What these men and women do not understand is that if the women do not observe Hijab and do not develop Haya inside of them, they will be entertaining those who have taken the path of Shaitaan.

[ummtaalib]

No Haya, No Life

By Khalid Baig

Imam Shu'bah ibn Hajjaj was riding his horse when Abdullah intercepted him. Abdullah was a known street urchin. Not only he was given to a life of sin, he was also unabashed about it. Imam Shu'bah knew that trouble was ahead when Abdullah stopped him.

Shu'bah (d. 100 A.H) is known as the "Amirul Momineen fil hadith." He is one of the foremost scholars of the science of Hadith Criticism. Abdullah knew his stature as a great hadith scholar, but he was bent on having some fun. "Shu'bah! Tell me a hadith," he said with mischief in his eyes. "This is not the way to learn hadith," Imam Shu'bah replied. "You are going to tell me a hadith or else…" Abdullah threatened. When Shu'bah realized that he could not talk his way out of this he said: "OK, I'll tell you a hadith." He then narrated the isnad (a chain of narrators) and then the hadith: "Prophet Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "If you have lost haya then do whatever you feel like."

Abdullah's demeanor changed suddenly. It was as if the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, had himself caught him in his mischief and was speaking to him: "Abdullah, if you have lost haya then do whatever you feel like." He was totally shaken. "I just wanted to cause trouble for you," he admitted, "but please extend your hand. I want to repent."

This hadith turned a life around. Abdullah, the street urchin, became a student and then a great scholar of hadith. Today he is known as Abdullah ibn Maslamah Qan'awi. His name can be found repeatedly in Sihah Sitta or the six most authentic collections of hadith, especially in the collection of Imam Abu Dawud who was his disciple.

What is haya? It is normally translated as modesty or inhibition but neither word conveys the same idea as haya. Modesty suggests shunning indecent behavior but it also implies bashfulness based on timidity. That is why the adjective based on its opposite, immodest, is sometimes also used as a compliment suggesting courage. Inhibition is defined as: "Conscious or unconscious mechanism whereby unacceptable impulses are suppressed." This is a very neutral definition with no reference to right or wrong. So one finds psychiatrist "helping" their patients overcome inhibitions.

In contrast to the moral ambiguity of these words, haya refers to an extremely desirable quality that protects us from all evil. It is a natural feeling that brings us pain at the very idea of committing a wrong.

Along with its unique connotation comes the unique value of haya in Islam. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Every religion has a distinct call. For Islam it is haya." [Ibn Majah]. Another famous hadith says: "There are more than 70 branches of Iman (Faith). The foremost is the declaration that there is no god except Allah and the least of it is removing harmful things from the path. And haya is a branch of Iman." [Bukhari, Muslim]. As some Muhaditheen point out, the number 70 is a figure of speech. What the hadith tells us is that the declaration of faith is the most important part of Iman but that is not all. Iman also has to reflect itself in all kinds of actions in real life. Moreover, haya is a centerpiece of most of the actions that Iman calls for. It is the basic building block of Islamic morality. When it is lost everything is lost.

Based on such teachings, Islam brought about a moral revolution of unprecedented dimensions with haya as its cornerstone. The pre-Islamic Jahilya society of Arabia knew the word but did not understand its meaning. Nudity, the antithesis of haya, was not only common in every day life, it was even part of the most important religious ritual of tawaf (circumbulation of Ka'bah). So were all the other evils that flow from it. Islam exterminated all of those evils and changed the society in such a way that haya became one of its most cherished values. To this day in Friday Khutbahs around the world, the third Khalifah Hazrat Usman Radi Allahu unhu is mentioned as the person with perfect haya and perfect Iman (Kamil lil-haya wal Iman). Is there any other religion that celebrates haya like that?

Islam's laws about hijab, its ban against free mixing of men and women, its teachings about gender-relations --- all of these reflect a deep concern for haya.

For men and women who have not lost their haya, these come naturally. There is a moving story from the earlier Islamic period about a woman who learnt that her young son had been lost in a battle. She ran in a panic to confirm the news, but before that she took time to make sure that she covered herself fully in accordance with the newly revealed laws of hijab. She was asked how did she manage to do that in a time of great personal tragedy. She replied: "I have lost my son, but I did not lose my haya."

And for centuries afterwards Muslim societies did not lose their haya.When Muslim lands came under the western colonial rule about three centuries ago, they were faced with a civilization that was no different than the pre-Islamic Jahilya on the issue of haya. While it did not have better morality, it did have better guns. At the gunpoint of military and political domination, Muslim societies were made to loose their grip on haya on the collective scale. The powerful and attractive media became an important instrument in this war. First it was books, magazines and newspapers. Then radio. Now it is television. Together they projected ideas and images detrimental to haya. They made indecency attractive. The pace was increased tremendously by television, which has shown more firepower than all the previous media combined.

When historians write about the moral decline in Muslim societies in the twentieth century, they will probably underscore television in subverting the moral fabric of society. We can get a sense of the rapidity of our fall by realizing that what was unthinkable just a decade ago has become routinely accepted today. In some cases, we seem to have lost all control. Isn't it shocking that while contraceptive ads cannot be shown on TV in the U.S. or U.K for moral reasons, they are freely shown in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan?

We can get out of the morass by making haya as our number one concern in both individual as well as public lives. There is no Islamic life without Islamic morality. There is no Islamic morality without haya.

[ummtaalib]

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) stated: “Every religion has a special characteristic, and the special characteristic of Islam is haya.”

But what exactly is haya? Haya is an Arabic word that is often inadequately translated as ‘modesty’ and most people confine this to mean dressing appropriately in public, not speaking out of turn or even just staying quiet at all times. This is a great injustice to the concept of haya which holds a central place in Islam and is one of its salient features. 

The most comprehensive definition of haya I have come across has been mentioned by Shaykh Saleem Dhorat in his foreword to The Path to Paradise:

“In reality, haya is the cornerstone of a Muslim’s character and regulates how he conducts himself in private and public, in his dealings with Allah and with the creation. It creates a realisation that Allah is fully aware of all that one does, says or thinks, and deters one from engaging in acts that are displeasing and vulgar.”

Abdullah ibn Masud relates that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) once said: “Be modest before Allah, as is his due. We said: ‘“O Messenger of Allah, we are modest and praise Allah.” He said: “This is not so. Modesty before Allah means protecting the head and all that is in it; and protecting the stomach and all that is inside it. Furthermore, you should remember death and decay, for one whose eyes are set on the Hereafter keeps away from worldliness. One who accomplishes all of this is one who is modest before Allah the Exalted.”

[Tirmidhi]

Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring the deeper meanings of this profound narration. Below is a brief summary:

Protecting the Head
The first directive in the above-mentioned hadith is not restricted to merely saving the head from physical ailments. Rather, it includes protection from every evil and all that is forbidden in the Shariah. For example, our heads must not bow before anyone other than Allah; our eyes should not look at anything unlawful; our ears should not hear anything prohibited and our tongues should not engage in any sins such as lying, backbiting, quarrelling and divulging secrets. This broad directive also includes maintaining the appearance of the head and face in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah so we do not resemble the opposite gender or those of other religions.

Protecting the Stomach
Man has an inclination to acquire as much wealth as possible and by any means. The lust for money is unending: the more we earn, the more we desire; and in pursuit of accumulating the maximum wealth, we can fail to discern between the lawful and the unlawful. Refraining from pursuing unlawful income is a further characteristic of modesty before Allah. This means we do not engage in any form of usury, gambling, bribery or usurpation. 

Remembering Death
The constant mindfulness of death and the events of the Hereafter prevent us from sinning and draws us towards performing acts of worship. Why? It makes us indifferent to this world. With full devotion and concentration we can experience delight through worship because we know we may not get another opportunity. Death is an undeniable reality and comes without any warning. All other issues are subject to dispute, people even differ on the concept of God and the workings of the universe, but no one can dare deny death. 

In short, haya is a characteristic trait that causes one to abandon all that is shameless and repugnant, and prevents one from neglecting the rights of every rightful owner. 

 

May Allah allow us to inculcate the true essence of haya in our lives.

Whitethreadpress