الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا ، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمداً عبده ورسوله ، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه  ومن تبعه إلى يوم الدين

In the past two talks, I discussed the Prophet’s major effort to make the companions worthy to be messengers of Allah to deliver His message, the Quran, to all those whom the Prophet (PBUH) did not reach. In the talk entitled “The Key for the Most Valuable Treasure” I indicated that about 2/3 of the Quran emphasizes moral conduct and that the Prophet (PBUH) spent more time teaching moral conduct than he spent explaining the Quran. In the last week talk entitled “The Root of all Virtues”, I identified truthfulness as the root of all virtues.  Truthfulness and all other associated moral behaviors are reflected as outward behavior that people will note. 

Today, I plan to inshallah focus on the motivating inner driver of all virtues.  This internal driver is called (حياء) “Haya’a’. This human attribute (حياء) “Haya’a’ refers to the internal constraint that prevents the person from doing anything that embarrasses him, not out of fear from someone but out of respect to himself and honor to anyone who sees or hears him.  So, (حياء) “Haya’a” is the noble attitude that always motivates the person to behave in the most honorable manner and refrain from doing or engaging in any bad deed and even prevents him from failing in his duties towards himself and those who have rights over him.  

The key difference between humans and animals is (حياء) “Haya’a”, animals do not have this trait and thus you see animals relieve themselves and mate in public without feeling any sense of embarrassment.  Any human being who loses this trait of (حياء) “Haya’a”, will behave like an animal or even worse. The antonym of (حياء) “Haya’a” in Arabic is “badha’a” (بذاءة,) immodesty or “fahisha” (فاحشة), lewdness or obscenity.

The term (حياء) “Haya’a” and the term (حياة) which is “life” are related and thus the person who does not have (حياء) “Haya’a” is a person who does not have a human life.  The attribute of (حياء) “Haya’a resides in the soul and its effect is openly manifested by the noble actions of the human limbs

I struggled to come with an English term equivalent for the Arabic term (حياء) “Haya’a”. If you search for the translation of (حياء) “Haya’a”, you will find that the common translation is shyness.  But shyness has negative connotations because it infers fear and being timid.   Also, the American Psychological Association defines shyness as the tendency to feel awkward, worried, or tense during social encounters, especially with unfamiliar people. Obviously, this is not what is meant by (حياء) “Haya’a”.  So, none of the terms such as shyness, discreet, modest, thoughtful, demure. conscientious, restrained, and reflective give the true meaning unless you want to take the positive aspects of all these terms and eliminate any negative implication.  Therefore, the Arabic term (حياء) “Haya’a’ can be translated depending on the condition as; “majestic-based shyness”, “moral-based shyness”, “generosity-based shyness”, decency-based shyness”, and so on.     In this talk, I will often use the Arabic term but in some case, for simplicity, I may just use the terms shy and shyness with the understanding that it does not have any negative connotations that are often associated with the terms.  May be one of you can suggest a simple and proper English equivalent term that I can use in future talks.

If you search the Quran for verses that includes terms that have the same root as (حياء) “Haya’a”, you will find that six (6) verses.  In five of them, the word was (أَحْيَاءٌ) meaning “living’ or “alive” and one time the word was (ٱسۡتِحۡيَآءٍ۬) to mean shyly or bashfully describing the way the daughter of Prophet Shoaib was walking when she came to invite Prophet Moses to meet her father. Allah says:

فَجَآءَتۡهُ إِحۡدَٮٰهُمَا تَمۡشِى عَلَى ٱسۡتِحۡيَآءٍ۬ قَالَتۡ إِنَّ أَبِى يَدۡعُوكَ لِيَجۡزِيَكَ أَجۡرَ مَا سَقَيۡتَ لَنَا‌ۚ (القصص (

Then one of the two sisters came to him (Moses), walking shyly (bashfully). She said: “My father is inviting you to grant you the reward for watering (our animals) for us.” (Al-Qasas 28:25)

She was not walking shyly because of fear, worry or lack of confidence but rather because of her decency and morals.

In many of his sayings, the Prophet (PBUH) stressed to the companions the importance of (حياء) “Haya’a” for all what they do, say or even think. He (PBUH) emphasized that (حياء) “Haya’a” reflects pure goodness both for the one who possesses this virtue and for his society.  The Prophet (PBUH) explained in very clear terms that (حياء) “Haya’a” is so critical because it is not only the character of religion of Islam but it is  also an essential part of Muslims’ Eman (faith).  

Muadh ibn Jabal (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن معاذ بن جبل – رضي الله عنهما – قال : قال النبي – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِنَّ لِكُلِّ دِينٍ خُلُقًا، وَخُلُقُ الإِسْلاَمِ الْحَيَاءُ» (رواه ابن ماجه).

“For every religion there is character, and the character of Islam is (حياء) “Haya’a.”  

Ibn Omar (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن ابن عمر – رضي الله عنه – قال : قال النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم «الحياء والإيمان قرنا جميعًا، فإذا رفع أحدهما رفع الآخر» (صحيح الجامع).

The (حياء) “Haya’a and Eman (faith) are companions of one another, if one of them is absent, the other one is absent.” [Baihaqi]

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «الْحَيَاءُ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ؛ وَالإِيمَانُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَالْبَذَاءُ مِنَ الْجَفَاءِ؛ وَالْجَفَاءُ فِي النَّارِ» صحيح – رواه الترمذي وابن ماجه.

The Haya’a is from Eman ( faith), and faith is in Paradise. Obscenity is from insolence, and insolence is in the Hellfire.”  (Tirmidhi)

Abu Huraira (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً، وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ

“The faith (Eman) is sixty and odd branches―and Al Haya’a is a part of the faith.” (Bukhari)

Abdullah bin ‘Umar (RA) said: “Once Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) passed by an Ansārī man who was admonishing his brother for being too modest and shy. On that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:

وقد مَرَّ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ – وَهُوَ يَعِظُ أَخَاهُ فِي الْحَيَاءِ – فَقَالَ له: «دَعْهُ؛ فَإِنَّ الْحَيَاءَ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ» رواه البخاري ومسلم.

“Leave him, for indeed Al-Haya’a is a part of Eman (faith).” (Bukhari)

(حياء) “Haya’a serves as internal restraint that helps the true believer to maintain correct behavior and uphold proper values and prevents him from doing anything that is unpleasant, unbecoming or unacceptable from the social or religious point of view.

The (حياء) “Haya’a is a source of all goodness, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن عِمْرَانَ بْن حُصَيْنٍ رضي الله عنه عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ: “الْحَيَاءُ لاَ يَأْتِي إِلاَّ بِخَيْرٍ” رواه البخاري ومسلم

 “Haya’a does not bring anything except good.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Anas bin Malik (RA) reported that the prophet (PBUH) said:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَا كَانَ الْفُحْشُ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ شَانَهُ، وَمَا كَانَ الْحَيَاءُ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ زَانَهُ» صحيح – رواه الترمذي وابن ماجه.

Whenever lewdness is in anything, it will make it ugly; and whenever the Haya’a in anything, it will make it beautiful. (Tirmidhi)

Aby Masoud Al-Ansari (RA) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

أبي مسعود عقبة بن عمرو الأنصاري رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ( إن مما أدرك الناس من كلام النبوة الأولى : إذا لم تستح فاصنع ما شئت ) رواه البخاري.

“From the sayings of the early Prophets that have reached the people is: ‘If you have no Haya’a, then do as you please!” (Bukhāri). 

This proves that the one who loses his sense of (حياء) “Haya’a, will end up doing whatever he wants of evil, lowly, shameless and reprehensible deeds.

The Prophet (PBUH) warned his people to beware of losing the Haya’a and to always supplicate to Allah to keep this inward driver in them.   It is narrated by Abu Huraira (RA) that Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن أبي هريرة قال :قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: (أول ما يرفع من هذه الأمة الحياء والأمانة فسلوها الله)

“Haya’s and Trustworthiness will be the first to go from this nation; therefore, keep asking Allah for them.”   (Baihaqi)

If a person has Haya’a, he will never want others to see him in any compromising position not because he is afraid from them but because he has honor and respect for himself.  An honorable person should never do anything that will hurt his reputation even if no one is seeing him. Therefore, it is said: “Whoever does something in secret that he will embarrassed to do it in public, he has no value for himself”.   Obviously, we are not talking about lawful things that one can only do in private.

The Haya’a of a person from his own self will make him conscious that he does not allow his reputation to be tarnished by anyone based on misinterpretation of proper behavior that may be understood, therefore he must always clarify it.   As an example:

النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، لَمَّا خرج ليلاً؛ لِيوصِلَ إحدى زوجاته إلى دارها فمر به رجلان فأسرعا، فناداهما قائلاً: «عَلَى رِسْلِكُمَا إِنَّمَا هِيَ صَفِيَّةُ بِنْتُ حُيَيٍّ». فَقَالاَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ! يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! وَكَبُرَ عَلَيْهِمَا. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَبْلُغُ مِنَ الإِنْسَانِ مَبْلَغَ الدَّمِ، وَإِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَقْذِفَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمَا شَيْئًا» رواه البخاري.

On one night, the Prophet (PBUH) was walking with his wife Safiya.  Two Ansari men met him, and they looked at the Prophet and passed by quickly. The Prophet called them and said: “wait, she is (my wife) safiya bint Huyai.” They replied, “Glory to Allah, O Allah’s messenger (this is an expression to mean that how dare we ever think anything bad from you).”

The Prophet (PBUH) replied: “Satan circulates in the human being as blood circulates in the body, and I was afraid that Satan may insert an evil thought in your hearts.”

The (حياء) “Haya’a is very important trait for Muslims because it is related to one of Allah’s glorious attributes Al-Hayiy (الحيّي) which may be translated as majestic-based shyness.  Abdullah ibn Omar (RA) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن عبدالله بن عمر قال قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ حَيِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ، يَسْتَحْيِي مِنْ عَبْدِهِ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ إِلَيْهِ يَدَيْهِ، فَيَرُدَّهُمَا صِفْرًا، أَوْ خَائِبَتَيْنِ» صحيح – رواه ابن ماجه. أبو داود

“Verily your Lord is Generously Shy to return the hands of His servant who raises them to Him (in supplication) empty” [Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

Obviously, the shyness of Allah from His slave is the shyness of generosity, bounty, goodness, and majesty.

Any moral person should have Haya’a from four entities:  Haya’a from Allah (الحياء من الله), Haya’a from the angels (الحياء من الملائكة), Haya’a from the self (الحياء من النفس) and Haya’a from the people (الحياء من الناس).  Obviously, the most important Haya’a is from Allah because if it is ensured, it will satisfy the Haya’a from the other entities.

It is an essential part of a Muslim’s belief that Allah is seeing and hearing everything he does or say. Not only that but Allah also knows everything the person is thinking of.  Allah says:

وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ وَنَعۡلَمُ مَا تُوَسۡوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفۡسُهُ ۥ‌ۖ وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنۡ حَبۡلِ ٱلۡوَرِيدِ  [ق:16].

“And indeed, We have created man, and We know what his soul whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.” (Qaf 50:16)

Allah also says:

أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ (١٣) أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ (العلق(

“Have you noted the one who denies (the Quran) and turns away? (13) Is he not aware that Allah sees (all what he does)?” (Al-Alaq 96:13-14)

A true believer will be shy from Allah and does not want to do anything that will cause him embarrassment in front of Allah.

Having Haya’a from Allah is very broad, as the Prophet (PBUH) explained.  Ibn Masoud (RA) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) told the companions:

عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم «استحيوا من الله حق الحياء». فقالوا: يا رسول الله! إنا نستحي. قال: «ليس ذاكم، ولكن من استحيا من الله حق الحياء فليحفظ الرأس وما وعى، والبطن وما حوى، وليذكر الموت والبلى، ومن أراد الآخرة ترك زينة الدنيا، فمن فعل ذلك فقد استحيا من الله حق الحياء» (صحيح الترمذي).   

“Be shy from Allah as you should truly be shy from Him”

The companions said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, indeed, we are shy from Him.’

The Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘It is not that I mean. Being truly shy from Allah means that you preserve your head and what it comprehends and preserve your belly and what it contains. Moreover, you should remember death and the decay (of the body). He who seeks the Hereafter should avoid focusing on the adornments of this worldly life. Whoever does that is shy, truly shy from Allah.” [Al-Tirmidhi]

Saeed ibn Yazeed (RA) said: I told the Prophet (PBUH) give me advice. The Prophet (PBUH) said:

وعَنْ سَعِيدِ بنِ يَزِيدَ الأَزْدِيِّ؛ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَوْصِنِي، قَالَ: «أُوصِيكَ أَنْ تَسْتَحِيَ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ؛ كَمَا تَسْتَحِي مِنَ الرَّجُلِ الصَّالِحِ مِنْ قَوْمِكَ». ] رواه أحمد والطبراني[

“Be shy from Allah as you are shy from the most righteous man among your people”.  

Part of Al-Haya’s is covering not exposing your naked body.   Ya’ala ibn Ummaiyah (RA) said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saw a man bathing in public. So, he called the companions and stood on the pulpit and said:

عن يعلى بن أمية -رضي الله عنه- أنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رأى رجلًا يغتسل بلا إزار، فصعِد المِنْبر، فحَمِد اللهَ وأثنى عليه، ثم قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إنَّ اللهَ عزَّ وجلَّ حَيِيٌّ سَتِيرٌ، يحب الحياءَ والسَّتر؛ فإذا اغتسل أحدُكم فليستتر».  [رواه أبو داود والنسائي.].

Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is (حَيِيٌّ) shy and concealing, and He loves shyness and concealment. When any one of you take a bathe, let him cover himself.’ (i.e., from the sight of people). [Abu Dawud, An-Nasaa’ee]

Unfortunately, we often see the loss of this form of Haya’a. One of the clear signs of the loss of Haya’a is the widespread of nakedness.  This is a key interest of Satan, to encourage people to strip their clothes and show their nakedness.  Allah warned us of this Satan ‘s interest by saying: 

يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ لَا يَفۡتِنَنَّڪُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ كَمَآ أَخۡرَجَ أَبَوَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنۡہُمَا لِبَاسَہُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوۡءَٲتِہِمَآ‌ۗ (الأعراف(

O Children of Adam! Let not Satan deceive you, as he got your parents out of the garden, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. (Al-Araf 7:27)

A noble person should also have Haya’s from the angels who are accompanying him all the time and record everything he does. Allah informs us of their presence by saying:

وَإِنَّ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَحَـٰفِظِينَ (١٠) كِرَامً۬ا كَـٰتِبِينَ (١١) يَعۡلَمُونَ مَا تَفۡعَلُونَ (الانفطار:10- 12].

“We appointed over you watchers (Angels), (10) who are noble and writers (of all your deeds), (11) Who know all that you do.” (Al-Infitar 82:10-12)

Some of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) used to tell each other: “you have with you those who never leave alone, so don’t embarrass yourself in front of them, and be generous with them that they don’t see from you except what is good “.

The trait of Haya’a is the internal compass in every person that restrains him from doing anything that is immoral and repulsive and there is no value of any person who loses his Haya’a.   Our youth, specifically, should be careful with what they post on social media. They should never post anything that causes an embarrassment to themselves or to others. 

 We pray to Allah to purify our heart and cleanse our soul and strengthen our internal compass of Haya’s that He does not see or hear us doing anything that is displeasing to Him.

DUA