السلام عليكم
بـــــــــــــــــــســم الله الرحمن الرحــيــــــــــــــــم
Haya itself is derived from the word hayat which means life. This term covers a wide number of concepts. In English, it may be translated as modesty, shyness, self-respect, bashfulness, shame, honour, humility, etc.
Haya is equally important for both men and women.
- قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ
"Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for them; surely Allah is Aware of what they do."
- وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاء بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاء بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُوْلِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَى عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاء وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
"And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful."
(Surah Noor 24-(30-31))
When someone has Haya in them, they will live a life of Islam. On the other hand if they do not have Haya they are living a life that is dead "Islamically" but alive according to this dunya.
The Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Haya and Trustworthiness will be the first to go from this world; therefore keep asking Allah for them."
(Baihaqi)
...
Role of Haya in our life.
Haya plays a huge role in the lives of Muslims because it is a very important part of our Iman (faith/belief). If we do not have any form of haya within us then it is most likely that our Iman is very weak. For as it states in the following hadith:
Narrated by Abu Huraira (ra): The Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya is a part of faith." (Bukhari)
We also learn from the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) the importance of having haya and how it is not something to be ashamed of, but instead, one should be concerned and ashamed if they do not possess it within their character.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (ra): The Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) 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.
We often find that shyness, humility and bashfulness is frowned upon by our society as a weakness or a lack of confidence when, Infact these are quality of a dignified upright human being, who is conscious of their actions and their responsibilities in life.
...
Types of Haya
Now to discuss the different types of haya. Haya' is of two kinds: good and bad:
The good Hayâ'
is to be ashamed to commit a sin or a thing which Allah and His MessengerMuhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) has forbidden, and bad Hayâ' is to feel ashamed to do a thing, which Allah and His Messenger (saws) ordered to do.
The stronger this sense of haya becomes, the more it motivates one to make sure that Allah (swt) doesn't see him/her doing anything prohibited. The way to develop this haya is that one must keep learning and absorbing more knowledge and applying it to their lives.
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..
Last but not least is the type of haya in which the believers become shy of themselves. This is when they have reached the peek of their Iman. What this means is that if they do, or say, or see, anything wrong or even commit the tiniest sin, they start to feel extremely bad and embarrassed or they feel extreme guilt in their heart. This builds a high degree of self-consciousness and that is what strengthens the believers commitment to Allah (swt)
...
Bad Haya
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 Iman.
This negative aspect revolves around a person's shamefulness or shyness of doing something that Allah (swt) has ordered us to do through the Qur'an or our Prophet's Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) Sunnah.
This constitutes the shamefulness or embarrassment of doing a lawful act or something that is ordered upon us from Allah (swt). Meaning for someone not to follow an obligation of Islam, due the fact of being shy in front of others about it.
An example of bad haya is that which is popular amongst many in this western society. There are many in this society who claim that they have haya but to follow the order of hijab is backwards and that women in this society shouldn't have to cover, or men ignoring Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم)'s instruction of keeping beard.
If someone really had haya they would never contradict anything that Allah (swt) has ordained upon us even if they found it a test and a trial.
Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Indeed haya (modesty) and Iman are Companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well." (Baihaqi)
Modesty has been called the ornament of a woman, which prevents ill-intentioned men from daring to have bad thoughts about her. This haya has been made a part of her nature to safeguard her from being abused by immoral men.
Narrated on the authority of Anas bin Malik, the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: When lewdness is a part of anything, it becomes defective; and when haya is a part of anything it becomes beautiful. (Tirmidhi)
At the time of our beloved Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) as soon as the verses of Hijab were revealed, all the Quraish and Ansar ran home to their wives and daughters and close female relatives to tell them to cover themselves. The ones who had veils used them and the ones who did not have veils made some right away.
For instance the following hadith tells us:
Narrated by Aisha (ra): May Allah have mercy on the early immigrant women. When the verse "That they should draw their veils over their bosoms" was revealed, they tore their thick outer garments and made veils from them.
And when the verse "That they should cast their outer garments over themselves" was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments. (Abu Dawood)
This indicates that all these women wanted to guard their modesty which is why they followed out the orders of Allah.
Yet, another hadith talks about the level of modesty in our mother Aisha (ra): Narrated Aisha (ra): "I used to enter my house where Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was and take off my garment, saying that only my husband and my father were there; but when Umar was buried along with them, I swear by Allah that I did not enter it without having my clothes wrapped round me owing to modesty regarding Umar." (at-Tirmidhi and Ahmed)
...
Special characteristic of a Mu'min and Mu'mina
The Haya is a special characteristic of a Mu'min ( believing, practicing Muslims). People who ignore the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) do not concern themselves with Haya.
Haya and Iman are interdependent; therefore either they both exist together or they both perish. Thus, the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) has said in one hadith, "When there is no haya left, then do as you please."
Today lack of haya and all its ingredients have become a common place even among well-known Muslims in the zeal of imitating the disbelievers.
They have adopted the lifestyles of the disbelievers more than the traditions of the Prophet (saws):
Malik b Uhaimir reported that he heard the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying that, "Allah (swt) will not accept any good deeds or worship of an immodest and vulgar person." We asked "Who is a vulgar and immodest person?" He replied, "A man who's wife entertains Ghair-mehram men."
“…..No person has more Ghira than Allah." (Sahih Bukhari)
...
Merits of Haya
There are many merits of Haya if one wants to know. Here are some just to list a few.
Firstly Allah loves Haya. We know this by the following hadith: " Surely Allah (is One who) has haya and is the Protector. He loves haya and people who cover each others faults."(Bukhari)
Secondly, Haya itself is a Greatness of Islam as our Prophet indicated: "Every way of life has a innate character. The character of Islam is haya." Or "Every Deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty (haya)." (Abu Dawood)
Thirdly, Haya only brings good and nothing else. Our Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Haya does not bring anything except good." (Bukhari)
Fourthly, Haya is a very clear indication of our Iman. As the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) had mentioned to the Ansar who was condemning is brother about being shy: "Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith." (Bukhari)
Fifthly, Haya leads us to Paradise. As the Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم) told us: "Haya comes from Iman; Iman leads to Paradise. Obscenity comes from antipathy; and antipathy leads to the fire." (Bukhari)
All praise be to Allah (sbhanahuwataala), and may His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم), his family, his companions and his truthful followers until the day of judgment.
Source:
Qur'an & Hadith Group
