By: Islam Web

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds; may Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon His Messenger and his Family, Companions, and whoever follows his guidance.

Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi narrated on the authority of Ibn Masʿood (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah () said, "Have Haya’ (modesty) for Allah as is due to Him…" [Narrated by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi; Al-Albani graded it as a Hasan (good) Hadith]

Al-Haya’ (i.e. modesty/shyness/bashfulness) is the most important good manner since it is the basic ethic of Islam with which this religion is characterized as shown in the Prophetic Hadith, “Every religion has its character trait, and the character trait of Islam is Haya’." [Narrated by Imam Malik in Al-Muwatta’ and in Sahih Ibn Majah]

As far as the meaning of the word Al-Haya’ is concerned, it is linguistically derived from "Hayah (life)". That is why Al-Ghayth (i.e. rain) is called Haya since the life of the earth, plants, and animals rely on it. On that, scholars say, "Just as water is the life to the earth, Al-Haya’ is the life to hearts … As such, a heart void of Al-Haya’ is lifeless. The strength of Al-Haya’ relies on the strength of the life of the heart. In truth, a low level of Al-Haya’ is a sign on the death of the heart. So, the more the heart is characterized with Al-Haya’, the more it is alive".

Technically, Al-Haya’ is "a manner that makes its owner avoid what is reprehensible and that prevents people from violating the due rights of others". [Fath Al-Bari: 1/68]. This meaning is yet clarified by the Prophetic Hadith reading, "One of the sayings of the early Prophets which the people have got is: If you don't feel ashamed (from committing religious indiscretions), then do whatever you like." [Its original wording is in Sahih Al-Bukhari.]

As such, Al-Haya’ is one of the most prominent characteristics that keep the person away from vices and prevent him from useless matters. Besides, it is one of the strongest motivators that encourage people to attain high ranks and be characterized with virtuous ethics. On that, Abu Hatim said, "When the person adheres to Al-Haya’, the means of good would be met in him. Similarly, when the shameless person adheres to indecency, no good would be met in him. On the contrary, he would produce only evil. That is because Al-Haya’ is the barrier that prevents the person from all prohibited matters. As such, the stronger Al-Haya’ is, the less the person would commit wrong; and the weaker Al-Haya’ is, the more he would do wrong". [Rawdat Al-ʿUqala’]

Having Haya’ for Allah

Al-Haya’ should also be practiced towards Allah, angels, the self, and people, stressing meanwhile that "having Haya’ for Allah, the Exalted" is the greatest and the most beneficial of these kinds all. That is why the Prophet () said, "Have Haya’ (modesty) for Allah as is due to Him.” We (the Companions) said, “O Prophet of Allah, we have Haya’ for Allah, and all praise be to Allah,” he said, “That is not what I mean; but having Haya’ for Allah which is due to Him is to protect the head and what it retains and to protect the belly and what it contains, and to remember death and decay and whoever seeks the Hereafter, shall leave the adornments of this world. So whoever does that, then he has indeed fulfilled Haya’ which is due to Allah.” [Narrated by At-Tirmidhi; Al-Albani graded it as a Hasan Hadith]. Also, it is narrated that a man once came to the Prophet () seeking advice, whereupon he () said to him, "I advise you to be modest in front of Allah, the Exalted, as you would be modest in front of a righteous man among your people". [Narrated by Ahmad in Az-Zuhd; Al-Albani graded it as a Hasan Hadith]

That is because whoever shows due modesty for Allah would not neglect any obligatory act of worship, nor would he insist on committing a sin as he fully knows that Allah, the Almighty, sees and watches him; that is to say that He, the Exalted, would question the person and hold him accountable for his deeds, and thus he should feel shy of Him, the Exalted, which reflects the true meaning of Al-Haya’. This is actually a fact recorded in the Hadith narrated on the authority of Muʿaawiyah ibn Haydah in which he states, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, from whom should we conceal our private parts and to whom can we show?' He replied, 'Conceal your private parts except from your wife and from whom your right hands possess (female slaves).' I then asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, (what should we do), if the people are assembled together?' He replied, 'If it is within your power that no one looks at it, then no one should look at it.' I then asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what about when one of us is alone?' He replied, 'Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to Him.'" [Narrated by Ibn Majah; Al-Albani graded it as a Hasan Hadith]. In the same vein, Kaʿab said, "Be shy of Allah in your privacy as you are shy of people in public."

Reasons for having Haya’ for Allah

There are many reasons that drive the person to have Haya’ for Allah, the Exalted. In truth, whoever considers these reasons would have more Haya’ for Allah and continually observe his Lord and thus would be far away from His anger and wrath. The list of these reasons includes: -

First, full confession of Allah’s Favors and Blessings

In truth, all the favors in which people live are bestowed by Allah, the Almighty. He, the Exalted, said, "And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah." [The Quran, 16:53]. As such, whoever carefully thinks of Allah’s continuous benevolence and successive favors would feel shy of meeting these blessings with disobeying Him, the Exalted. That is because only the base are the ones who meet benevolence with wrong. Allah, the Exalted, said, "Is the reward for good [anything] but good?" [The Quran, 55:60]. Imam Al-Junayd says, "Al-Haya’ is to be fully aware of Allah’s blessings and man’s negligence (in acts of worship), which leads to the emergence of a condition known as Al-Haya’" – a meaning that is clearly recorded in the following Prophetic Hadith, "… I admit to Your blessings upon me and I admit to my misdeeds." [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

Second, viewing sins – even trivial – as major

If the person carefully thinks of Allah’s Omnipotence and All-Ability and takes into account that Allah is Most Capable and that he is not far away from His punishment in light of the many sins and acts of disobedience he did, he would feel the gravity of his wrong and would realize his negligence in the due rights of his Lord. As such, he would be motivated to show the due Haya’ for Allah, the Almighty. Righteous people used to say, "Don’t say how trivial my sin is, but rather say how All-Great the One Whom I disobey is".

For this reasons, Prophets and Messengers would apologize for being unable to intercede on behalf of people on the Day of Resurrection – a point that is understood in light of feeling shy to do so in this really terrible situation. In the same vein, it is narrated that Al-Fudayl once attended the 9^th day of Dhul Hijjah at ʿArafah where he looked at the heaven, held his beard with his fist, and said while heavily weeping, "My sins are too many even if You would pardon me". He () is reported to have also said, "If I were asked to choose between being resurrected and admitting into the Paradise and not to be resurrected, I will choose not to be resurrected".

Also, when Al-Aswad ibn Yazid was in his agony, he wept. People thus asked him, "What is that great fear?" whereupon he replied, "Why should not I fear? Who deserves to be overtaken by this fear more than me? By Allah, if I were bestowed with the Mercy of Allah, the Exalted, I would feel shy of Him because of my sins. When there is a small problem between two persons and the wronged one pardons the one who wronged him, the latter would continually feel shy of the former." It is furthermore narrated that Abu Hamid Al-Khulqani once asked Imam Ahmad about the Shariah ruling on singing (Islamic poems), whereupon Imam Ahmad asked him to offer an example. Abu Hamid thus said,

When my Lord says to me why didn’t  

                                                             You feel shy when disobeying Me

And concealing the sin from My creatures

                                                          While coming to Me with disobedience

Upon hearing these two verses of poetry, Imam Ahmad entered his room repeating them and heavily weeping. 

Third, fearing standing before Allah

This is actually the position referred to in the saying of Allah, the Exalted, "But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, (40) Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge" [The Quran, 79:40-41] and His, the Exalted, Saying, "But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens." [The Quran, 55:46]. Commenting on these verses Mujahid said, "This is the man who, when is about to commit an act of disobedience while alone, remembers standing before Allah (on the Day of Judgment), and thus does not do it out of fear of Him, the Exalted". This meaning is also crystal clear in the Hadith of the Prophet () reading, "Every one of you will speak to his Lord without an interpreter between them. He will look to his right side and will see only the deeds he had previously done; he will look to his left and will see only the deeds he had previously done, and he will look in front of him and will see nothing but Fire (of Hell) before his face. So protect yourselves from Fire (of Hell), even by giving half a date-fruit (in charity)". [Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. That is why Al-Hasan is reported to have said, "Hadn’t we wept except out of shyness in that position, we should have wept for long".

Fourth, being fully aware that Allah is ever-watching the person

Allah, the Almighty, is the All-Knowing, the All-Acquainted, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Watchful, the All-Observing Witnessing, the All-Preserver, the All-Encompassing, the All-Enumerating, the Reckoner … “nothing is hidden from Him in the earth nor in the heaven;” [The Quran, 3:5]. “not absent from Him is an atom’s weight within the heavens or within the earth;” [The Quran, 34:3]. “He is with you wherever you are.” [The Quran, 57:4]. He is fully aware of what is in the hearts and there is no secret for Him; “He knows that which deceives the eyes and what the breasts conceal.” [The Quran, 40:19]. Secrecy and overtness are exactly alike for Him); “it is the same [to Him] concerning you whether one conceals [his] speech or one publicizes it and whether one is hidden by night or conspicuous [among others] by day;” [The Quran, 13:10]. “or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, [We do], and Our messengers are with them recording.” [The Quran, 43:80]

As such, whoever is fully aware that his Lord is ever-watching him under all circumstances and aware of his acts of worship, his appearance would be characterized with humility and his inner would be decorated with sincerity and full attentiveness. That is because He, the Exalted, perfectly knows that which deceives the eyes and what the breasts conceal. On that, Bilal ibn Saʿad said, "Don’t be a patron of Allah in public and an enemy to Him in secret". People of Al-Haya’ watch Allah in their privacy, exactly as they do in public. In other words, they deal with Him in line with the rank of Ihsan (the act of performing one’s duties in the best possible way). Ibn Al-Mubarak once said, "Watch Allah, the Exalted". When he was asked about the explanation of this sentence,  Ibn ʿUmar said, "The person would not realize true faith unless he fully knows that Allah, the Exalted, sees him, and thus would not commit in secret any wrong which will be unveiled on the Day of Resurrection".

That is why when Al-Junayd was asked, "What can help me fulfill the act of lowering the gaze?" whereupon he replied, "By fully knowing that Allah sees you before you see what you are looking at".

When you are alone with your sin in darkness

                                                        And the soul incites you to disobedience

Be shy of Allah’s glance at you and say to her

                                                 "Indeed, the One Who created dark sees me"