{{Short description|Concept of modesty in Islam}} {{Other uses| Haya (disambiguation)}} {{Over-quotation|date=June 2020}} {{Usul al-fiqh}} {{Islamic female dress}}
'''Haya''' ({{langx|ar|حياء|Hayāʾ}}, roughly corresponding to "bashfulness", "decency", "modesty", "shyness") is an Arabic word that means "natural or inherent, shyness and a sense of modesty".<ref name="h5">{{cite web |title=The Islamic Dress Code (part 2 of 3): Awrah & Mahrams - New Muslims |url=https://www.newmuslims.com/lessons/134/islamic-dress-code-part-2/#_ftnref20041 |publisher=www.newmuslims.com |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref> In Islamic terminology,<ref name="Haya6">{{cite book |last1=Bukhārī |first1=Muḥammad ibn Ismāʻīl |title=Manners in Islam |date=2002 |publisher=Darul Ishaat |pages=637–792|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wOvXAAAAMAAJ&q=Haya+modesty |access-date=10 December 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Akande |first1=Habeeb |title=A taste of honey: sexuality and erotology in Islam |date=12 August 2015 |publisher=Rabaah Publishers |isbn=9780957484511 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XKyPCgAAQBAJ&q=Haya+modesty&pg=PA42 |language=en}}</ref> it is mainly used in the context of modesty. Haya encourages Muslims to avoid anything considered to be distasteful or abominable.<ref name="Haya">{{cite web |title=Haya (Shyness) |url=https://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/Haya.htm |publisher=missionislam.com |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="Haya2">{{cite web |title=Haya in Islam: Cultivating Modesty in an Immoral World |date=5 November 2014 |url=http://www.muslimink.com/faith/benefits-blog/122-haya-modesty-in-islam |publisher=muslimink.com |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="Haya3">{{cite web |title=Modesty (part 1 of 3): An Overview |url=https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/21/modesty-part-1/#_ftnref26351 |publisher=islamreligion.com |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="Haya4">{{cite web|title=Modesty (part 1 of 3): An Overview |url=https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/398/modesty-part-2/#_ftnref9673 |publisher=islamreligion.com |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="Haya5">{{cite web |title=Haya (Shyness) |url=http://www.islamicbulletin.org/newsletters/issue_23/haya.aspx |publisher=www.islamicbulletin.org |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref> Haya plays an important role in Islam, as it is one of the most important parts of Iman.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ahmad |first1=Yusuf Al-Hajj |title=The Book Of Manners: Encyclopaedia of Islamic Law |publisher=Darussalam Publishers |pages=21–40 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fjnDAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT20 |access-date=10 December 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The antonym of Haya in Arabic is ''badha'a'' ({{lang|ar|بذاءة}}, immodesty) or ''fahisha'' ({{lang|ar|فاحشة}}, lewdness or obscenity).
==Etymology== The word itself is derived from the word ''Hayat,'' which means "life".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shafaat |first1=Syed |title=Inside India: My way to reach Humanity |date=2017 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=9781947752290 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H24zDwAAQBAJ&q=Haya+modesty&pg=PT52 |language=en}}</ref> The original meaning of Haya refers to "a bad or uneasy feeling accompanied by embarrassment".
==Importance== Haya is important for Muslims and in Islamic cultures—for both men and women. In the Qur'an, verses explain how men and women should behave. According to the values of Haya, a man must control himself by marrying as young as feasible. If a man cannot afford to marry, then he should fast, in order for him not to be overtaken by his desires and the whispers of Shaytan. The values of Haya dictate that women must conceal themselves as well.<ref name="shame"/>
<blockquote>Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty... :— Quran 24:30–31</blockquote>
==In scripture==
===In the Qur'an=== The Qur'an mentions Haya twice:
{{Quote|Indeed, Allah is not shy to present an example—that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allah intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient.|Quran 2:26<ref>[https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/2/26/ Q2:26], 50+ translations, islamawakened.com</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Numani |first1=Muhammad Shibli |title=Siratun Nabi ...: Ethics in Islam |date=1999 |publisher=Darul Ishaat |page=272 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zunXAAAAMAAJ&q=haya+baqara+26 |access-date=4 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref>|title=|source=}} {{Quote|Then one of the two women came to him walking with ''Haya'' (shyness). She said, "Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us." When he came and related the story to him, he said, "Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people." |Quran 28:25<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mahmood |first1=Saba |title=Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject |date=2012 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-14980-6 |page=156 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-6amxvMB8K0C&q=haya+qasas&pg=PA156 |access-date=4 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref> |source=}}
===In the Ahadith=== Haya is mentioned often in hadith passages, where the word is used to express shyness, modesty, and decency.<ref name="h5" /><ref name="Haya" /><ref name="Haya2" /><ref name="Haya3" /><ref name="Haya4" /><ref name="Haya5" /><ref name="shame">{{cite book |last1=Vanderheiden |first1=Elisabeth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uHqhDgAAQBAJ&q=haya+hadith&pg=PA128 |title=The Value of Shame: Exploring a Health Resource in Cultural Contexts |last2=Mayer |first2=Claude-Hélène |author-link2=Claude-Hélène Mayer |date=2017 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-53100-7 |pages=127, 128, 129 |language=en}}</ref>
{{quote|Narrated by Abu Huraira (R): The Prophet Muhammad (Saw) said, "Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya is a part of faith." |Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.1:9}} {{Quote|Abdullah Bin Umar narrated that the Prophet, once passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding Hayaʾ saying: "You are too shy, and I am afraid that might harm you." On that, the Prophet: "Leave him, for Hayaʾ is (a part) of Faith" and in another narration, he said: "Hayaʾ does not bring anything except good."| (Al-Bukhari)<ref name="shame"/>}} {{quote|Prophet Muhammad said: "Haya does not bring anything except good." (Bukhari) }} {{quote|The messenger of Allah said: "Indeed from the teachings of the first prophets which has reached you is, 'If you do not have shyness, then do as you please."| Sahih Bukhari<ref name="shame"/> }} {{Quote|The Prophet was "more bashful than a veiled virgin girl".|(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)<ref name="shame"/> }} {{quote|Narrated on the authority of Anas bin Malik, the Prophet (saw) said: When lewdness is a part of anything, it becomes defective; and when haya is a part of anything it becomes beautiful. |(Tirmidhi)<ref name="shame"/>}} {{quote|Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: "Al-haya is from faith, and faith is in Paradise. Obscenity is from torture, and torture is in the Fire."|Tirmidhi, 2009<ref name="shame"/>}} {{quote|Abu Umamah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: "Al-haya' and Al-'Iy are two branches of faith, and Al-Badha and Al-Bayan are two branches of Hypocrisy."|Tirmidhi 2027<ref name="shame"/>}} {{quote|Prophet indicated: "Every way of life has an innate character. The character of Islam is haya." Or "Every Deen or religion has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty (haya)."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Zine |first1=Jasmin |last2=Babana-Hampton |first2=Safoi |last3=Mazid |first3=Nergis |last4=Bullock |first4=Katherine |last5=Chishti |first5=Maliha |title=American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 19:4 |publisher=International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) |page=59 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0JM4DwAAQBAJ&q=haya+islam&pg=PA59 |access-date=4 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref>|Abu Dawood, al-Muwatta)<ref name="shame"/> }} {{quote|The Prophet said: "I advise you to be shy toward God, the Exalted, in the same way, that you are shy toward a pious man from your people.|Abu Dawood<ref name="shame"/> }} {{quote|The Prophet said: "God is more deserving than other people of shyness."|Abu Dawood}} {{quote|'Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, is forbearing, modest and concealing, and He loves modesty and concealment...'"|Sunan an-Nasa'i Vol. 1:406<ref name="shame"/>}} {{quote|Abdullah ibn Umar (Ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: "Indeed haya (modesty) and Iman are Companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well." |(Baihaqi)<ref name="shame"/>}} {{quote|Prophet (saws) said: "Haya and Trustworthiness will be the first to go from this world; therefore keep asking Allah for them."|(Baihaqi)<ref name="shame"/>}}
== See also == {{Portal|Islam}} * Islamic clothing * Morality in Islam * Outline of Islam * Glossary of Islam * Index of Islam-related articles
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Islam topics}}
Category:Modesty in Islam Category:Hadith Category:Sharia terminology