Sayeed Siddiqui
The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, was “more bashful than a never-married girl in her chamber”. There is an intrinsic quality in all human beings which naturally inclines them to good and turns them away from improper behavior; that is ḥayāʾ. Even small children naturally seek privacy when relieving themselves, and leave the presence of others if they are about to do something wrong. It is a psychological state and character trait that prevents one from committing sin, indecent actions, and anything less than the highest standard of behavior.
This quality is so important that the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said “If you have no shame, then do as you please”. Without ḥayāʾ, people would do whatever they wanted to do, with no reason to abstain. One should have shame first and foremost in the presence of Allah, and thereafter in that of angels, other human beings, and in front of one’s own moral sense.
The Arabic word ḥayāʾ is related to ḥayāh, meaning life. Someone without shame is as if he is dead, in that he has no moral compass. He behaves like an animal, merely following his desires. This is the lowest level of life. Humans are distinguished by their capacity to act contrary to their desires, in line with morality and awareness of Allah.
Today, the word “shame” has a negative connotation. In a culture where the highest value is pushing boundaries and acting in what seems like a totally free way, shame is seen as an unacceptable restriction. On the contrary, it is necessary for society to function. To prevent private vices, people must be shameful in front of Allah and their moral sense. For public vices, laws can only go so far in regulating social behavior. External pressure is needed when internal forces are insufficient.
If everyone had the proper feeling of shame, there would be no social ills. People passing by the needy would follow their sense of shame and fulfill their needs. They would not harm others. Families would not be destroyed by improper behavior. In the marketplace, people could trust one another and rely on promises to be kept. And they would not commit sin, whether in public or private. Islam is a way of life that brings human nature and human society to the best that they can be, based on the way they are. Ḥayāʾ is an inextricable part of human nature and society, and Islam preserves and enhances that characteristic. As the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Vulgarity is not found in anything but that it disgraces it, and modesty is not found in anything but that it beautifies it.”
