General Behavior

كتاب التصرف العام

Chapter 25: Modesty

Abu Mas'ud 'Uqba reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless himand grant him peace, said, "Part of what people have learned from the wordsof prophethood is the statement

'If you do not feel ashamed, do whateveryou like."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Faith consists of sixty (or seventy) branches. The best of them is 'There is no god but Allah.' The lowest of them is to remove harmful things from the road. Modesty is also a branch of faith."

Abu Sa'id said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had more modesty than a virgin in her tent. When he disliked something, that could be seen in his face."

Sa'id ibn al-'As reported that 'Uthman and 'A'isha told him that Abu Bakr asked for permission to come in to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was lying of 'A'isha's bed, wearing 'A'isha's woollen shirt. He gave Abu Bakr permission to enter while he was like that. he gave him what he needed and then Abu Bakr left. Then 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, asked for permission to come in and he gave him permission to come in while he was like that. He gave him what he needed and then 'Umar left. 'Uthman said, "Then I asked for permission to come in and he sat up and told 'A'isha, 'Take your garment.' I told him what I needed and then I left.' 'A'isha asked, 'Messenger of Allah, why did I see that you did not do for Abu Bakr and 'Umar what you did for 'Uthman?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ''Uthman is a modest man and I feared that if I gave him permission to come in while I was in that state he would not tell me what he needed.'"

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whenever there is modesty in a thing, it adorns it. Whenever there is outrage in a thing, it debases it."

Salim reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a man who berating his brother about his modesty. He told him, "Let him be. Modesty is part of faith."

'A'isha said, "The Prophet was lying down in my room with his thigh uncovered when Abu Bakr asked for permission to enter. He gave him permission to enter, remaining as he was. Then 'Umar asked for permission to come in and he gave him permission, remaining as he was. Then 'Uthman asked for permission to enter and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat up and arranged his garment, and then he came in and spoke. When he left, I said, 'Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr came in and you did not exert yourself nor concern yourself with him. Then 'Umar came in and you did not exert yourself nor concern yourself with him. Then 'Uthman came in and you sat up and arranged your garment.' He said, 'Should I not be modest before a man before whom the angels are modest?'"