Hadith Text & Context

"Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) passed by an Ansari (man) who was admonishing his brother regarding Haya'. On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Leave him as Haya' is a part of faith.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 24)"

Lexical Analysis

The term "Haya'" linguistically denotes modesty, bashfulness, and a sense of shame that prevents one from committing indecent acts. It is a comprehensive virtue encompassing both inward consciousness and outward behavior.

Scholarly Commentary

Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains in Fath al-Bari that the Prophet (ﷺ) intervened because the admonisher was criticizing what is actually a virtue. Haya' strengthens faith by restraining one from disobedience and encouraging righteous conduct.

Al-Qurtubi notes that Haya' manifests in three forms: towards Allah (awareness of His observation), towards others (maintaining proper social conduct), and towards oneself (preserving personal dignity).

Relation to Faith (Iman)

This hadith establishes Haya' as an essential branch of faith. Imam al-Nawawi states that just as a building requires pillars, faith requires components - and Haya' is among its most noble constituents that preserve the integrity of one's belief.

The connection is profound: true faith produces moral consciousness, which in turn protects and enhances that same faith - creating a virtuous cycle of spiritual development.

Practical Implications

Scholars derive that cultivating Haya' is obligatory, as it safeguards one from sin. However, they distinguish between praiseworthy Haya' (preventing evil) and blameworthy shyness (preventing good deeds or seeking knowledge).

This teaching reminds us to appreciate modesty in others rather than criticize it, and to recognize that external manifestations of faith often indicate internal spiritual states.