Hadith Translation & Explanation: “Modesty is a Branch of Imaan”
Disclaimer: This hadith is taken from زاد الطالبين (Provisions for the Seekers) originally written by Shaykh Maulana Muhammad Ashiq Ilahi al-Bulandshehri in Arabic. Provision for the Seekers is the English version, with the translation and additional commentary by Mufti Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf. No copyright infringement intended whatsoever. All rights belong to the publisher(s).
Original & Translation
اَلْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ
“Modesty is a branch of Imaan.”
Note: This is an authentic hadith from Saheeh Muslim and Saheeh Bukhari.
Sentence Analysis (Tarkeeb)
الحَيَاءُ does not have a proper word in English for its definition. Possible translations include humility, modesty.
شُعْبَةٌ: a branch
مِن is a particle which means “from”
الحَيَاءُ is mubtada and شُعْبَةٌ is khabr. الإِيمَانِ is majroor due to the harf jarr مِن coming before it. مِنَ الإِيمَانِ is murakkab jaarri and is muta’alliq to the khabr. Mubtada, khabr, and muta’alliq to khabr forms jumla ismiyyah khabriyyah.
How is Modesty a Branch of Imaan?
There are actually 70 branches of imaan. Imaan, meaning faith or belief, is something that manifests in our actions and not just our tongues.
- The first branch is believing that there is no god but Allah (SWT).
- The last branch is removing an obstruction/harmful thing from someone’s path to prevent takleef (discomfort).
Explanation of Hayya
Hayya (modesty) does not refer to the natural shyness that a person has. Rather, hayya is sort of adopted in situations. It should be present in front of ourselves, others, angels, and Allah (SWT) as one would be keeping them in mind. In this way, hayya encompasses everything – it is present in our actions, the way we walk, talk, dress, etc.
Benefits of Hayya, a Characteristic of Islam
Interestingly, the word “hayya” is derived from the word hayaat, which means life. When someone is devoid of hayya, they are spiritually dead; hayya beautifies any mechanism, any action that we do in our lives.
Hayya is the companion of the imaan, as they are interrelated. When you lose hayya you lose everything as it brings only good. Without hayya, a person does as they wish as they are following their desires. Someone without even a shred of hayya in them would definitely be harbouring takabbur (arrogance). Humility, a massive factor of Islam that helps to purify the spiritual heart and connects us to Allah (SWT), is gone.
Therefore, it is easy to grasp the understanding that hayya actually protects one from sin and evil. That uneasy feeling before performing a sin can be called hayya!
Hayya keeps you from being neglectful of fulfilling your responsibilities. It keeps you in check knowing that Allah (SWT) and certain people in your life have a right over you. Hayya creates the feeling that you, ultimately, have to answer in front of Allah (SWT).
2 Types of Hayya:
Good hayya: comes from imaan, prevents sin and guides towards good
Bad hayya: (1) be ashamed of performing Allah’s obligations, which usually happens in front of people or (2) stating hayya/shyness as a justification, the reason for not doing something good (e.g. not discouraging something or correcting someone because you are shy). Basically, bad hayya is when it would prevent you from doing anything good and instead lead you to something wrong.
Additional Note:
In addition to the disclaimer, please note that I have not created this information. Rather, I have shared my notes on what was taught to me by my reputable teachers as I am a student of the deen (religion) Islam. All thanks to Allah, the Most High. Any mistake, misuse, or misinterpretation of the teachings would be entirely due to my lack of knowledge. If you have any questions or concerns about these notes, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach me privately through my blog here or @hadithexplained on Twitter.
