R o a d 2 R e v i v a l

Poisons of the Heart The Islamic Concept

of ḤayĀʾ Dr Abu Zayd Feb 2 2012

INTRODUCTION

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

a l - B u k h ā r ī 5 6 8 4

ONE: HISTORY

An Important Perspective I narrate from

Shaykh Walīd Idrīs who narrates from14 consecutive teachers from Imām Bukhārī:

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

a l - B u k h ā r ī 5 6 8 4

ONE: HISTORY

An Important Perspective I narrate from Muḥammad Akram Nadwī

who narrates from Wahbah al-Zuhaylī

from Imām Bukhārī:

who narrates from 14 contiguous teachers from Imām Nawawī from 6 contiguous teachers

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

a l - B u k h ā r ī 5 6 8 4

ONE: HISTORY

“From the teachings of the previous prophets that people inherited is: ‘If you

feel no shame, then do as you wish.’” [Al-Bukhari 3224-5, 5655, Abu Daud 4164, Ibn Majah 4173, Ahmad 16470, 16485, 21313, Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq 20149, Sharh al-Sunnah of al-Baghawi 3597,

al-Tabarani, Malik 339]

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

a l - B u k h ā r ī 5 6 8 4

ONE: HISTORY

We Learn 2 Things: 1. Earliest Human Teaching 2. Survived to Our Times

The Quintissential Adamic Traiditon: This is the Only Tradition that we possess in a sort of contiguous and continuous chain to our father Adam !

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

a l - B u k h ā r ī 5 6 8 4

ONE: HISTORY

Islam perfected it:

“Every religion has a character, and the character of Islam is Haya.”

[Ibn Majah 4171, 4172, authenticated by al-Albānī and al-Hilālī]

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

a l - B u k h ā r ī 5 6 8 4

ONE: HISTORY

Comprehensive Prophetic Words ‘If you feel no shame, then do as you

wish.’

1. Warning 2. Observation 3. Methodology

Part 2: THE CONCEPT

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass TWO: CONCEPT

• Sense of shyness, modesty, bashfulness, hesitation

• Sense of shame and honor associated with violating a ethical or social norm

• Moral Conscience • From the word for “life”

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass TWO: CONCEPT

The Absence of Moral Restraint • The curious case of Phineas Gage

(1823-1860)

• The economic recession

• Global wars • The rape of

the planet

Part 3: NURTURING ḤAYĀʾ

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

Ḥayāʾ and Imān go together. When one is lifted, so is the other.

[al-Ḥākim, authenticated by al-Albānī]

3: NURTURE

Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ

2 Types 1. Natural 2. Acquired

(Through Faith)

[Bukhārī, Muslim]

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

I counsel to exhibit modesty towards God, just as you exhibit modesty

before a pious person in your midst. [al-Bayhaqī, authenticated by al-Albānī]

3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 1. Connect with God

God has a greater right to be shy towards than any human being.

Bukhārī

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

All of my nation is apt to be forgiven except for those who commit sins openly, like a person who does something at night, which Allah concealed for him, yet in the morning he announces it. He spent the night being concealed by Allah

and in the morning he uncovered that concealment. [Bukhārī]

3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 2. Hiding rather than Confessing your Sins

“Whoever conceals [the faults, offenses] of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his in this world and the Hereafter.” [Muslim #4867,

Tirmidhi #1843, Abu Dawud #4295, Ibn Majah #221, Ahmad #7118]

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

Lewdness doesn’t appear in anything without blemishing it, and haya without beautifying it. [Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah,

authenticated by al-Albani]

3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 3. Avoid Foul Language

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass

The Prophet saw a man washing himself in the open, and said from the minbar: Verily Allah is has attributes of forbearance,

great modesty and concealment, therefore if any of you washes himself, he should conceal himself. [Nasai 403, Abu Daud

3497, Ahmad 17287]

3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 4. Protect Yourself in Public Restrooms

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass 3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 5. Modest Clothing / Ḥijāb Tight revealing clothes

Obscene/crude messages Tank tops, unbuttoned shirts Hide your 6-packs

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass 3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 6. Early Marriage

Parents need to get over cultural barriers, excessive educational expectations

Students need to get over unrealistic beauty requirements

Young people, whoever is able should get married, for it lowers your gaze and protects your chastity; and whoever is

unable should fast, for that decreases your temptation. [Bukhārī, Muslim]

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass 3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 7. Lowering the Gaze

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass 3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 7. Lowering the Gaze

Tell believing men to lower their gaze and remain chaste. That is purer for them. God is aware of what they do.

Say to believing women that they should lower their gaze and remain chaste and not to reveal their adornments -- save what is normally apparent thereof, and they should fold their

shawls over their bosoms. They can only reveal their adornments to their husbands or their fathers or their husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons or their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or maidservants or those whom their right hands possess or their male attendants who have no sexual desire or children who still have no carnal knowledge of women. Nor should they swing their legs to draw attention to their

hidden ornaments. Believers, turn to God, every one of you, so that you may prosper. [al-Nur 24:30-31]

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass 3: NURTURE

7 Steps to Nurturing ḤAYĀʾ 7. Lowering the Gaze Changing the Channel Looking Away Turning off the half-time show Avoid certain places, people and channels

Al-ḤAYĀʾ: Your Moral Compass 3: NURTURE

Final Remarks Turn to God in Repentance

Every son of Adam makes mistakes, but the best of those who make mistakes are those who repent. [Tirmidhi]

With Greater Challenges Come Greater Rewards