Islamic Morals [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Lesson: 35 Modesty and Chastity

The meaning
of IFFAT (modesty and chastity), according to dictionary is: Iffat is one of
the human virtues that, bridles passion, the rebellious power.

And in another
lexicon the meaning of IFFAT is: Modesty and chastity prevents or hold back
from bad and undesirable deeds.

IFFAT and HAYAA
chastity and modesty controls all the movements and pauses and talks and writings
of man so that they may not do whatever they desire and so that they may not
speak or write down whatever their heart wants.

The lesson
of chastity and piety may be taken by us from the Holy Quran, that is the guide
and a pattern for human beings. This is the Book that, from beginning to end,
speaks with soberness and dignity. It must be said that one of its miracles
is also that one cannot find in it any phrases which is repulsive, boring or
far from modesty and so also there is nothing in it which can be related to
a common, ignorant and untrained person.

Chastity
and Modesty as Described by the Imams (a.s.)

1. It is reported
from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that: Verily Allah likes a modest and chaste
person and hates a foul tongued and oft begging person.

2. Also the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) has said: Three groups will enter paradise ahead of all, viz., first:
A martyr as he the light house of history and provides light to society. Second:
an obedient servant who listens to his master's admonitions and orders and obeys
him. Third: A man who has modest and chastity and who is also regular worshipper.

3. It is reported
from Imam Ali (a.s.): One who wears the dress of modesty; people do not see
his weaknesses.

4. Similarly Ali (a.s.)
is reported to have said elsewhere: Modesty and chastity is the highest worship.

5. It is also the
word of Ali (a.s.) that: One who talk too much, his mistakes increase and consequently
the one whose mistakes increase his modesty decreases and the one who lacks
modesty his piety become low and whose piety is low his soul dies and the one
whose soul has died will enter Hell.

6. The fifth leader
of the Shias, Imam Baqir (a.s.) says: No God worship is higher than the chastity
of stomach and genitals.

7. Imam Sadiq (a.s.)
said: Modesty and faith are connected with one another just like two things
fastened by a rope and hence their existence depends on one another. So if one
of them is gone the another also is lost.

8. Imam Sadiq (a.s.)
says: One who has no chastity has no faith.

9. At another place
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said: When you see that someone does not ashamed while
speaking wrong and hearing undesirable things then know that he is either an
unlawful offspring or the devil is mixed with his embryo.

10. We bring the Hadith
from Imam Kazim (a.s.): God has forbidden paradise for the one who does not
hesitate to talk shamelessly or to behave immodestly.

What we understand
from the collection of above traditions is that modesty and chastity is an attribute
that stops man from doing bad and inhuman activities and also prevents him from
speaking whatever comes to his mind.

It is seen
in society that once in a while man is so much ashamed that he does not learn
even religious problems. It is also considered as Hayaa. For example, somebody
says so and so is modest, whereas Islam fights against such circumstances.

The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) has said: Modesty is of two kinds, modesty of wisdom the fruit of
which is knowledge and the modesty of folly the fruit of which is ignorance

And at another
place the Prophet of Islam has said: May Allah be kind to him who really maintains
modesty toward Him that is he is modest on these four occasions:

1. Protects
his head and whatever is in it like the eye, the ear, the tongue and the mind
from sinning.

2. Belly and whatever is in it should be lawful or permissible,

3. Remembers his grave and its covering,

4. Always remembers the Day of Judgement and Resurrection.

Imam Sadiq
(a.s.) says: One who is hiding his face too much and always feels ashamed will
remain ignorant and unwise.

This is because
an excessively modest man does not ask for solution even essential problems
and consequently remains ignorant.

Likewise, Misabaahus
shariah quotes Imam Sadiq (a.s.): Haya is of five kinds: 1 - Keeping away from
sin, 2 - Keeping distance from mistakes and faults, 3 - being ashamed of greatness,
4- Modesty in the matter of friendship and 5- Being ashamed of mastership. Those
who have one of these attributes also have some stages.

Some Important
points

First point

Modesty is good for everyone but it is nicer and more befitting for women because
we see that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has divided modesty into ten wherein nine are
for women and one for men.

Therefore ladies
should give more importance to modesty and chastity and take more care because,
this deed, is the basis of happiness in life. Many times it so happens that
a little carelessness in modesty destroys the warm atmosphere and leaves a permanent
dot on ones dress.

Second point

Those who tear off the curtain or veil of modesty and behave openly against
modesty and spread sins in society have, from the viewpoint of Islam, no honour
or respect at all and hence Islam, allows backbiting of such persons. So the
Prophet of Islam has said: One who tears of the veil of modesty can be backbited.

Third point

The sympathisers and the office bearers of the Islamic state must remain very
alert and they must see that important key posts and positions are given only
to the pious and that this revolution is administered by those who, whenever
any undesirable thought comes to their mind at once remember the pure blood
profusely shed by the martyrs of Islam and immediately stop from doing any unwise
deed and when ever they see the sacrifice of the deprived in the society feel
ashamed as to why they do not pay their duties in a nice ways and