Photo: Collected
Faith (iman) is the greatest asset of a person’s life. Faith has many branches, and one of them is modesty (haya). One who has modesty has faith; one who has no modesty has no faith either.
Many hadiths have been narrated in this regard. Narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA): ‘The Messenger (PBUH) said, faith has over sixty (in some narrations over seventy) branches. And modesty is a branch of faith.’ (Sahih Bukhari: Hadith 9; Muslim: Hadith 35, Ahmad 9372).
Another hadith states: ‘Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) said, once the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was passing by one of the Ansar. He was then advising his brother to give up (excessive) modesty. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him: leave him alone, for modesty is part of faith.’ (Sahih Bukhari: Hadith 24, 6118; Muslim: Hadith 3).
That modesty is part of faith is proven by many more hadiths. But it must be remembered that faith has various other levels too, which are also very important for a Muslim. Narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA): ‘The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was asked, which deed is the best? He said, believing in Allah and His Messenger. He was asked, then what? He said, striving (jihad) in the way of Allah. He was asked, then what? He said, performing an accepted Hajj.’ (Sahih Bukhari: Hadith 26, 1519; Muslim: Hadith 83).
The difference between iman and Islam is set out in another hadith. Narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA): ‘One day the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting among the people when a man came to him and asked: what is iman? He said, iman is that you believe in Allah, His angels, the meeting with Him (on the Day of Judgement) and His messengers. You also believe in the resurrection. He asked: what is Islam? He said, Islam is that you worship Allah and do not associate any partner with Him, establish salat, pay zakat and observe the fast of Ramadan. The man asked: what is ihsan? He said, that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then (consider that) He sees you. The man asked: when is the Day of Judgement? He said, the one being asked about it knows no more than the one asking. But I will tell you its signs: when a slave woman gives birth to her master, and when the lowly herders of camels compete in constructing tall buildings. (Knowledge of the Day of Judgement) is among the five things that no one knows except Allah. Then the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) recited this verse to the end: Indeed, knowledge of the Hour is with Allah alone … (Surah Luqman: Verse 31-34). When the man then left, he said, bring him back. They could not see anything. Then he said, this was Jibreel (AS). He came to teach the people their religion. Abu Abdullah Bukhari (RH) said, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) counted all these matters as part of iman.’ (Bukhari: Hadith 50, 4777; Muslim: Hadith 9).
Another matter is very important: if a Muslim has even a small amount of faith, Allah will admit him to Paradise sooner or later; even if there is faith the size of a mustard seed in his heart, he will go to Paradise. In this regard, narrated by Hazrat Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (RA): ‘The Messenger (PBUH) said, the people of Paradise will enter Paradise and the people of Hell will enter Hell. Then Allah the Exalted will say to the angels, bring out of Hell whoever has faith even the size of a mustard seed in his heart. Then they will be brought out of Hell in a state where they have turned black (from burning). Then they will be thrown into the river of rain or of life [the narrator Malik (RH) expressed doubt as to which of the two words it was]. As a result they will revive, just as seeds of grass sprout on a riverbank. Do you not see how they come out yellow and grow thickly?’ (Sahih Bukhari: Hadith 22; Muslim: Hadith 184).
May Almighty Allah grant all of us Paradise. Amin.
