This document discusses the importance of hayaa (modesty) and hijab for Muslim women. It defines hayaa as modesty and freedom from vanity that leads one to obey Allah. The Prophet said hayaa brings good and is a branch of faith. Hijab includes lowering the gaze, voice and covering beauty except for mahrams. It should be simple and not revealing. The document encourages cultivating hayaa through knowledge and righteous company to gain Allah's blessings in this life and the next.

1. To Be A Mohsinah…
Importance of Hayaa and Hijab
in Our Lives
Saadia Z. Yunus

2. Who is a Mohsinah?
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Surah An-Nisaa Mohsinah is a pure, believing
woman
Mohsinah=chaste/pure
Main Quality of a Mohsinah is
Hayaa

3. What is Hayaa?
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Dictionary Modesty: freedom from vanity,
being shy or bashful, being decent, not calling
attention to one’s body
Islam True modesty - especially the one before
Allah Most High - is not a mere feeling or issue of
character. It has concrete results: it leads one to
fear and obey Allah in all things large and small,
public and private
Hijab The head-covering of a Muslim woman;
literally means “barrier”

4. What is the Importance of Hayaa?
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Imran bin Husain (R) reported: Messenger of
Allah salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
“Shyness does not bring anything except good”
(Muslim, Bukhari)
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Barrier against
evil/spiritual wall

5. Importance of Hayaa cont’d
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Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
“Every way of life has an innate character. The
character of Islam is hayaa” (Abu Dawood)
“Surely Allah (is One who) has hayaa and is the
Protector. He loves hayaa and people who cover
each others’ faults” (Bukhari)
Light of hayaa VS. Smoke of the lack of it

6. Modesty—Essential Part of Faith
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Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa
sallam: “Iman has sixty odd or
seventy odd branches. The
uppermost of all of these is the
testimony of Faith: La ilaha
illallah, while the least of them
is the removal of a harmful
object from the road. And
shyness is a branch of iman”
(Bukhari, Muslim)

7. Indecency of Today’s World
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Problems in today’s
society:
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Gambling
Drinking
Nudity
Prostitution
Pornography
Fornication/Adultery
And more…
These problems have
infiltrated into Muslims
as well…

8. What is the Solution? HAYAA!
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Learning and practicing hayaa
Guarding our chastity and modesty
Constantly reminding ourselves of
what is right and what is wrong
Keep learning and absorbing more
and more knowledge of our deen
Surrounding ourselves with those
who practice hayaa
Teaching others the importance of
hayaa
Holding hayaa DEAR to our hearts

9. Hayaa as a Blessing 
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We should never see it as a burden, but rather a GIFT
from Allah (swt)
Yes, it is difficult, but with a few things in mind, it
becomes easy
Allah (swt) enjoined hayaa upon us for reasons that we
should be grateful for:
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Protection
Chance to Sacrifice
Love of His servants
Peaceful Society
Successful Families

10. How Do We Acquire Hayaa?
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Taking light from Surah Nur/Surah Ahzab
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Lowering our gaze
Lowering our voices
Covering our beauty
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Since it is part of hayaa, it becomes dear to us and
therefore, something we strive for

11. Lowering Our Gaze
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"Say to the believing men that they should lower
their gaze and guard their modesty, that will make
for greater purity for them...Say to the believing
women that they should lower their gaze and
guard their modesty...O you believers! Turn you
all together towards Allah that you may attain
success" (24:30,31 excerpts)

12. Detrimental Effects of the Gaze and the
Virtue of Controlling it
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The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam stated that Allah
(swt) says:
"Verily, evil glancing is an arrow from the poisonous
arrows of Shaytaan. Whosoever fears Me and refrains
from it will receive from Me (Allah) such Iman, the
sweetness of which he will feel in his heart”
(Hadith
Qudsi)

13. Lowering Our Voices
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“O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other
women. If you keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft
in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of
hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be
moved with desire, but speak in an honorable manner”
(Surah Al Ahzab 33:32)
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The command applies to us as well
Wives of the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam are our
ultimate role models
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14. Lowering Our Voices cont’d
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Examples:
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With friends in public
In front of men
Talking to professors/coworkers/classmates/neighbors
Over the phone
More
Preventative measure
Protection!

15. Covering Our Beauty
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“And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and
to guard their private parts, and not to display their
adornment except what is apparent of it, and to extend
their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms
(jaybs), and not to display their adornment except to their
husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or
their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers, or
their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their
womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the
followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or
the small children to whom the nakedness of women is
not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground)
so as to make known what they hide of their adornments.
And turn in repentance to Allah together, O you the
faithful, in order that you are successful” (Nur:31)

16. Continued Explanation—
Ayah of Hijab
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“Not to display their adornment (zeena)…”
“…except what is apparent of it…”
“…extend their headcoverings over their
bosoms…”

17. Who Are Our Mahrams?
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What is a Mahram?
Husband
Fathers
Father-in-law
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Sons
Husband's sons
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Brothers
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Brothers' sons
Sisters' sons
Womenfolk
What their right hands possess
(slaves)
Men who do not feel desire
Small children to whom the
nakedness of women is not
apparent

18. Two More Ayaat
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“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters, as well as
all [other] believing women, that they should draw over
themselves some of their outer garments [when in public]:
this will be more conducive to their being recognized [as
decent women] and not annoyed. But [withal,] God is
indeed much- forgiving, a dispenser of grace! (Surah
Ahzab:59)
“And [know that] women advanced in years, who no longer
feel any sexual desire, incur no sin if they discard their
[outer] garments, provided they do not aim at a showy
display of [their] charms. But [even so,] it is better for them
to abstain [from this]: and God is all-hearing, all-knowing
(Surah Nur:60)

19. Summary—Covering Properly
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Simple, loose-fitting material that goes over
the clothes we have on
Does not reveal the shape of the body
Keep appearance simple and modest
Muslim dress code is not a hindrance but an
honor for us
Not a means to put us down, but to uplift us
This is freedom, not oppression

20. What is Modest Dress?

21. Hayaa in Dress cont’d

22. Other Issues Related to Hijab
Satr in front of a man and satr in front of a
woman
 What is niqaab?
Facing Issues at work/school such as shaking
hands, patting on the back
 Mixed gatherings, mingling, and how
organizations differ
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23. Things to Consider…
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Talking to our children/spouse/family
Safe internet and television use
Reminding ourselves of the beauty of
hijab, holding it dear to our hearts
Taking small steps towards proper hijab
Remembering our Lord and the afterlife
Righteous friends
Inculcating in ourselves and others the
love of Qur’an and Hadith—gaining
knowledge!

24. Praying for this Lost Virtue…
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The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
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“Hayaa and trustworthiness will be the first to go from
this world; therefore, keep asking Allah (swt) for them”
(Bukhari)

25. Final Encouragement!
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“The only response of believers,
whenever they are summoned unto
God and His Apostle in order that
[the divine writ] might judge
between them, can be no other
than, “We have heard, and we pay
heed!”- and it is they, they who
shall attain to a happy state”
(Nur:51)

26. May Allah (swt) make us the
shining examples of hayaa in the
world, make us true mohsinahs,
and give us success in this life
and in the hereafter..
AMEEN…