Hayaa and hijab are important virtues for Muslim women. Hayaa means modesty and is a key quality of a mohsinah, or pure believing woman. The Prophet Muhammad taught that hayaa leads one to obey Allah and is part of having strong faith. Wearing hijab properly according to the Quran and hadith helps cultivate hayaa. This includes lowering one's gaze, voice, and covering one's beauty except before mahrams. May Allah help all believers exemplify hayaa through their character and dress.

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

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

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

5. Importance of Hayaa cont’d 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 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 Problems in today’s society: Gambling Drinking Nudity Prostitution Pornography Fornication/Adultery And more… These problems have infiltrated into Muslims as well…

8. What is the Solution? HAYAA! 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  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: Protection Chance to Sacrifice Love of His servants Peaceful Society Successful Families

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

11. Lowering Our Gaze "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 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 “ 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) The command applies to us as well Wives of the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam are our ultimate role models

14. Lowering Our Voices cont’d Examples: With friends in public In front of men Talking to professors/co-workers/classmates/neighbors Over the phone More Preventative measure Protection!

15. Covering Our Beauty “ 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 “ Not to display their adornment (zeena)…” “… except what is apparent of it…” “… extend their headcoverings over their bosoms…”

17. Who Are Our Mahrams? What is a Mahram? Husband Fathers Father-in-law Sons Husband's sons Brothers 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 “ 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 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

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

25. Final Encouragement! “ 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…