Haya (modesty)

الحياء

Haya (modesty) is lexically a change and recoil that comes upon a person from fear of what would bring blame; in the law it is a quality that moves a person away from ugly acts and words and prevents negligence toward one with a right. ^{1 2} The article separates it from khajal (shame showing in the face), from badhaa (foul speech), and from waqaha (brazenness). ^{1 2} Among the sayings: modesty is part of faith, and modesty adorns whatever it is in. ² The article goes on to the rulings on modesty and is not complete on these pages. ² The sayings on modesty make it a branch of faith, a thing that brings only good, a form of duty toward God who must be guarded in head and belly and remembering death; modesty that keeps one from learning religion is not legal modesty. ^{3 4 5} Modesty before wrongdoers and not commanding right is weakness, not modesty; a sum taken from another only out of modesty is like usurped property and must be returned. ^{5 6}