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True shyness includes protecting the head and stomach, remembrance of death, and affliction

Written by Jallow Abdullah on . Posted in Morals and Manners - 'Akhlaaq', Purification of The Soul, Scholars of Islam, Worship - 'Ibaadah'.

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Abdullah Bin Mas’ud [may Allah be pleased with him] said that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Be shy of Allah (in a manner) that shyness should be”. They (i.e. the companions of the Prophet) said, “We do feel shy of Allah, and all praise and thanks be to Allah”. The prophet said, “It is not like that; rather the one who is truly shy of Allah, let him safeguard his head and what it carries; safeguards the stomach and what it carries; remembers death and affliction. And he who wants the Hereafter should do away with the adornments of this life, then indeed he is truly shy of Allah [The Mighty and Majestic]”.

Al-Mubaarakfooree [may Allah have mercy upon him] commented on the statement of the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him], “Be shy of Allah (in a manner) that shyness should be”– Meaning, “A firm, abiding and truthful shyness”.

And regarding the statement of the companions of the Prophet, “We do feel shy of Allah”, Al-Mubaarakfooree said, “They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! We do feel shy of Allah and all praise and thanks be to Allah’, but they did not say, ‘We are truly shy of Allah’ due to their acknowledgment of the fact that they are unable to do so”. And regarding their statement, ‘And all praise and thanks be to Allaah’ – Meaning, all praise and thanks be to Allaah for granting us Tawfeeq [i.e. for guiding and enabling us to perform righteous deeds].

And regarding the statement of the Messenger, “It (i.e. shyness) is not like that”. Al-Mubaarakfooree said, “Meaning, true shyness is not what you think; rather it is to safeguard all the limbs from what is not pleasing to Allah”.

And regarding the statement of the Messenger, “Rather the one who is truly shy of Allah, let him safeguard his head and what it carries; safeguards the stomach and what it carries; remembers death and affliction. And he who wants the Hereafter should do away with the adornments of this life, then indeed he is truly shy of Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic]”. Al-Mubaarakfooree said, “Meaning, safeguard the head by refraining from utilising it in disobedience to Allaah – that you do not make prostrate to other than Allaah and refrain from showoff whilst praying. Neither lower your head (in humility) for other than the sake of Allah nor raise it out of pride. And with regards to what the head carries, such as the tongue, the eyes, and the ears, do not utilise them for Haraam. Safeguard the stomach by refraining from eating Haraam as well as safeguarding what is connected to it – such as the private parts, the legs, the two hands, and the heart- (from what is Haraam)”.

And regarding the statement of the Prophet, “Remembers death and affliction”– Meaning, “Remember death and your abode in the grave”. And regarding the statement, “And he who wants the Hereafter should do away with the adornments of this life”– Meaning, “Because the two cannot be combined in a perfect manner, even those who are strong (in Eemaan) cannot do so (i.e. perfect desire for the afterlife has to be combined with abandoning those enjoyable things of the worldly life which one can do without). So, whoever does this (i.e. the things mentioned this hadeeth), then indeed he is truly shy of Allah.

[An Excerpt from “Tuhfatul Ahwadhy. 7/131]