Shame series - The concept of haya in Qur'an -Nouman Ali Khan

The Qur'an discusses indecency more than decency.

Haya is the same root word as Hayaat(life).  So haya is one of the most natural things to have. It is part of fitrah.

Some cultures teach the opposite. They think that clothes are made by humans and are contaminated by sins and our natural state is to be naked so even the Quraiysh used to worship gods naked in their tawaaf. Western societies teach that humans were naturally like animals without shame.

7:10

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Sahih International

And We have certainly established you upon the earth and made for you therein ways of livelihood. Little are you grateful.

7:11

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Sahih International

And We have certainly created you, [O Mankind], and given you [human] form. Then We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated.

7:12

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[ Allah ] said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" [Satan] said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay."

7:13

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[ Allah ] said, "Descend from Paradise, for it is not for you to be arrogant therein. So get out; indeed, you are of the debased.

7:14

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[Satan] said, "Reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected."

7:15

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[ Allah ] said, "Indeed, you are of those reprieved."

7:16

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[Satan] said, "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path.

7:17

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Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You]."

7:18

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Sahih International

[ Allah ] said, "Get out of Paradise, reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them - I will surely fill Hell with you, all together."

7:19

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Sahih International

And "O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat from wherever you will but do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers."

7:20

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Sahih International

But Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was concealed from them of their private parts. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal."

7:21

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Sahih International

And he swore [by Allah ] to them, "Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors."

7:22

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Sahih International

So he made them fall, through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten together over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And their Lord called to them, "Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is to you a clear enemy?"

7:23

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Sahih International

They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."

7:24

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[ Allah ] said, "Descend, being to one another enemies. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time."

7:25

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He said, "Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth."

7:26

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Sahih International

O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.

7:27

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Sahih International

O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them. Indeed, We have made the devils allies to those who do not believe.

7:28

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Sahih International

And when they commit an immorality, they say, "We found our fathers doing it, and Allah has ordered us to do it." Say, "Indeed, Allah does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah that which you do not know?"

7:29

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Sahih International

Say, [O Muhammad], "My Lord has ordered justice and that you maintain yourselves [in worship of Him] at every place [or time] of prostration, and invoke Him, sincere to Him in religion." Just as He originated you, you will return [to life] -

Allah begins Surah Araf by saying don't feel bad about what people are saying. Don't feel any distress while conveying Allah's message to people. People may feel distressed when people do not respond positively.

We settled you on the Earth and especially for you we put all kinds of means to live well. Living on earth is a gift from Allah and NOT a punishment. Maayesh is from Maeesha(a life that is well lived, aish may rehna). People have the misconception that Islam does not want you to enjoy yourself. This is also used to describe Paradise(eeshatin raazia). So there is a glimpse of that aiysh in dunya as well. Enjoyment comes when you get what you desire. You fulfill your cravings. Allah says I am the one who created you so Allah knows best what he put inside us.

Shaytaan's disbelief is his disobedience. So disobedience amounts to disbelief. People defend their disobedience by saying that at least they believe in Allah. Shaytaan ALSO believed in Allah but we disbelieved. Shaytaan thought he was better and had ujab. That is what we remind ourselves in salaah that Allah is AKBAR.

Shaytaan blames us because he thinks we are the reason he got into trouble.YOU made me slip. Shaytaan is always in ambush and trying to attack at the right moment. He will come to people from their right and left(when they are in good company or bad) and from behind them(when they are making progress). So shaytaan will even slip in when we are doing something good. He ruins our good deeds by affecting their quality or my contaminating them with the wrong intentions. He says that you will find most of them ungrateful, because Allah has given us so many blessings that we can enjoy in the halal way and there are very few restrictions/things that have been made haram, but if we still go after those very few things and cross lines then we are truly ungrateful.
I will fill hellfire with ALL of you,all of them. This is a direct warning from Allah to those among us who follow Shaytaan.

Allah says enter into Jannah, ALL of it. So the whole of jannah is our house. Its size is the size of the whole of heavens and earth combined or actually bigger than that. Don't go near THIS tree. THIS tells that the haram is always going to be near. You've got to watch out for it. Although Jannah is so big, the tree could have been so far that Adam AS would have never seen it, but Allah kept it in his access. It is part of the challenge of humanity that the forbidden is kept close to us as a test. Shaytaan was humiliated by Allah SWT for not prostrating to Adam AS so he wanted to take revenge by seeing us humiliated.He keeps coming to us from every direction and gives waswasas and we start thinking that those thoughts are our own.

Shaytaans ultimate goal was to make visible what was hidden of their private parts. Clothes are a gift for us and they were a gift in Jannah. Shaytaan wanted to expose their shame and he wants to do the same to humanity. We were not born with clothes but clothes were a divine gift from Allah. Allah created a creature which was just skin and then gifted it with clothes. Shaytaan wants us to not make a big deal out of clothes. Allah used the word Sauaa to show that it was something ugly to look at. So it is not in our inherent nature to find nudity beautiful. Nudity has been called ugliness in the Quran. But when our nature becomes corrupt we find it beautiful.

When Adam AS was in Jannah, Allah didn't say udkhul biha(live here forever). Allah said uskun(Settle here). Uskun means there was motion before and now there's a stop. The stop doesn't have to be permanent. Allah said I have created you for Earth.  Iblees already knew that. So Shaytaan told Adam AS that only Angels or permanent residents get to live here forever(greencard holders). Shaytaan tempted him to eat from the tree so that he could live in Jannah forever.

Dalla is to rope someone in like a bucket, bit by bit,like you pull on a bucket. The tree was accessible but to eat the fruit, you need to climb. Allah told Adam not to go near the TREE, not the fruit. He didn't say don't climb and get fruit. Allah told Adam AS not to go near something that can lead him to wrong. Didn't I tell you not to go near THAT tree? THAT shows that they had gone away from that tree and Shaytaan roped them back in.

Clothing is part of revelation. Disregarding clothing is disregarding a piece of revelation. Allah says WE have bestowed clothing upon you. It is a gift from Allah which was taken away momentarily from Adam AS and Hawa AS and then they were honoured again when they came to Earth. It will cover your shame. Shaytaan comes from left and right and front and behind but clothes come from ABOVE. The protection came from above. Clothes were both to conceal and as an adornment. Islam doesn't require us to look ugly. Don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself through provocative clothes.

3:14

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Sahih International

Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return.

The desire of women was put in men. It is a reality. Branded horses are now replaced by branded cars. Cattle represent the business and trade or everything we invest in and possess. The crop is the output and the profit.

Boys suddenly develop an attraction towards girls when they grow up and it's worse in this age now because PDA and open affection is so common. Even in disney and cartoon movies and animations, they slip in sexuality.The idea of romance is injected in children who don't even have these feelings yet. Liking a girl and dating etc are concepts introduced prematurely to children. It corrupts and damages minds and feelings. Pornography is a global problem and has become a big industry.

Every parent needs to have a conversation with their child about these issues. Because if we don't, then their friends will,and they will give them the wrong ideas. We don't make our children comfortable enough to discuss their issues with us. So they turn to their friends. We need to make sure we know what our children are watching and doing. People are overexposed to shamelessness so the moment they hit teenage, they want to get married to fulfill their lust. The only thing they know about the relationship between man and woman is lust. It is like the relationship between animals. It ruins the marriage because people want to experience the filth they see on media.

Allah says the reason you should get married is that you want to bring women into your fort. Muhsin is the one who keeps the fort protected and keeps the horses inside. You should not get married only to fulfill your lust or satisfy your hormones.

Children should be made comfortable enough to discuss issues with you without fear of you going crazy. If we deal emotionally and intimidate them then they will never tell again. Even women are involved in such activities like in the story of Yusuf AS.