Salams everyone!
So this article discusses a very important topic; and that topic is modesty. It was published in a very special issue of the SuperMuslims magazine and I advise all of you to check out the rest of the awesome articles. Links are provided at the bottom!
Happy Friday!!
The Most Truthful in Modesty
By:
Habiba Ghanem
Modesty is a highly important part
of Islam, and sadly we live in a world where we are exposed to many things that
we should not be exposed to. Just like Ustad Nouman Ali Khan pointed out, the
more that we are exposed to these shameful things the less shameful that they
seem to us.
There was a great companion, who
exemplified modesty. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "The most
compassionate of my Ummah is Abu Bakr; the staunchest
in Allah’s Religion is `Umar; and the most truthful in his modesty is
`Uthman."
There are three types
of modesty; spiritual, intellectual, and physical. Uthman ibn Affan
unquestionably exemplified all those types of modesty.
To achieve spiritual
modesty one should be grateful to Allah (SWT), one should know that you cannot
achieve anything with out Allah’s (SWT). But how should one show
gratitude? Abdelrahman Murphy, says that
simply; “You use what He gave you for His sake.” When there was famine across
the Muslim Ummah, Uthman ibn Affan pulled up with a caravan full of goods. When
Muslims offered their prices he told them that he had a better offer. They
increased their offer, but he insisted that he had a better offer. When they
asked him what the better offer was he said; “Allah has
offered me a 1000 percent. Can you offer me more? O Allah, I have left [my
goods] for the needy of Madinah without charge (Mosque Foundation).”
To
attain intellectual modesty, you must bear in mind that no matter how smart you
are; Allah (SWT) knows everything.
Uthman ibn Affan was a man of wealth and he was also an educated man,
but he knew that he was a servant to Allah (SWT) and he knew that only Allah
could save him from any calamity. Abu Musa narrates that; “The
Prophet (PBUH) was sitting in a leaning posture, so he sat up and said,
"Open the gate for him and give him the glad tidings of entering Paradise
with a calamity which will befall him or which will take place." I went,
and behold! It was Uthman. So I opened the gate for him and gave him the glad
tidings of entering Paradise and also informed him of what the Prophet had said
(about a calamity). 'Uthman said, "Allah Alone Whose Help I seek (against
that calamity) “(Sahih Al-Bukhari).
The third type of modesty is physical modesty. Uthman ibn Affan was very keen on being modest, that even when he was at his house with doors closed, he refused to remove his garment while taking a bath (Modest of Uthman).
Uthman ibn Affan, was
a man of greatness. He gave without expecting anything for return. He saved the
ummah from hardship, he was one of the closest companions to the Prophet
(PBUH), and Allah (SWT) promised him paradise. Despite all that greatness he
was able to remain humble, and he refused to ever let arrogance gain any form
of access to him.
Sources:
SuperMuslims:
SuperMuslims Magazine Modesty Issue:
http://issuu.com/supermuslims/docs/supermuslims_modesty
Facebook Group:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/supermuslims/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/supermuslims6
Website:
http://supermuslims.tumblr.com/
Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/SuperMuslims
For the latest updates make sure to follow Hijabymo on Twitter: @Hijabymo
Also be sure to check out my FB page: http://www.facebook.com/HijabYMO
