To Be A Mohsinah… To Be A Mohsinah…

ICNA Convention 2006ICNA Sisters’ WingMain Hall Session

Saadia Z. Yunus

Who is a Mohsinah?

Surah An-Nisaa Mohsinah is a pure, believing woman

Mohsinah=chaste/pure

Main Quality of a Mohsinah is

Hayaa

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.

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

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

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)

Indecency of Today’s World

Problems in today’s society:GamblingDrinkingNudityProstitution PornographyFornication/AdulteryAnd more…

These problems have infiltrated into Muslims as well…

Check Out the Statistics!Rape

Somewhere in America, a woman is raped every 2 minutes, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Over the last two years, more than 787,000 women were the victim of a rape. (National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S.Department of Justice, 1996.) The FBI estimates that only 37% of all rapes are reported to the police. U.S. Justice Department statistics are even lower, with only 26% of all rapes or attempted rapes being reported to law enforcement officials.

Check Out the Statistics!Indecency

US pornography revenue exceeds the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC (6.2 billion) Pornographic websites: 4.2 million (12% of total websites)Daily pornographic search engine requests: 68 million (25% of total search engine requests)Breakdown of male/female visitors to pornography sites: 72% male - 28% female

(Internet Pornography Statistics By Jerry Ropelato)

What is the Solution? HAYAA!

Learning and practicing hayaaGuarding our chastity and modestyConstantly reminding ourselves of what is right and what is wrongKeep learning and absorbing more and more knowledge of our deenTeaching others the importance of hayaaHolding hayaa DEAR to our hearts

Hayaa as a Blessing

We should never see it as a burden, but rather a GIFT from Allah (swt) Allah (swt) enjoined hayaa upon us for reasons that we should be grateful for:

Protection Chance to SacrificeLove of His servantsPeaceful SocietySuccessful Families

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

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)

Which One Would He Pursue?

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)

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)

Wives of the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam are our ultimate role models

Lowering Our Voices cont’d

Examples:With friends in public

In front of men

Talking to professors/co-workers

Over the phone

More

Preventative measure

Protection!

Covering Our BeautyAnd 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)

Who is a Mahrem?

HusbandFathersFather-in-lawSonsHusband's sonsBrothersBrothers' sonsSisters' sonsWomenfolkWhat their right hands possess (slaves)Men who do not feel desireSmall children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent

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

Hayaa in Dress

Hayaa in Dress cont’d

Things to Consider…

Talking to our children/spouses

Islamic school vs. public school

Choosing the right career

Safe Internet use

Safe television use

Early marriage is important

Teaching love of Qur’an and Hadith

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)

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…AMEEN…