Musings of a Muslim Lion/Singa: Gems from Prophet: Master of Change

Excellent notes from the course:

The Companions said that our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was more modest than a virgin in her quarters.

Our Lady, Fatima Zahra (May Allah be pleased with her) was fasting with Sayyidina Ali (May Allah ennoble his face) for three days and they only had one loaf of bread and some water. Each day, someone would knock. “Who’s there?” A response came, A pauper, O people of the Prophetic House.” Sayyidina Ali would turn to his wife, may Allah be pleased with them both. She replied, “Give him the loaf as I will feel ashamed in front of God if I turn away a poor person empty-handed.”
On the second day, an orphan came. On the third day, a prisoner of war came and the same happened.
On the surface, sense of shame was there even in hardships.

Modesty is not just to feel ashamed. It’s deeper than this. It’s a feeling in the heart of the believer. It’s the heart that makes him leave and do certain things. It’s adab, courtesy. In the believer, it’s to have adab as the believer has vigilance with Allah. That’s why it’s real. Very real!

Thinking what others think isn’t real modesty as he’ll do other things when people leave. Only good from this is that at least society isn’t openly promoting this so it can’t be a norm and it will be a preventative of promoting. This can turn to calamity if it’s the only reason. You know why? It makes these bad things to be done underground. It’s like a state of hypocrisy. It’s like a cancer which spreads unnoticeably.

This sense of modesty is loftier, better, purer and more majestic as one is vigilant of the Divine Presence and they don’t do something when God is watching them as it’s displeasing to Him. This grows in the heart and when it is cultivated can take you to Sidiqeen. This can take you to the degree of ascent. The degree of one who does good deeds out of fear of hell to one who does good deeds out of modesty before God.

He knows that which is manifest and that which is hidden. This is modesty. How will I approach Him when He knows?
A person who’s like this, they will experience life with a different pleasure.

Our Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) wanted to see Abyssinians dancing with spears on the Day of Eid. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) looked at her and noticed this. He said, “O Aisha, would you like to see them play?”
She replied, “Yes.” Our Prophet Muhammad stood and she stood behind him, looking over his shoulders. Her hayah was such that she wanted to look but not be looked at door. He stood at the door and said, “Are you bored yet?” She replied, “not yet.” When she got bored, she rested her cheek on his shoulder. This is the shoulder that left the earth and transcended heavens, it went to the Lote tree and went beyond where Gabriel stopped. We need to understand this reality.

Men need to understand that we enjoy that which is permissible. Who’ll be more modest than Our Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, and more protective than our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him?

Those with modesty enjoy life to its intensity.

Wasn’t Our Prophet Muhammad’s life enjoyable? For sure. It was sanctified and beautiful. They enjoyed life. No-one experienced pleasures of life like they did. They didn’t need to take off the vestment of beauty to enjoy that.

I can enjoy life with modesty as long as it’s not based for others.

Young men and women have the same rules. Hayah should be present for both. Neither men nor women had such modesty like our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Protect yourself with the Shariah (Sacred Law). It’ll protect you inwardly and outwardly. Tie it with love and compassion. This is the foundation of any relation.

More to follow, in sha Allah.