Modesty is the grace of the Almighty
What does modesty mean to you? It would be nice if everyone asked himself this question. The definition of modesty is represented in all world religions. It is associated with the concept of piety and wisdom. But in Islam, this quality is inseparably linked with the very essence of the believer.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The Almighty will add to His servant, who forgives others, nothing but greatness. Whoever shows modesty for the sake of the Almighty, He will certainly exalt him.” (Narrated by Muslim)
Scholars say that the meaning of this hadith is that the Almighty will raise such a person in this world and strengthen him in religion because of his humility, and people will respect him. And in the next world, he will also receive a high degree thanks to his modesty and meekness.
Some people, answering the above question, will say that modesty is how we dress, because our clothes should not be embarrassing and pretentious. Of course it’s so. However, modesty goes much deeper than just how we dress.
Our Lord has given us this wonderful quality as a great mercy and blessing, thanks to which many of our worldly affairs are easily resolved. Is that really possible? After all, there are a lot of those who have made the expression “impudence is the second happiness” as their slogan, mistakenly believing that this is the only way to arrange life. Now, let us make sure that being modest is beneficial in both worlds.
Modesty strengthens our faith
Modesty also includes the protection of our chastity, but that still is not its only meaning and benefit. Modest Muslims avoid arrogant and disrespectful words, they do not boast or slander, their speech is gentle.
For example, if a woman dresses impeccably in accordance with the canons of the religion, but at the same time she screams rudely at someone, waving her arms, she can hardly be called modest.
One who is modest not only looks after his appearance but his words as well. He is tactful with others and patient. And it becomes clear that modesty in Islam is really much more than neat clothes and lowered gaze. The faith of such a person is strengthened every day, which means that he will never violate the rights of others, no will harm or oppress anyone.
Modesty in conversation
If we consider modesty in conversation with people, we will find great benefit and wisdom in this as well. You have to admit, we are all pleased to talk with a person who does not interrupt, is patient and attentive to the communicator. Any one of us can shout or use harsh words, but it takes more effort to calmly listen to others and to try to understand and agree.
In addition, we ourselves can learn a lot by trying to listen patiently and by showing humility and respect for people. This practice will help us better understand different points of view and moreover it will teach us to express our opinions in reasonable and respectful words if we disagree with people.
When we are humble and kind in dealing with people, they will surely appreciate it and listen to our opinion. But if among the people we acquire a reputation as being rude and arrogant, then it will not be surprising if they begin to avoid and shy away from us.
Modesty as a defense against arrogance
We know that arrogance is dangerous for a man; it is opposite to humility and contradicts modesty. This is not only a negative trait of character, but also a sin that deprived Satan of the grace of the Almighty.
As we know from the history of Islam, it was pride and arrogance that prevented him from responding to the command of the Almighty to bow before Adam (peace be upon him) as a sign of respect.
A believer who tries to develop humility in himself, fights arrogance as well. He strives to become better in his worship and elevates the religion, showing by his behavior that true believers are noble and humble.
However, oddly enough, sometimes even modest clothing can be a source of arrogance. The believer must be very careful not to fall into the trap of thoughts such as, “I am so humble, I am probably the best Muslim”, or “This sister does not observe everything the way I do”.
If this happens, then the seed of arrogance has taken its roots in us. This will challenge true modesty, which is more than just obedience and how we look. Along with other aspects of our faith, it is of great benefit to us. Every day of our live we bow in prayer, being obedient and humble before the Almighty. At such moments, we should be as humble as possible, both internally and externally.
The external is often a reflection of the internal, so we can say that a modestly dressed believer is showing his inner modesty. This statement is true, but only partially. We must be attentive and aware in order to recognize when our external modesty does not coincide with our internal, and to do our best to correct them in time by working on ourselves.
It is necessary to remember about the mercy and benefits that we receive daily from the Almighty. Let our prayer rug become a place where we sincerely express our obedience and humility to the Creator. Our modesty is part of this humility and a guarantee that we will not allow ourselves anything that can anger the Almighty beyond the borders of this rug.
AMINA EVPATOVA
