Topics/Modesty

Modesty

5 items across 3 content types

Questions (2)

beginner
Comparative Religion

What do the Bible and the Qur'an agree on?

Far more than most people realise. The Bible and the Qur'an both declare that God is absolutely one (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Qur'an 112:1), both command sincere private prayer (Matthew 6:5-6; Qur'an 2:45), both record fasting as an act of worship (Matthew 4:2; Joel 2:12; Qur'an 2:183), both prohibit pork (Leviticus 11:7-8; Qur'an 2:173) and intoxicants (Proverbs 20:1; Qur'an 5:90), both call for modesty in dress (1 Timothy 2:9; Qur'an 24:31), and both foreground care for orphans and the poor as markers of authentic faith (James 1:27; Qur'an 2:177). Even Jesus' posture in prayer — falling on his face (Matthew 26:39) — is the same prostration performed by every Muslim five times daily.

beginner
Women in Islam

Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil?

Far from degrading women, the hijab was prescribed to protect and honor them. Notably, the Qur'an addresses men first — commanding them to lower their gaze and guard their modesty before prescribing hijab for women. Islam uplifted women's status 1,400 years ago by granting them property rights, inheritance, education, and consent in marriage at a time when other civilizations treated women as subhuman property.

Articles (1)

Article

Common Ground: Bible Teachings That Align with the Qur'an and Islamic Practice

From monotheism to fasting, modesty to caring for orphans — the parallels between the Qur'an and the Bible are more extensive than most people realise.

TheOpenQuran Research

One of the most effective approaches in interfaith dialogue is to build on shared foundations. Muslims and Christians — and Muslims and Jews — share far more in common than their differences suggest. This article explores specific Bible verses that directly parallel Quranic teachings: the same insistence on one God, the same call to sincere private prayer, the same practice of fasting, the same prohibition of pork and alcohol, the same call to modesty, the same emphasis on caring for orphans and the poor. The Bible does not merely tolerate these Islamic practices — it commands them.

Hadith (2)

Hadith
Sahih Muslim 54
Sahih

الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ

Al-imanu bid'un wa sab'una aw bid'un wa sittuna shu'bah, fa afdaluha qawlu la ilaha illallah, wa adnaha imatat al-adha 'an at-tariq, wal-haya'u shu'batun min al-iman

The Prophet said: 'Faith has over seventy branches. The highest is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, the lowest is removing something harmful from the road, and modesty is a branch of faith.'

Narrated by Abu Hurairah

This hadith presents faith as a spectrum of actions ranging from the most profound theological declaration to the simplest act of civic responsibility. By including 'removing something harmful from the road,' it demonstrates that even small acts of public service are expressions of faith. Modesty (haya) is specifically highlighted as integral to belief.
Hadith
Sahih al-Bukhari 9
Sahih

الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً، وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ

Al-imanu bid'un wa sittuna shu'bah, wal-haya'u shu'batun min al-iman

The Prophet said: 'Faith consists of more than sixty branches, and Haya (modesty, self-respect, bashfulness, and scruple) is a part of faith.'

Narrated by Abu Hurairah

This hadith establishes modesty (haya) not as a cultural preference or social nicety but as an integral part of faith itself. The word 'haya' in Arabic encompasses a rich spectrum of meaning: modesty, self-respect, bashfulness, shame before God, and moral scruple. By naming it as one of the branches of faith, Islam elevates modesty from a personal trait to a spiritual obligation. The companion narration in Sahih Muslim (54) adds that the highest branch is the declaration of monotheism and the lowest is removing something harmful from a path — showing faith ranges from the profound to the practical.