Hayaa' [modesty]
If hayaa is beautiful in a man, it is even more beautiful in a woman. If it is virtuous in a man, it is even more virtuous in a woman, as it only increases her in elegance. So the pinnacle of good in a woman is her hayaa', and the pinnacle of evil in a woman is her boldness and forwardness. (Something contemporary debaters see as a disease - "You're modest?! What the hell for?")
Hayaa is the watchful and vigilant protector of her virtue, and is her personal security guard that does not allow for any entity to violate her honour, or to cross into her space. And it is what prevents any filth from residing in an area that has been occupied by virtue. In fact, it separates between these two with all the power and resolve that is possible.
- Dr. Fatima Naseef, 'Huquq al-Mar'ah wa Wajibatiha fi Daw' al-Kitab was-Sunnah'; pp.116
Hayaa, often simply translated as “modesty,” is an Arabic term that is hard to translate into English. It carries meanings of shyness, beauty, conservation. It necessitates a sense of shame and decorum in a person. It is a core character for Muslims, one that we should observe with Allah, with ourselves, and with others. And to make things more beautiful, the word hayaa comes from a root which means “life” in Arabic.
Lovely - a wonderful quality for both men and women to have, but yes, more so in a woman.
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