Ghayrah: A Vital Muslim Trait in Increasing Decline

Sayyidunā Abu Hurayrah radiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

“Indeed Allāh Ta’ālā displays Ghayrah and a believer also experiences and displays Ghayrah. The Ghayrah of Allāh Ta’ālā (comes to the fore) when a believer does that which Allāh Ta’ālā has forbidden.” [Bukhārī & Muslim]

A Muslim’s Ghayrah for Islām

Ghayrah is a quality that is desired by Allāh Ta’ālā. For ease of understanding, let us explain Ghayrat in light of Hayā’ – translated as modesty and shame. When a person has modesty and shame, then he will experience Ghayrah. If someone is modest, then they will not be able to endure witnessing, doing, or experiencing anything immodest. This feeling of not being able to bear immodesty is termed as Ghayrah.

In Islām, human traits and characteristics do not need to be erased. Rather, Muslims are required to control them; to place each in its respective place, to be displayed at the appropriate occasion. For example, every person becomes angry. Islām does not ask us to kill off our anger. It teaches us that we must control it, and that we do not vent it via the wrong avenues. Islām requires us to utilize our anger in the correct place, like becoming angry for the sake of Allāh Ta’ālā when we see a command of Allāh Ta’ālā being trampled upon.

The same rule applies to Ghayrah. If a person experiences Ghayrah, then he or she must utilize this quality and trait correctly, without infringing upon the rights of others. When a person has Ghayrah, he or she will also take offence at the commands of Allāh Ta’ālā being broken, misinterpreted, mocked and so on – whether this is done openly or not. Ghayrah is a very praiseworthy quality, but in order to bring about an end to the disobedience of Allāh Ta’ālā, it must be controlled and then manifested with wisdom.

In a report found in both Sahīh al-Bukhārī and Sahīh Muslim, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is reported to have said that he also has Ghayrah and the Ghayrah of Allāh Ta’ālā is much more than His. It is on account of His Ghayrah that He forbade evil and wrong; lewdness and indecency.

Now here comes the Modernist twist. When a true believer displays Ghayrah, the Modernist emerges, guns blazing, proclaiming: ‘you’re too harsh man,’ ‘adopt Hikmah brother,’ ‘be diplomatic about it.’ If the Modernist was in agreement regarding a certain action being wrong and evil, why do they not adopt Hikmah and work towards preventing it? They don’t. Why? Because inwardly they have a deficiency in their Ghayrah for Islām, or they have no Ghayrah at all. They prefer to see the evil and wrong being perpetrated. Then they jump on the ‘abuse’ and ‘harassment’ wagon, calling out this one and that one. Subhānallāh, where is the shame and modesty? Where is the Ghayrah?

A Muslim’s Ghayrah for Their Family

This Ghayrah deficiency, or complete absence of Ghayrah, has repercussions that do not bode well. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

“Three types of people will never enter Paradise; the dayyūth, the woman who resembles a man, and the one addicted to alcohol.” [Nasā’ī, Ahmad]

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam was asked about a dayyūth. He said:

‘The one who does not care about who mixes with his wife.’

This is a clear indication that when a person has a sense of Ghayrah, he will protect his womenfolk and guard their honour. However, when a man has no Ghayrah, he will allow the shame and modesty of his wife, daughter, sister and mother to evaporate and disappear.

The liberal world around us calls on us to adopt feminist attitudes, whereas our faith in Allāh Ta’ālā, and the life of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam and his spouses and daughters, is all directly opposed to this. Contrary to what the liberals and feminists allege, having Ghayrah does not equal being insecure.

While a man should be concerned about his womenfolk, the womenfolk must also take care to guard their own honor, and the honor of their husbands, by ensuring that their menfolk do not mix and intermingle with females.

No matter the pretext, no scholar or genuine Muslim brother should ever be intermingling, socialising or joking around with females, just as no genuine Muslim sister should ever be intermingling, socialising or joking around with males.

When you see someone doing this, advise them with wisdom and help them find their way back to the path of modesty and shame. May Allāh Ta’ālā help us all. Āmīn.

Source: Tarjumān As-Sunnah vol.2 pp.177-179

Mufti Abdullah Moolla