Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (92) | Chapter on modesty and its virtues, and chapter on keeping secrets

0:00 *Riyadh al-Salihin* (The Meadows of the Righteous) from the Words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

0:09 Chapter: Modesty, Its Virtues, and the Encouragement to Adopt It as a Character Trait

0:16 On the authority of Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both,

0:22 that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed by a man from the Ansar

0:28 who was admonishing his brother regarding modesty.

0:31 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

0:34 "Leave him, for modesty is part of faith."

0:38 Agreed upon.

0:40 "Admonishing" means advising him in a reproving manner.

0:44 "Leave him" means let him remain with this noble trait.

0:49 Among the benefits of this hadith:

0:53 Modesty is a branch of faith,

0:57 because it prevents a person from committing sins, just as faith prevents him.

1:02 The obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil,

1:06 and that clarifying a ruling must not be delayed beyond the time of need.

1:10 On the authority of 'Imran Ibn Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:

1:15 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

1:19 "Modesty brings nothing but good."

1:23 Agreed upon.

1:25 In a narration by Muslim:

1:28 "Modesty is entirely good,"

1:30 or he said:

1:32 "Modesty is all good."

1:35 Among the benefits of this hadith:

1:38 Encouragement to adopt the character trait of modesty,

1:41 and that it is beneficial for both the individual and society,

1:44 because it leads one to perform good deeds and abandon evil ones.

1:48 What is meant by modesty in these hadiths is the Islamically praised modesty.

1:54 As for the timidity that leads to neglecting duties

1:58 or the fear of confronting those who commit evil deeds,

2:01 it is not Islamically praised modesty;

2:03 rather, it is weakness, humiliation, and cowardice,

2:06 even if it is named modesty

2:08 due to its outward resemblance to Islamically praised modesty.

2:13 On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,

2:17 that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

2:21 "Faith has seventy-odd,

2:24 or sixty-odd, branches.

2:27 The highest of them is saying *La ilaha illa Allah* (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah),

2:30 and the lowest is removing a harmful object from the road,

2:34 and modesty is a branch of faith."

2:38 Agreed upon.

2:40 "Odd" (*biḍ'*) refers to a number from three to ten.

2:45 "Branch" (*shu'bah*) means a piece or a trait.

2:49 "Removing" (*imāṭah*) means clearing away, and "harmful object" (*adhā*)

2:53 includes anything that harms you, such as stones, thorns, mud,

2:57 ashes, filth, and the like.

3:00 On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

3:04 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was

3:08 more modest than a virgin in her private room.

3:12 If he saw something he disliked, we would recognize it on his face.

3:17 Agreed upon.

3:19 The scholars said:

3:21 The reality of modesty is an inner trait that prompts the abandonment of bad deeds

3:25 and prevents falling short in fulfilling the rights of others.

3:28 We narrated on the authority of Abu al-Qasim al-Junayd, may Allah have mercy on him, who said:

3:34 "Modesty is recognizing divine favors—

3:37 that is, blessings—and recognizing one's own shortcomings;

3:41 between these two, a state is born called modesty."

3:46 "Virgin" (*'adhrā'*) refers to an unmarried woman

3:49 who has never been touched by a man.

3:52 "Private room" (*khidr*) is a curtained corner within the house.

3:57 "We would recognize it on his face" means through the change in his facial expression,

4:02 as he would not speak due to the intensity of his modesty.

4:06 Among the benefits of this hadith:

4:09 The necessity of emulating the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in modesty,

4:14 because modesty is a noble character trait.

4:17 Modesty is an innate trait in women.

4:22 Chapter: Keeping Secrets

4:27 Allah Almighty says:

4:30 “Come not near the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better till he come to strength; and keep the covenant. Lo! of the covenant it will be asked.” (17:34)

4:36 On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

4:41 The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

4:45 "Among the most evil of people in status before Allah on the Day of Resurrection

4:50 is a man who lies with his wife and she lies with him,

4:54 and then he discloses her secret."

4:56 Narrated by Muslim.

4:58 "Lies with" (*yufḍī*) is an allusion to marital intimacy.

5:03 "Discloses her secret"

5:05 means mentioning to people the details of what occurs between him and his wife in privacy,

5:11 whether during intimacy or the foreplay preceding it.

5:15 Among the benefits of this hadith:

5:19 Divulging marital intimate secrets is a major sin,

5:23 due to the severe warning mentioned regarding it.

5:26 Among the reciprocal rights of spouses is

5:30 preserving each other's secrets.

5:33 On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both,

5:38 that when Hafsah became a widow, 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,

5:43 said: "I met 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan, may Allah be pleased with him,

5:47 and offered Hafsah to him in marriage.

5:50 I said: 'If you wish, I will marry Hafsah, daughter of 'Umar, to you.'

5:55 He said: 'I will consider my matter.'

5:58 So I waited a few nights,

6:00 then he met me and said:

6:02 'It has become clear to me that I should not marry at this time.'

6:06 Then I met Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him,

6:10 and said: 'If you wish, I will marry Hafsah, daughter of 'Umar, to you.'

6:15 Abu Bakr remained silent

6:18 and did not give me any reply.

6:21 I felt more upset with him than I was with 'Uthman.

6:25 So I waited a few nights,

6:27 and then the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked for her hand in marriage,

6:31 and I married her to him.

6:33 Afterwards, Abu Bakr met me and said:

6:36 'Perhaps you were upset with me when you offered Hafsah to me

6:40 and I gave you no reply?'

6:43 I said: 'Yes.'

6:45 He said:

6:46 'Nothing prevented me from replying to your offer

6:51 except that I knew the Prophet, peace be upon him, had mentioned her,

6:57 and I was not one to divulge the secret of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.

7:02 Had the Prophet, peace be upon him, left her, I would have accepted her.'"

7:08 Narrated by al-Bukhari.

7:10 His saying "became a widow" (*ta'ayyamat*)

7:12 means she was left without a husband,

7:14 as her husband had passed away, may Allah be pleased with him.

7:18 "I felt upset" (*wajadtu*) means I became angry.

7:22 "I waited" (*labithtu*) means I stayed waiting.

7:26 "It became clear" (*badā*) means it appeared to me.

7:29 "More upset" (*awjad*) means more angry.

7:33 "To divulge" (*li-ufshiya*) means to spread and disclose.

7:37 Among the benefits of this hadith:

7:39 The permissibility of a person offering his daughter or sister in marriage to people of goodness and righteousness,

7:45 due to the benefit that returns to the woman offered.

7:50 The virtue of keeping secrets and taking great care to conceal them.

7:54 However, if the owner of the secret discloses it himself,

7:56 the burden of confidentiality is lifted from whoever heard it.

7:59 Gentle admonition does not spoil affection;

8:03 rather, reproof is proportional to love, as it is said.

8:07 That is why 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was more upset with Abu Bakr

8:12 than he was with 'Uthman,

8:15 because of the abundance of mutual love and high esteem

8:18 that existed between 'Umar and Abu Bakr.

8:23 It is recommended for one to accept a valid excuse when it is presented.

8:29 A previously married woman still requires a guardian for marriage, just like a virgin,

8:33 and she may not conduct her own marriage contract.

8:35 On the authority of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said:

8:40 "The wives of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, were with him

8:45 when Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, came walking,

8:48 and her gait was identical to that of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.

8:55 When he saw her, he welcomed her and said:

8:59 'Welcome, my daughter!'

9:01 Then he seated her to his right or to his left.

9:05 He then whispered to her,

9:07 and she wept bitterly.

9:10 When he saw her grief,

9:12 he whispered to her a second time,

9:14 and she smiled.

9:16 I said to her:

9:18 'The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, singled you out

9:21 among his wives to share a secret,

9:24 and yet you weep?'

9:26 When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stood up,

9:30 I asked her:

9:32 'What did the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say to you?'

9:36 She said:

9:37 'I am not one to divulge the secret of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.'

9:43 When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, passed away,

9:47 I said: 'I adjure you by the right I have over you

9:52 that you tell me what the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said to you.'

9:58 She replied: 'Now, yes.

10:02 As for when he whispered to me the first time,

10:06 he informed me that Jibril used to review the Qur'an with him once or twice every year,

10:13 and that he had reviewed it with him twice this year,

10:16 and "I see my appointed time of death as having drawn near;

10:20 so fear Allah and be patient,

10:23 for I am an excellent predecessor for you."

10:26 So I wept as you saw.

10:29 When he saw my grief, he whispered to me a second time and said:

10:34 "O Fatimah, are you not pleased to be the leader of the believing women,

10:39 or the leader of the women of this Ummah?"

10:43 So I laughed as you saw.'"

10:46 Agreed upon,

10:48 and this is the wording of Muslim.

10:52 "Gait" (*mishyah*) refers to the manner of walking.

10:55 "Welcome to you" (*marḥaban bik*)

10:57 means you have arrived at a spacious and comfortable place.

11:00 "He saw her grief" (*jaza'ahā*)

11:02 means her weakness in bearing what she heard.

11:05 "I adjure you" (*'azamtu 'alayki*)

11:08 means I bind you by oath through the right I have over you,

11:11 which is her status as the Mother of the Believers,

11:14 the wife of the Prophet, peace be upon him,

11:17 and his beloved.

11:19 "Reviewing the Qur'an" (*yu'āriḍu al-Qur'ān*)

11:21 means studying the Qur'an together,

11:23 which is a reciprocal process from both sides:

11:26 the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, would recite

11:30 while Jibril, peace be upon him, listened,

11:33 and then Jibril, peace be upon him, would recite

11:36 while the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, listened.

11:40 Among the benefits of this hadith:

11:44 A statement on the virtue of Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her,

11:47 and that she is the leader of the women of this Ummah.

11:51 The hadith is among the proofs of prophethood,

11:55 as the Messenger, peace be upon him, informed his daughter

11:59 of the proximity of his passing

12:01 and let her know that she would be the first of his household to join him,

12:05 and it occurred exactly as the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, informed.

12:10 The permissibility of weeping that is free from screaming, wailing,

12:14 lamentation, slapping cheeks, and tearing garments,

12:18 for it is a mercy that Allah has placed in the heart of His believing servant.

12:23 The recommendation of keeping secrets and not disclosing them

12:26 until the reason for withholding them ceases to exist.

12:29 Affirming the rights of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

12:34 over all believing men and women,

12:36 for they are indeed the Mothers of the Believers.

12:39 Reciting the Qur'an before proficient memorizers and reviewing it with them

12:44 is among the essential means of preserving and consolidating its memorization;

12:47 it is an established Sunnah practiced among the people and memorizers of the Qur'an.

12:51 Therefore, every memorizer ought to regularly review and maintain what they have memorized.

12:56 The validity of drawing inferences from circumstantial indicators,

12:59 for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

13:02 inferred from Gabriel's reviewing the Qur'an with him twice—

13:06 whereas he used to review it with him only once every year—

13:10 the nearness of his appointed time and the approach of his departure from this world.

13:14 On the authority of Thabit, from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

13:20 "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to me

13:24 while I was playing with other young boys,

13:26 and he greeted us with peace.

13:28 Then he sent me on an errand,

13:30 which caused me to be late returning to my mother.

13:32 When I arrived,

13:34 she asked, 'What kept you?'

13:36 I said,

13:38 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent me on an errand.'

13:42 She asked, 'What was his errand?'

13:45 I replied, 'It is a secret.'

13:48 She said, 'Do not disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to anyone!'

13:57 Anas said,

13:59 'By Allah, if I were ever to tell it to anyone,

14:02 I would certainly have told you, O Thabit.'"

14:05 Related by Muslim,

14:07 and al-Bukhari related part of it in abridged form.

14:10 "I was delayed" (fa-abta'tu)

14:12 means: I was late and my absence lasted longer than usual.

14:15 "What kept you?" (ma habasaka)

14:17 means: What detained or prevented you?

14:20 Among the benefits derived from this hadith:

14:22 The great virtue of Anas ibn Malik,

14:24 his remarkable gentleness,

14:26 the sincerity of his trustworthiness and loyalty,

14:29 and his meticulous keeping of the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),

14:33 both during his lifetime and after his death.

14:36 The excellent upbringing provided by Umm Sulaym to her son,

14:39 as she instructed him never to disclose

14:42 the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

14:45 Keeping the secrets of one's brethren and not divulging them

14:49 is among the noblest of manners and Islamic etiquettes.

14:54 What must be understood regarding the preservation of secrets

14:57 is that it is impermissible to divulge a secret

14:59 if doing so would cause harm to its owner during his lifetime.

15:03 Likewise, if he passes away and it is known that revealing it would bring him reproach or dishonor,

15:07 it is not permissible to mention that secret.

15:10 However, if disclosing it highlights a virtue or honor for him,

15:13 then there is no harm in mentioning it.

15:15 If keeping a secret would result in unlawful bloodshed,

15:19 the violation of illicit intimacy,

15:21 or the unlawful seizure of property,

15:24 then keeping it is strictly forbidden;

15:27 rather, it becomes obligatory to warn against and prevent such wrongdoing.

15:30 Riyad al-Salihin.

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (92) | Chapter on modesty and its virtues, and chapter on keeping secrets

Transcript