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عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الأَنْصَارِيِّ البَدْرِيِّ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: )إِنَّ مِمَّا أَدْرَكَ النَّاسُ مِنْ كَلَامِ النُّبُوَّةِ الأُولَى: إِذَا لَمْ تَسْتَحِ فَاصْنَعْ مَا شِئْتَ)  رَوَاهُ البُخَارِي

Translation:

Abū Masʿūd ʿUqbah ibn ʿAmr al-Anṣārī al-Badrī رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Among the words that people have retained from the earliest prophethood is: If you feel no shame, then do whatever you wish.”

Narrated by al-Bukhārī.[1]

About the Narrator

The narrator of this hadith is Abū Masʿūd ʿUqbah ibn ʿAmr ibn Thaʿlabah al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه, one of the noble Companions from the Anṣār. He is famously known as al-Badrī. Classical biographical works mention that this title was attached to him either because he resided near the waters of Badr or because he was connected to Badr itself. Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr states that he was known as al-Badrī because he settled or stayed at the water of Badr.

There is a well-known scholarly discussion regarding whether Abū Masʿūd رضي الله عنه actually participated in the Battle of Badr. Many scholars held that he did not fight at Badr, but was called al-Badrī because of his residence there. However, Imām al-Bukhārī considered him among those who witnessed Badr and cited narrations indicating this, while some scholars of Kūfah also affirmed his participation. Others, including some scholars of Madīnah, did not list him among the people of Badr. What is agreed upon, however, is that he witnessed al-ʿAqabah, and some reports mention that he was among the youngest of those who attended it. He also witnessed Uḥud and the events that followed.

Abū Masʿūd رضي الله عنه later settled in Kūfah, where he built a house and became one of the respected senior Companions there. He was known for dignity, courage, and strong self-respect. Yet his strength was not reckless; it was disciplined by faith. In one remarkable statement, he described how he had once been firm and proud in spirit, unwilling to allow anyone—ruler or otherwise—to exploit him. But when later political trials placed people before difficult choices, he preferred patience over drawing the sword and becoming involved in bloodshed. This reflects a deep prophetic understanding: true courage is not merely to fight, but to restrain oneself when fighting leads to greater corruption.

Among the most powerful incidents narrated by Abū Masʿūd al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه is the moment when he himself experienced a direct prophetic correction. He himself narrates:

“I was beating a servant of mine when I heard a voice behind me saying: ‘Know, O Abū Masʿūd, Allah has more power over you than you have over him.’ I turned around, and it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, he is free for the sake of Allah.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Had you not done so, the Fire would have touched you,’ or ‘the Fire would have scorched you.’”

In another narration, Abū Masʿūd رضي الله عنه described that he was striking the servant with a whip. He heard a voice behind him saying, “Know, O Abū Masʿūd.” Yet because of his anger, he did not immediately understand the voice. When the voice came closer, he realised that it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, saying:

“Know, O Abū Masʿūd; know, O Abū Masʿūd, that Allah has more power over you than you have over this servant.”

At that moment, the whip fell from his hand. In one wording, he said:

“The whip fell from my hand out of awe of him.”

Abū Masʿūd رضي الله عنه immediately responded with repentance and action. He did not defend himself, justify his anger, or reduce the matter to custom. Rather, he said:

“O Messenger of Allah, he is free for the sake of Allah.”

In another narration, he said:

“I will never strike a slave after this, ever again.”

Abū Masʿūd رضي الله عنه was also connected with the period of Sayyidunā ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه. When ʿAlī رضي الله عنه left for Ṣiffīn, he appointed Abū Masʿūd over Kūfah. During that time of severe internal conflict among Muslims, Abū Masʿūd رضي الله عنه expressed a position of remarkable caution. He did not consider the victory of one Muslim group over another to be true triumph. Rather, he regarded real victory as Allah bringing about reconciliation, protecting Muslim blood, and restoring unity among them. This reveals his maturity, wisdom, and painful awareness of the danger of internal strife.

Regarding his death, the sources differ. Some reports mention that he died before the year 40 AH, while others place his death around 40 AH, 41 AH, or 42 AH. A stronger view is that he lived beyond 40 AH, since reports indicate that he witnessed the governorship of al-Mughīrah over Kūfah, which occurred after that period. It is also differed whether he passed away in Kūfah or Madīnah[2].

The Status and Meaning of the Hadith

This hadith is one of the concise yet comprehensive sayings of the Prophet ﷺ. Its wording is brief, but its meaning reaches deep into the foundations of faith, moral discipline, and human conduct. It is therefore counted among the Jawāmiʿ al-Kalim — the comprehensive words granted to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, where a few words carry wide and lasting meanings.

Ibn al-ʿAṭṭār رحمه الله described[3] this hadith as a great foundation for anyone who reflects upon its meaning, understands it, and acts according to it. It belongs to the inherited wisdom of earlier prophethood, words that passed across generations because their truth was recognised by revelation, sound intellect, and pure human nature.

“If You Feel No Shame, Then Do Whatever You Wish”

The scholars explained[4] the phrase, “If you feel no shame, then do whatever you wish,” in more than one way.

The first meaning is that it is a command in wording, but a warning in reality. It is not permission to sin. Rather, it means: if you have no ḥayāʾ before Allah, then follow what you wish — but know that Allah will hold you accountable. In this sense, the command carries the meaning of threat and rebuke.

This style is also found in the Qurʾān. Allah says: “Do whatever you wish. Indeed, He is All-Seeing of what you do.” (Sūrah Fuṣṣilat, 41:40) The meaning is not that people are free from consequence, but that every action remains under Allah’s knowledge and judgment. Similarly, Allah says: “So whoever wills, let him believe; and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.” (Sūrah al-Kahf, 18:29) Here too, the wording is not neutral permission, but a stern reminder that human choice is followed by divine accountability.

Another explanation is that the hadith describes a moral reality: when ḥayāʾ disappears, a person becomes capable of doing whatever his desire calls him to do. He no longer cares about blame, advice, or warning. Wrong actions often begin this way: first hidden, then excused, then normalised, and finally displayed without shame.

Another meaning mentioned by some scholars is that the hadith may be understood as guidance for moral judgment. That is: before doing something, look at the action. If it is not something one should be ashamed of before Allah or before righteous people, then do it. But if it is something one would be ashamed of before Allah or before people of virtue, then leave it.

The Meaning and Reality of Ḥayāʾ

The word ḥayāʾ is often translated as modesty, shame, or bashfulness, but in Islamic ethics its meaning is deeper than ordinary shyness. It is a noble moral quality that protects a person from ugliness and pushes him towards what is beautiful before Allah.

The scholars defined ḥayāʾ as:

“A character-trait that urges one to leave what is ugly, and prevents one from falling short in fulfilling the right of the one who has a right.”[5]

This definition is very important. It shows that ḥayāʾ is not merely feeling shy in front of people. True ḥayāʾ has two directions: it prevents a person from committing shameful acts, and it also prevents him from neglecting duties. A person who avoids sin out of shame, but also abandons obligations because of shyness, has not understood ḥayāʾ properly. Real ḥayāʾ guards both purity and responsibility.

The scholars mention that ḥayāʾ has an original natural form and a completed acquired form. Some people are naturally modest, gentle, and reserved. This is a gift from Allah. But the higher form of ḥayāʾ is the one acquired through knowledge of Allah, awareness of His greatness, and constant watchfulness over the heart.

The highest and most essential form of ḥayāʾ is ḥayāʾ before Allah. This means that Allah should not see a servant in a place or action He has forbidden, and should not find him absent from what He has commanded[6]. Such ḥayāʾ is not merely social modesty; it is born from knowing Allah, recognising His greatness, and living with awareness of His watchfulness.

This is why the Prophet ﷺ said to the man who was admonishing his brother for being too modest: “Leave him, for ḥayāʾ is from faith.”[7] Ḥayāʾ belongs to the character of the people of īmān because it prevents indecency and leads a person towards righteousness, just as faith itself restrains its possessor from evil.

The perfection of this quality is connected to murāqabah — the awareness that Allah sees the servant at all times. It is part of the meaning of iḥsān, which the Prophet ﷺ described as: “that you worship Allah as though you see Him.” When this awareness settles in the heart, ḥayāʾ becomes more than a public manner; it becomes a private guard between the servant and disobedience.

This why the the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Ḥayāʾ brings nothing but good.”[8]

In another narration of Muslim: “Ḥayāʾ is entirely good,” or he said, “All of ḥayāʾ is good.”[9]

In another hadith The Prophet ﷺ explained the what does ḥayāʾ means; he said:

“Have ḥayāʾ before Allah as He truly deserves.”

The Companions said: “We do have ḥayāʾ, praise be to Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ replied that true ḥayāʾ before Allah is:“That you guard the head and what it contains, the stomach and what it gathers, and that you remember death and decay.”[10]

To guard the head and what it contains means guarding one’s thoughts, eyes, ears, tongue, and intentions. A believer does not allow the mind to become a storage room for corruption, suspicion, arrogance, or fantasy. He does not allow the tongue to become a factory of gossip and insults. He does not allow the eyes and ears to become open doors to every temptation.

To guard the stomach and what it contains means protecting oneself from unlawful consumption, greed, doubtful earnings, and desires that dominate the body. Much of human corruption enters either through what people look at, what they say, or what they consume. The hadith gathers all of this with prophetic precision.

Then the Prophet ﷺ added: “and that you remember death and decay.” Remembering death gives ḥayāʾ seriousness. It reminds the believer that the body he beautifies, feeds, and serves will one day return to dust. So he should not sell the Hereafter for a passing appetite.

Abū al-Qāsim al-Junayd رحمه الله gave a beautiful spiritual definition. He said:

“It is to see the blessings of Allah and to see one’s own shortcomings; from between these two, a state is born called ḥayāʾ.”[11]

This is one of the finest explanations of ḥayāʾ. When a believer looks at Allah’s favours — life, faith, health, family, knowledge, provision, protection, and countless unseen mercies — then looks at his own weak gratitude, imperfect worship, and repeated mistakes, a quiet shame is born in the heart. This is not despair. It is not self-hatred. It is a noble embarrassment before the generosity of Allah. The servant says within himself: “How generous is my Lord, and how poor is my response.”

Allah says:

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا

“And if you should count the favours of Allah, you could not enumerate them.”
Sūrah Ibrāhīm, 14:34

So ḥayāʾ grows when a person remembers two things together: the greatness of Allah’s gifts and the smallness of his own fulfilment.

Ḥayāʾ Is Not Weakness or Silence

True ḥayāʾ does not mean shying away from responsibility, avoiding knowledge, or remaining silent when truth must be spoken. Islamic ḥayāʾ is a noble restraint guided by the Sharīʿah; it prevents shamelessness, vulgarity, arrogance, and sin. But it does not prevent a believer from learning what is necessary, correcting what is wrong, fulfilling obligations, or standing for truth.

This balance is essential. A person should not use modesty as an excuse for ignorance, negligence, or passiveness. Some people avoid asking important questions about worship, purification, marriage, family life, financial dealings, or lawful and unlawful matters, thinking that such silence is a sign of piety. In reality, ignorance in religious obligations is not ḥayāʾ; it is a weakness that may lead to mistakes in one’s dīn.

For this reason, Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها praised the women of the Anṣār and said:

“Excellent were the women of the Anṣār; ḥayāʾ did not prevent them from gaining understanding of the religion.”[12]

They possessed modesty, but their modesty did not block knowledge. They asked what they needed to ask because they understood that learning the religion is part of obedience to Allah. A believer’s ḥayāʾ should stop him from sin, not from knowledge.

The same principle appears in the famous statement of a woman who asked the Prophet ﷺ about a necessary matter of purification. She began by saying: “Indeed, Allah is not shy of the truth.”

This wording reflects a Qurʾānic principle, as Allah says: “And Allah is not shy of the truth.” (Sūrah al-Aḥzāb, 33:53) The lesson is clear: matters of truth, guidance, worship, and religious responsibility must not be abandoned in the name of shyness.

The early Muslims understood this well. It is reported from ʿUmar رضي الله عنه that he said:

“Do not abandon knowledge out of shyness in seeking it, nor out of disinterest in it, nor out of being content with ignorance of it.”[13]

This statement gives a needed correction to many people: modesty should beautify the search for knowledge, not bury it.

The perfect model of this balance is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He was described by the Companions as:

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه said:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was more modest than a maiden in her private chamber. When he saw something he disliked, we would recognise it from his face.”[14]

Yet his ḥayāʾ never prevented him from teaching the truth, correcting wrong, establishing justice, answering sensitive questions, or carrying the responsibilities of prophethood with clarity and courage. He ﷺ was modest, but never weak; gentle, but never passive; pure in speech, but always clear in guidance.

Therefore, prophetic ḥayāʾ is not fear of people, social anxiety, or silence before falsehood. It is not the kind of shyness that stops a person from asking, learning, advising, apologising, defending the oppressed, or fulfilling duties. True ḥayāʾ is a disciplined moral strength. It gives the believer dignity without arrogance, courage without harshness, and clarity without vulgarity.

This is especially important today, when shamelessness is often marketed as confidence, and silence in the face of wrong is sometimes mistaken for politeness. Islam rejects both extremes. The believer is neither shameless nor timid. His ḥayāʾ stops him from crossing the limits of Allah, but it also pushes him to seek knowledge, speak truth, and fulfil responsibility with honour.

Ḥayāʾ in Modern Life

One of the greatest problems facing the modern world today is the loss of ḥayāʾ. What was once recognised as dignity and moral restraint is now dismissed as backwardness, while shamelessness is celebrated as freedom, boldness, and self-expression. The dominant liberal mindset promotes the idea that a person should live without limits, guided only by personal desire, individualism, and the pursuit of pleasure. Under the slogans of freedom and authenticity, people are encouraged to break moral boundaries, expose what should be concealed, and normalise behaviours that earlier societies would have recognised as deeply harmful.

This culture does not simply tolerate moral decay — it actively promotes it. Indecency is marketed as confidence. Public exposure is praised as openness. Sexual immorality is normalised as personal choice. Vulgarity is defended as honesty. Mockery and disrespect are packaged as humour. Even sins are displayed openly in the name of “living one’s truth.” In such an environment, the sense of shame gradually disappears, and with it disappears the inner barrier that once protected individuals and societies from corruption.

The crisis of ḥayāʾ today is therefore not limited to dress or outward appearance, although these are part of it. It affects speech, entertainment, online behaviour, relationships, business ethics, and even the way people think about right and wrong. When ḥayāʾ is removed, there is nothing left to restrain the ego. The result is a society where desires are followed without accountability, and moral boundaries are seen as obstacles rather than protections.

The righteous predecessors recognised this reality long before our time. They considered the loss of ḥayāʾ not merely a social issue, but a sign of deep spiritual illness. Al-Fuḍayl رحمه الله is reported to have said:

خَمْسٌ مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ الشِّقْوَةِ: القَسْوَةُ فِي القَلْبِ، وَجُمُودُ العَيْنِ، وَقِلَّةُ الحَيَاءِ، وَالرَّغْبَةُ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَطُولُ الأَمَلِ

“Five are from the signs of wretchedness: hardness of the heart, dryness of the eye, lack of ḥayāʾ, desire for the world, and long hopes.”[15]

Islam offers a completely different vision. It does not see freedom as the absence of limits, but as the ability to live within the limits set by Allah. True dignity is not found in exposing oneself, but in preserving one’s honour. True strength is not in crossing every boundary, but in knowing where to stop. In this sense, ḥayāʾ is not a weakness — it is a powerful moral force that protects both the individual and society.

In fact, ḥayāʾ stands as a one-stop solution to the moral decay of the postmodern world. When ḥayāʾ is present, a person naturally guards their speech, lowers their gaze, protects their body, controls their desires, and avoids actions that would bring shame before Allah. It creates an internal system of accountability that no law or external pressure can fully replace. Without ḥayāʾ, even the strongest systems fail; with ḥayāʾ, even in private, a person remains upright.

One of the clearest places where ḥayāʾ is tested today is the digital world. A person may sit alone with a phone, unseen by family and friends, and imagine that privacy has removed accountability. But the believer remembers that Allah sees what the screen hides and knows what the heart seeks. Allah says:

يَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ

“He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal.”

Sūrah Ghāfir, 40:19

This verse gives digital life a powerful moral compass. The private search, the hidden message, the careless comment, the image shared without responsibility, the insult typed in anger, and the desire followed in secrecy are all under the knowledge of Allah. The believer’s ḥayāʾ therefore continues even when no human eye is watching.

Another modern challenge is the culture of exposure. Many people now feel pressure to display their private lives, personal struggles, family moments, wealth, beauty, opinions, and even sins before the public gaze. The whole life has become content to be created and consumed. The Prophet ﷺ taught that modesty is part of faith, and this includes knowing what should remain protected. The believer does not live for constant visibility. He lives with inner dignity, aware that honour is not measured by how much attention one receives, but by how much one remains pleasing to Allah.

Reference:

[1] Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adab, no. 6120, it has also been reported by Abū Dāwūd, Sunan Abī Dāwūd, no. 4797; Ibn Mājah, Sunan Ibn Mājah, no. 4183; Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, al-Musnad, 5/273

[2] For the biography of Abū Masʿūd al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه, see Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb fī Maʿrifat al-Aṣḥāb; Ibn Ḥajar, al-Iṣābah fī Tamyīz al-Ṣaḥābah; Ibn al-Athīr, Usd al-Ghābah; and Ibn Saʿd, al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā. The incident of the servant is recorded by Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ.

[3] Ibn al-ʿAṭṭār, Sharḥ al-Arbaʿīn al-Nawawiyyah, p. 119.

[4] Burhān al-Dīn Ibrāhīm ibn Marʿī ibn ʿAṭiyyah al-Shabrākhītī al-Mālikī, al-Futūḥāt al-Wahbiyyah bi-Sharḥ al-Arbaʿīn al-Nawawiyyah, p. 425

[5] Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, al-Fatḥ al-Mubīn bi-Sharḥ al-Arbaʿīn, p. 384

[6] Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, al-Fatḥ al-Mubīn bi-Sharḥ al-Arbaʿīn, p. 384

[7] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Īmān, Bāb: al-Ḥayāʾ min al-Īmān, , Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Īmān, Bāb: Bayān ʿAdad Shuʿab al-Īmān… wa Faḍīlat al-Ḥayā.

[8] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adab, Bāb: al-Ḥayāʾ, 7

[9] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 37b, Book 1, Hadith 64

[10] Al-Tirmidhī narrated it in his Sunan, no. 2458, from Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه.

[11] Al-Bayhaqī narrated it in Shuʿab al-Īmān, no. 7348, and Imām al-Qushayrī رحمه الله mentioned it in al-Risālah, p. 170.

[12] Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 332/61; Abū Dāwūd, Sunan Abī Dāwūd, no. 314; Ibn Mājah, Sunan Ibn Mājah, no. 642, with a similar wording.

[13] Ibn Abī al-Dunyā, al-Ṣamt, no. 613, Bāb Dhamm al-Mirāʾ.

[14] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adab, Bāb: Man lam Yuwājih al-Nās bi-l-ʿItāb, no. 6102

[15] Burhān al-Dīn Ibrāhīm ibn Marʿī ibn ʿAṭiyyah al-Shabrākhītī al-Mālikī, al-Futūḥāt al-Wahbiyyah bi-Sharḥ al-Arbaʿīn al-Nawawiyyah, p. 428