Clarifying the number of branches of faith, the best and the least of them, the virtue of modesty (Al-Haya') and the fact that it is part of faith

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet ﷺ said: Iman has over seventy branches, and modesty is a branch of Iman.

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ الْعَقَدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ " الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ شُعْبَةً وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ " .

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Faith has over seventy branches or over sixty branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, and the humblest of which is the, removal of what is injurious from the path: and modesty is the branch of faith.

حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ " .

Salim reported on the authority of his father that the Prophet ﷺ heard a man instruction his brother about modesty. Upon this the Prophet remarked: Modesty is an ingredient of Iman (faith).

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، سَمِعَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ رَجُلاً يَعِظُ أَخَاهُ فِي الْحَيَاءِ فَقَالَ " الْحَيَاءُ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ " .

Zuhri has narrated this hadith with the addition of these words: He (the Holy Prophet) happened to pass by a mass of Ansar who was instructing his brother (about modesty).

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَقَالَ مَرَّ بِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يَعِظُ أَخَاهُ .

It is narrated on the authority of 'Imran b. Husain that the Prophet ﷺ said: Modesty brings forth nothing but goodness. Bushair b. Ka'b said: It is recorded in the books of wisdom, there lies sobriety in it and calmness of mind in it, Imran said: I am narrating to you the tradition of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and you talk of your books.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا السَّوَّارِ، يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عِمْرَانَ بْنَ حُصَيْنٍ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ " الْحَيَاءُ لاَ يَأْتِي إِلاَّ بِخَيْرٍ " . فَقَالَ بُشَيْرُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ إِنَّهُ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي الْحِكْمَةِ أَنَّ مِنْهُ وَقَارًا وَمِنْهُ سَكِينَةً . فَقَالَ عِمْرَانُ أُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَتُحَدِّثُنِي عَنْ صُحُفِكَ .

It is narrated on the authority of Qatada. We were sitting with 'Imran b. Husain in a company and Bushair ibn Ka'b was also amongst us. 'Imran narrated to us that on a certain occasion the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Modesty is a virtue through and through, or said: Modesty is a goodness complete. Upon this Bushair ibn Ka'b said: Verily we find in certain books or books of (wisdom) that it is God-inspired peace of mind or sobriety for the sake of Allah and there is also a weakness in it. Imran was so much enraged that his eyes became red and he said: I am narrating to you the hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and you are contradicting it. He (the narrator) said: Imran reported the hadith, He (the narrator) said: Bushair repeated, (the same thing). Imran was enraged. He (the narrator) said: We asserted: Verily Bushair is one amongst us. Abu Nujaid! There is nothing wrong, with him (Bushair).

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ سُوَيْدٍ - أَنَّ أَبَا قَتَادَةَ، حَدَّثَ قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ فِي رَهْطٍ مِنَّا وَفِينَا بُشَيْرُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ فَحَدَّثَنَا عِمْرَانُ، يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " الْحَيَاءُ خَيْرٌ كُلُّهُ " . قَالَ أَوْ قَالَ " الْحَيَاءُ كُلُّهُ خَيْرٌ " . فَقَالَ بُشَيْرُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ إِنَّا لَنَجِدُ فِي بَعْضِ الْكُتُبِ أَوِ الْحِكْمَةِ أَنَّ مِنْهُ سَكِينَةً وَوَقَارًا لِلَّهِ وَمِنْهُ ضَعْفٌ . قَالَ فَغَضِبَ عِمْرَانُ حَتَّى احْمَرَّتَا عَيْنَاهُ وَقَالَ أَلاَ أُرَانِي أُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَتُعَارِضُ فِيهِ . قَالَ فَأَعَادَ عِمْرَانُ الْحَدِيثَ قَالَ فَأَعَادَ بُشَيْرٌ فَغَضِبَ عِمْرَانُ قَالَ فَمَا زِلْنَا نَقُولُ فِيهِ إِنَّهُ مِنَّا يَا أَبَا نُجَيْدٍ إِنَّهُ لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ .