Page 282 - Quranic Wisdom - New.indd

Modesty Stems from Realization of God

dealings, when angry or provoked, during unpleasant experiences,
etc. In a situation where retaliation could be expected, instead of
retaliating, the believer would say: “Let us go our own way, we
have no wish to quarrel with you.”
The believer’s personality is a modest one in the complete
sense of the word. Modesty has twofold benefits: first, it makes
one a better member of society. Second, it makes one a successful
candidate for Paradise. Modesty is good for the present world as
well as for the world hereafter.
Modesty is, moreover, the door to knowledge: it makes one
a seeker, imbued with the spirit of learning. A seeker tries to
know more and more about reality. And when he is modest, he
can learn from everyone, irrespective of religion, status or age.
Modesty is thus the master key to all kinds of success.

According to Quranic teachings, modesty is essential
in every aspect of human life—in thinking, in speech,
in behaviour, in dealings, when angry or provoked,
during unpleasant experiences, etc.

For a man in this world, there are two possible ways of behaving:
arrogantly or modestly. According to Quranic teachings, arrogant
behaviour is totally undesirable, it being unacceptable to God
Almighty. Human arrogance is a most strange form of behaviour
in this world, considering that all other creatures are free of
arrogance. In such a world, an arrogant person is unfit to be
accepted along with other creatures. Indeed, arrogance closes the
door to God’s blessing.

Modest behaviour is, however, universally acceptable:
the entire material world has accepted modesty as its culture.
Even the animals live with modesty. Man, too, must adopt this
universal culture of modesty.

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