• Allah Almighty mentioned the derivatives of the word of ‘Hayaa’ or modesty more than once in different contexts in the Holy Qur’an (For example, Surat Al-Qasas, Verse 25 and Surat Al-Ahzab, Verse 53).
• However, Allah Almighty did not mention the word ‘Khajal’ or shyness even once in the Holy Qur’an.
• In the Holy Sunnah, there are many Hadiths that talk about ‘modesty’ as a virtue that a Muslim must acquire and commit himself to.
• ‘Hayaa’ or modesty means commitment to the path of virtue and the principles of Islam and encourages a person to avoid vice.
• As for shyness, it is a psychological disorder that pushes the child to be withdrawn and avoid mingling with others.
• Modesty is a good virtue that should be attained by everyone living in our modern society, as the one who observes modesty in his behavior will certainly be the winner.

Raise your children on modesty, not on shyness

• Think of your child as a hidden treasure, where you keep every precious behavior, and wait until he grows up to see the fruits manifested in his acts of benevolence.
• A child has a set of abilities, aptitudes, and inclinations that bloom with guidance and education.
• Prophet Mohamed, peace be upon him, combined the two types of modesty: the natural modesty and the acquired modesty.
• With respect to the natural modesty, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was more modest than the virgin behind the curtain.
• With respect to the acquired modesty, he was at the top, the best ever.
• The Prophet’s honorable Companions used to boost modesty, not shyness, in the hearts of their children.
• We are all born with a true faith (of Islam), but we should exert effort to instill good morals in ourselves.
• There is no type of virtue or ethics that one cannot acquire. If you find yourself immodest, you can attain modesty via training and exercise.
• The greatest evidence for this approach, is that the Companions completely changed to the better after they converted to Islam, were associated with it and attained its morals.