3. Knowledge

٣۔ كتاب العلم

3.50 Shyness in Seeking Knowledge

٣۔٥٠ باب الْحَيَاءِ فِي الْعِلْمِ

Mujāhid said, "A shy person does not gain knowledge, neither does an arrogant person."

ʿĀʾishah said, "The best women are the women of the Anṣār: Shyness does not prevent them in gaining understanding of the religion."

وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ: لاَ يَتَعَلَّمُ الْعِلْمَ مُسْتَحْيٍ وَلاَ مُسْتَكْبِرٌ۔

وَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: نِعْمَ النِّسَاءُ نِسَاءُ الأَنْصَارِ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُنَّ الْحَيَاءُ أَنْ يَتَفَقَّهْنَ فِي الدِّينِ۔

bukhari:130Muḥammad b. Salām > Abū Muʿāwiyah > Hishām from his father > Zaynab Āb.ah Um Salamah > Um Salamah

Um-Sulaim came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "Verily, Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth. Is it necessary for a woman to take a bath after she has a wet dream (nocturnal sexual discharge?) The Prophet replied, "Yes, if she notices a discharge." Um Salama, then covered her face and asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Does a woman get a discharge?" He replied, "Yes, let your right hand be in dust (An Arabic expression you say to a person when you contradict his statement meaning "you will not achieve goodness"), and that is why the son resembles his mother."  

البخاري:١٣٠حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ

جَاءَتْ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ فَهَلْ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ مِنْ غُسْلٍ إِذَا احْتَلَمَتْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا رَأَتِ الْمَاءَ فَغَطَّتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ تَعْنِي وَجْهَهَا وَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَتَحْتَلِمُ الْمَرْأَةُ قَالَ نَعَمْ تَرِبَتْ يَمِينُكِ فَبِمَ يُشْبِهُهَا وَلَدُهَا  

bukhari:131Ismāʿīl > Mālik > ʿAbdullāh b. Dīnār > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

Once Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Amongst the trees there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and is like a Muslim, tell me the name of that tree." Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desert areas and I thought of the date-palm tree but felt shy (to answer). The others asked, "O Allah's Apostle! inform us of it." He replied, "it is the date-palm tree." I told my father what had come to my mind and on that he said, "Had you said it I would have preferred it to such and such a thing that I might possess."  

البخاري:١٣١حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ شَجَرَةً لاَ يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا وَهِيَ مَثَلُ الْمُسْلِمِ حَدِّثُونِي مَا هِيَ فَوَقَعَ النَّاسُ فِي شَجَرِ الْبَادِيَةِ وَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنَا بِهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَحَدَّثْتُ أَبِي بِمَا وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي فَقَالَ لأَنْ تَكُونَ قُلْتَهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا