Character & conductFrom the masjid's own video, Apr 10, 2026.

Haya shapes how we live and speak

“Haya is the way you conduct yourself.”

The khateeb, at 13:53

In one sentence

Haya, or modesty and moral restraint, is a comprehensive virtue for everyone that governs dress, speech, privacy, and private conduct before Allah and people.

The khutbah in 5 steps

  1. Defines haya as more than clothing, including speech, conduct, and privacy.
  2. Uses prophetic examples to illustrate avoiding suspicion and protecting private life.
  3. Critiques social-media oversharing, performative piety, and immodest clothing.
  4. Presents examples of modesty from the woman with seizures and Musa’s encounter.
  5. Concludes that haya is owed to Allah and people by men and women alike.
Try this week
Keep family matters and personal life private rather than oversharing them online.
Pause before posting photos or updates for attention or social approval.
Choose loose, modest clothing and check that clothing remains covering during prayer.
Practice haya from Allah by avoiding sinful content and conduct when alone.
Use modest, non-vulgar speech with family, friends, and relatives.
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 50:16Allah’s nearness is used to emphasize restraint in private.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“But haya is the way you speak. Haya is the way you conduct yourself. Haya is the way you speak with your relatives, with your family, with your friends.”
ICLI · Westbury, NY
Play from 13:53
“But even when she takes the hard path, her concern is her modesty. Her concern is to make sure, that she is not exposed.”
ICLI · Westbury, NY
Play from 21:25
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Today we learned that haya means more than dressing modestly. It also shapes how we speak, what we share, how we behave with others, and what we do when nobody is watching. Allah is always near, so our private choices should reflect respect and gratitude toward Him. The Prophet and righteous people modeled this modesty even during difficult moments. Haya is a quality for everyone, and we can practice it through privacy, respectful speech, and thoughtful online habits.

  1. What is one moment you could enjoy without immediately posting it?
  2. How can you show haya when nobody else is watching?
  3. What does respectful speech with friends sound like?