Abu Masud reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: One of the things people have learnt from the words of the earliest prophecy is: If you have no shame, do what you like.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
In this statement, the meaning of warning (wa‘eed) and threat (tahdeed) is that have modesty, otherwise there will be reproach.
Or, it carries the sense of encouragement (targhib): before taking any action, consider whether the deed is immodest; if so, refrain from it.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 4797
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
Its translation in Persian is as follows:
"Be shameless, do whatever you wish."
The meaning is that when there is no modesty or shame left, then a person continues to commit all evil deeds with enthusiasm.
In the end, he will certainly be seized by punishment one day.
In the chain of narration of this hadith, there is explicit mention of Mansur's hearing from Rubay'i.
Secondly, in place of "af‘al," there is "isna‘."
The repetition is not without benefit.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 3484
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
Its translation in Persian is as follows:
"Be shameless, do whatever you wish."
The meaning is that when there is no modesty or shame left, then a person will continue to commit all evil deeds eagerly.
All the Prophets (alayhimus-salam) are unanimous upon this golden saying.
Every Prophet has conveyed it, and unlike other rulings, it has not been abrogated, because all people of intellect agree upon the beauty and perfection of this statement.
➋
This statement is for admonition and rebuke, meaning: do whatever you wish, Allah Ta'ala will certainly punish you for it.
➌
This hadith mentions the virtue of modesty (haya), as in another hadith it is stated that modesty is a part of faith.
And Allah knows best. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Iman, Hadith: 24)
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 3484
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Modesty (haya) is such a quality upon which there is consensus among the previous religious laws (shari‘ahs), and it has not been abrogated in this shari‘ah either. The statement from previous shari‘ahs still remains: “When you have no shame, do whatever you wish.” Its meaning is that both the former and latter peoples are agreed upon the praiseworthiness of modesty.
(2)
In this Prophetic statement, the imperative form is for threat (tahdid), just as Allah the Exalted says: “Do whatever you wish.” (: Ha Mim As-Sajdah 41:40) In this verse, it is not a permission to commit disbelief and polytheism, rather the intent is warning and threat. Similarly, in the Prophetic statement, the command to the shameless person to do whatever he wishes is for the purpose of warning, rebuke, and admonition.
And Allah knows best.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 6120
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
➊ The importance of modesty (haya) was also acknowledged in previous religious laws.
➋ Modesty (haya) is a significant means of preventing a person from committing evil deeds. When someone lacks modesty, one can expect them to commit even the most vile of sins.
➌ One interpretation of this hadith is that any action in which an honorable person does not feel shame is, according to the Shariah, permissible. And one should avoid any action that causes a sense of shame. However, sometimes when the condition of society changes, and sin becomes widespread while virtue is no longer practiced, then such a situation is not included in this ruling.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 4183
Shaykh Abdus Salam Bhutvi
Takhrij:
[بخاري3483], [3484]
The wording of «الاولىٰ» is not in Bukhari but rather in Abu Dawud.
Benefits:
➊ What is meant by “the words of the earlier prophethoods”:
The meaning is that this is among those matters upon which all the noble prophets (alayhimussalam) were unanimous. It was never abrogated in any Shariah, and because it is in complete accordance with sound intellect, all people—even the people of ignorance (Jahiliyyah)—have known and accepted it.
➋ What is the meaning of “When you do not feel shame, then do whatever you wish”?
Its meaning is that when a person has no sense of shame (haya) left, he does whatever comes to his heart; nothing can prevent him from evil. “Be shameless and do whatever you want”—in other words, here the imperative is in the sense of a statement of fact, meaning “do whatever you wish” implies that when a person does not feel shame, he does whatever he wants, and is not restrained even from the filthiest of deeds. As in:
«من كذب على متعمدا فليتبوء مقعده من النار» [صحيح بخاري ، العلم 38 ]
“Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his seat in the Fire.” (i.e., he indeed takes his seat in the Fire.)
The second meaning is that here the imperative is for warning and rebuke, just as Allah the Exalted, addressing those who adopt deviance in His verses, says:
«اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ » [41-فصلت:40]
“Do whatever you wish; indeed, He is seeing whatever you do.”
(i.e., when you do not feel shame, then do whatever you wish—in the end, you will receive its recompense from Allah.)
Source: Sharh Bulugh al-Maram min Adillat al-Ahkam, Kitab al-Jami', Page: 247
Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، أحاديث الأنبياء، باب 54، حديث:3484.»©Explanation:
➊ By "the speech of the first Prophethood" is meant that statement upon which all the Prophets (alayhimus-salam) are in agreement, and which, unlike their laws (shari‘ahs), has not been abrogated.
➋ From this hadith, it is understood that there are some matters from the previous shari‘ahs that have not been abrogated.
Among them is this: "When you do not feel shame, then do whatever you wish."
Because the means of restraining from evil is modesty (haya), and when that is lost, a person will commit evil without any hindrance.
Some have said that its meaning is: Before doing any action, see whether it is something that would cause you to feel shame; if so, then leave it, and if it is not something that causes shame, then go ahead and do it, and do not care about what people say.
(Subul al-Salam)
Source: Bulugh al-Maram: Commentary by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Page: 1320