Gheerah

Background

The term is based on the following Quran verses:

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women" (Holy Quran - Surah An-Nisa: 34) "Oh you who believe, Protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones." (Holy Quran - Surah At-Tahrim: 6):

Men who do not have Ghayrah are called Dayyuth (Arabic: ديوث). Being a Dayyuth is a major sin and a description of what is deemed an evil characteristic can be found in Az-Zahabi's book of Major Sins (Al-Kaba'ir). The prophet Mohammed and his companions were known to have very strong Ghayrah.

Although it is claimed that the concept of Ghayrah is the source of honor killings in the Islamic world, Salafi scholar Muhammad Al-Munajjid asserts that punishment of any crime is reserved for the Islamic ruler noting that the penalty for fornication (unmarried sexual relationships for unmarried people) is 100 lashes. As it is a Muslim man's role as the guardian of his family, he is responsible for those in his custody and it is his duty to observe the conduct of his wife and children; although this does allow him to be overly suspicious or exceed the acceptable standards of supervision. For conservative Muslims, the enforcment of the wearing of the hijab by a Muslim man's wife and daughters and the prevention of the free mingling between the sexes for those under a Muslim man's guardianship are necessary actions under the concept of Ghirah to preserving one's honor. Per Salafi scholar Al-Munajjid, if a Muslim man suspects that certain family members will commit an immoral act, he is allowed to tie up or otherwise detain them in order to prevent the action.

Salafi scholar Muhammad Al-Munajjid indicates that the concept also applies to protecting the Prophet Mohammed from blasphemy although the determination of guilt and application of the penalty (execution) is to be solely applied by Islamic authorities.

Gheerah in the Hadith

Asma' relates, "When az-Zubayr married me, he had neither land nor wealth nor slave", so Asma' had to work very hard kneading dough, going far off to get water. "And I used to carry on my head," she continues, "the date stones from the land of az-Zubair which Allah's Messenger had endowed him and it was a distance of two miles from Madinah. One day, as I was carrying the date-stones upon my head, I happened to meet Allah's Messenger, along with a group of his Companions. He called me and told the camel to sit down so that he could make me ride behind him. I felt shy to go with men and I remembered az-Zubair and his Ghirah and he was a man having the most Ghirah. The Messenger of Allah understood my shyness and left. I came to az-Zubair and said, "The Messenger of Allah met me as I was carrying date-stones upon my head and there was with him a group of his Companions. He told the camel to kneel so that I could mount it, but I felt shy and I remembered your Ghirah." So Asma' declined the offer made by the Prophet. Upon this az-Zubair said, "By Allah, the thought of you carrying date-stones upon your head is more severe a burden on me than you riding with him." (related in Sahih Bukhari)

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Masud: RasulAllah said: “There is none having a greater sense of Gheerah than Allah. And for that He has forbidden the doing of evil actions (illegal sexual intercourse etc.).” (related in Sahih Bukhari)

"The foundation of the Religion is Gheerah, and the one without Gheerah is one without Religion, for Gheerah protects the heart and enlivens the limbs, and shields one from evil and lewdness, and lack of Gheerah kills the heart so that the limbs die, so that there remains not even shielding from [the minor things]. And the example of Gheerah in the heart is the example of the strength that shields one from sickness and fights it off, so if the strength leaves, he will be faced with the sickness, and will not find anything to protect himself from it, so it will establish itself [within him] and destroy him.” (Ibn Qayyim, Ad-Daa’ Wad-Dawaa’)

Al-Mugheerah mentions that Sa`d ibn `Ubaadah said: "If I find a man with my wife I will take this sword and smite his neck". And the Prophet said, "Are you amazed about Sa`d’s gheerah?" He said: "By Allaah, I have more of this than Sa`d, and Allaah has more of it than me". (related in Sahih Bukhari)