“Should I not feel shy before a man whom the angels feel shy from?”

“Should I not feel shy before a man whom the angels feel shy from?”

One day the Messenger of Allaah was lying down in his house with his thigh or shin uncovered. Aboo Bakr asked for permission to enter and he let him in whilst he was in that state, and he spoke to him.

Then ‘Umar asked for permission to enter and he let him in whilst he was in that state, and he spoke to him.

Then ‘Uthmaan asked for permission to enter and the Messenger of Allaah sat up and straightened his garment and he came in, and he spoke to him.

When he left ‘Aa’ishah said, “Aboo Bakr came in and you did not stir for him or pay too much attention, and ‘Umar came in and you did not stir for him or pay too much attention, then ‘Uthmaan came in and you sat up and straightened your garment.”

He said, “Should I not feel shy before a man whom the angels feel shy from?”

[Saheeh Muslim: 2401]

“‘Uthmaan is a shy man…”

‘Aa’ishah narrated that one day Aboo Bakr asked for permission to enter upon the Messenger of Allaah when he was lying down on his bed, wrapping himself in the cover of ‘Aa’ishah. He gave permission to Aboo Bakr to enter when he was like that, and he fulfilled his need then went away.

Then ‘Umar asked for permission to enter and he gave him permission to enter when he was like that, and he fulfilled his need then he went away.

‘Uthmaan then asked for permission to enter and he sat up and said to ‘Aa’ishah, “Cover yourself properly.” ‘Uthmaan fulfilled his need then went away.

‘Aa’ishah said, “O Messenger of Allaah, why did I not see you stirring for Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar as you did for ‘Uthmaan?” The Messenger of Allaah said, “‘Uthmaan is a shy man, and I was afraid that if I gave him permission to enter when I was in that state, he would not tell me of his need.”

[Saheeh Muslim: 2402]