Modesty vs. Immodesty...Who's coming home to meet the parents?

Let's be realistic, who would a man prefer to introduce to his mother? Would it be a respectable, chaste, and virtuous woman like Phylicia Rashad? Would it be someone like Rihanna who is rambunctious, indecent, and risqué? Who???
 
Quoting Bro. Jerard X, "only an immodest woman likes an immodest man and vice versa." A real man wants a woman he can be proud to take home to meet his mother. We, as women know this as well. When you go to meet your man's parents you put on your best outfit, you don't go looking for a crop top and a mini skirt. A real man wants a real woman.

Nowadays the word woman is used too loosely. Being a woman is so much more than just being gender specific. To be a woman means that you're striving to uphold your womanly duties. But what are these duties? A woman strives to be understanding, loving, patient, serene, appreciative, humble, spiritual, etc. not just in a relationship with her man but in all other relationships (friends and family). We must learn how to act like Queens. There's a difference between being loud and boisterous and being heard. There's a difference between being rude and being assertive. There's a difference between being weak and knowing when to speak. Phylicia Rashad, who is known as Claire Huxtable on the Cosby Show, was a good example of a modest woman. She held herself in high regards which made everyone else do the same. She didn't have to overcompensate by being obnoxious she demanded respect by respecting herself and it showed. On the other hand, Rihanna has no respect for herself. When women strip themselves of their clothes, the proper respect and love, not just from other people but for themselves goes out of the window. There's a saying that is being used a lot in the fashion and beauty industries, "love the skin you're in." To love the skin you're in does not mean the whole world has to see it. The size of your breasts, butt, hips, etc. is not the true standard of beauty. How beautiful are you when all of that is covered? And that, is the real definition of beauty.

A man wants a woman that treats herself like the Queen she is and when she does it will automatically make him want to do the same.

I encourage everyone both men and women to give their opinion on this topic and the previous topics. Please keep your comments respectable and refrain from using any profanity. Thank you!

Akilah Nehanda speaks on why men should be modest too...

Akilah Nehanda, 22

 



As a singer, songwriter, fashionista, and dedicated member of A Brighter Day music group, Nehanda is on the rise like never before. Her style is captivating and refreshing. Her confidence and personality spills into her music with every passionate word and note. Most importantly, Nehanda is not afraid to speak on real life issues while making you dance at the same time. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, and a graduate from Howard University in Washington, DC, Nehanda is on the move and is taking the music world by storm! A firm believer in the saying "A nation can rise no higher than it's woman", she has chosen to use her R&B/Hip hop vocals as a way to connect with and represent the fabulousness of women and girls around the world.

 

During the interview Sis. Akilah was asked to speak on the topic of why it's  just as important for men to be modest...

 

"When most people think of the word modesty, the first image that usually comes to mind is a picture of an ethereal, virtuous woman covered from head to toe in formal garb. It's interesting that this is the stereotype when the word "modest" simply means decorous and decent. It also means meek, not arrogant, free from showiness or ostentation; unpretentious. In other words you can be fine as wine but modesty is when you're confident enough in yourself to not have to show the entire world your goods. When it comes to dress, modesty means "not offensive to sexual mores in conduct or appearance." I hope people know that yes, women are attracted to men (smile). We love their voices, we marvel over their physique, their faces, hair, and we pay attention to their attire and how they wear it.

So, in a society that promotes being "ratchet" 24/7, I must say that it's just as important and refreshing in 2013 to see a modestly dressed man as it is to see a modest woman. We love to talk about the responsibility women have to be classy, well mannered and moderate to keep society high and moral, but what about men? The responsibility of being and looking decent is not one sided. It takes two. Women have urges too, so when men flaunt their bodies by wearing tight shirts, no shirts, muscle shirts, shorts, huge chains etc. in public it can be just as indecent and unrefined. We all have to be more aware of how our demeanor, our fashion can either uplift or lower our standards. This is probably why the three major religions; Christianity, Islam, and Judaism teach that men and women should both be modest. We should strive to not only be clothed in the spirit but we must also clothe the flesh. Our attire should reflect our civilized mentality. I personally think a man looks great with loose (but not too loose) fitting attire. It is attractive that he appreciates letting his skin breath (smile). It's also attractive when he isn't weighed down by lots of jewelry or flashy things but chooses simple accent pieces that make him look refined. And just like a man wouldn't usually bring a woman home to meet momma wearing a mini skirt and a tube top, no woman wants to bring her man to meet her father and mother wearing a "nice" muscle shirt and shorts. Even in the gym, I believe men should still be modest. We all know muscles are forming and bulging and this can be a distraction to Kim on the treadmill peaking out of the corner of her eye. Kim deserves a full out workout with little distractions right? (Smile) The bottom line is, we must not put all of the burden of being modest on women. Yes, a woman has more adornments on her body to cover, but men also have a role to play and we must encourage men to always be aware and in full control of their attracting power as well. Vanity, bad taste, and lack of understanding of your attracting power is never a good thing. Instead, positive attention and self love is what we should all strive for. I salute all men who strive to be modest. Its simply tasteful and wonderful!"

 

Thank you Sis. Akilah  for keeping it real with us on this crucial topic and allowing me to feature you on my blog! I pray Allah (God) continues to bless you in your endeavors!

What about men? Shouldn't they be modest too?

So far we've talked about how women should be modest but what about men? Shouldn't they be modest too? Don't women deserve a modest man just as much as men deserve a modest woman? Emphatically yes!

The common phrase that is used to excuse the behavior of so called men is, "he's just a man." What part of having sex with multiple women, calling women out of there names, sagging his pants, etc. make him a man? None! So, what makes a man modest? First, let's go back to the definition of modesty. Modesty is the consciousness of the mind and body. A man must first know where he wants to go personally in his life in order to achieve a higher state of mind, most of the time the man doesn't know where he wants to go but to the bedroom. There's a saying that goes, "you are what you think," if a man's mind is bombarded with filth and fulfilling his lower desires he cannot ascend in his state of mind therefore his living conditions will not improve. The difference between a man that is striving to develop hisself spiritually and a man that is spiritually undeveloped is that the former controls his desires while the latter acts on them. As men and women, our actions expose the quality of the level of our physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual condition. The greatest proof that our thoughts have not changed is the fact that our circumstances remains the same. This why it is so important for us as men and women to improve our state of mind. The man is also known as the protector. Are you protecting her when you entertain her when she's disrespecting herself? It is just as important for men to encourage women to be modest as it is for women to practice modesty.

I would like to end this article with some words from the bible, "Then God said let us make man in our image, according to our likeness...So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created Him." The definition of likeness is the state, quality, or fact of being similar to something or someones; resemblance. My brothers, you were made to be like God. In your natural state of mind, body, and spirit you are godly. Don't let this wicked world define who you are, ascend into the mind of God!  

I encourage everyone both men and women to give their opinion on this topic and the previous topics. Please keep your comments respectable and refrain from using any profanity. Thank you!

LeAndre X speaks on why modesty is absent in the media...

LeAndre X

 

LeAndre X is a photographer, painter, Bassoonist and an aspiring book writer. Bro. LeAndre joined the Nation of Islam in March, 2011 under the divine leadership of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and currently resides in Chicago.

 

During LeAndre X's interview he gave some insight on the crucial topic of why modesty is absent in the media...

 

"According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary modesty is defined as freedom from conceit or vanity, propriety in dress, speech,or conduct.

 

Modesty has been erased intentionally from the lives of our people through media which is in turn a mental massacre. Due to the fact that we as a people are being kept from and groomed under and through the opposite of righteous behavior through our speech, dress and conduct, the wicked ways of the world profit. Media is the mask of the Devil, our enemy. Today he is the teacher. We eat his food, wear his clothes, sing his songs and dance to his rhythm. Modesty is in our genetic makeup as a people. Due to the craft of wicked engineering we have been made other than ourselves in order for us to remain slaves and ensure the progress and profit of the beast modesty is kept out of the media. As it has been said time and time again WE MUST SEEK FOR KNOWLEDGE! This is not something that is accessed easily in our society. We are conditioned by the media to flee away from modesty, out of fear of being awkward, weird, boring, and less attractive to others, so we take on the mind frame that “less is more” as in less knowledge, less wisdom, less clothes, and less shyness. The influence of the media made the masses into sheeple, meaning we are easily guided and steered into any direction we are told. The lack of modesty is the downfall of all civilizations because without modesty we act without care, we mistreat and abuse our women, and we place value on wickedness instead of righteousness. As we can see, this is a well thought out plan by our enemy to make us rebellious with the very nature we were created in. With that being said, I could never thank Allah enough for giving us a Messenger, and a Minister to re-connect the masses with their very own nature of modesty, and if we strive to live up to these words of “Accept your own and be yourself” given to us by Allah in the person of Master Fard, we won’t be thrown off of the path to Allah by any wicked media in the universe."

 

Thank you Bro. LeAndre for sharing your knowledge with us on this crucial topic and allowing me to feature you on my blog! I pray Allah (God) continues to bless you in your endeavors!

 

Tamorah Muhammad speaks on why modesty is absent in the media...

Tamorah Shareef Muhammad, 35

 

Tamorah Muhammad is the CEO/Founder of Modesty International which is designed to teach women and young girls the true meaning of modesty. She is the mother of 4 beautiful children and is married to the hard hitting FOI Rahman Shareef Muhammad for 15 Years. Sister Tamorah has been in the Nation of Islam for 17 Years. She has been featured in the Final Call Newspaper by Charlene Muhammad on the topic "Who defines the black woman?" She has also been interviewed by Virtue Magazine which is owned and operated by Audrey Muhammad.

 

During the interview Sis. Tamorah was asked to speak on the topic of why modesty is absent in the media...

 

"This is an excellent question. As you know modesty is not important in this world (Satan's world). So if it's not important, then it is not going to be displayed in the media. This world cares nothing about modesty, all they care about is what sells. Half naked women and clothing that appeal to the non-virtuous men and women are what makes the big dollars for Satan's world. If you go to a merchant who sells non-modest clothing and ask them could they also make modest clothing for modest women they will laugh in your face because there is not a big market for modest clothing when they are promoting to the ignorant masses the styles and trends of promiscuity. This is why it will take sisters like you Sister Naeemah and I to teach women and girls what modesty is and show them that covering their body is protecting them from predators and they should not be ashamed of being covered, they should only be ashamed to be uncovered. This world and the lifestyle that Satan offers to our people is just like the false reality that the people were asleep to in the movie the Matrix. It's like we've been forced to swallow the blue pill of deception since birth and when we are born into this world we are forced away from our nature. We conform to the way of the world dressing indecent to get the attention of men who are like howling dogs, and then you become a one night stand to a man who only wants pleasure and not you.

This is why the teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad are so important. The teachings are our salvation and they open our eyes like the red pill did in the matrix movie and it purifies us. Once our sisters become unblinded and can fully see what this world is about they will reject Satan to transform their thinking, their style of dress, and their lifestyle. Let's look at the word "media". It means the means of communication that reach large numbers of people, such as television, newspapers, and radio. When you watch television do you see them promoting a modest righteous lifestyle? No! They are only going to promote high rating subjects that the people have been conditioned to accept as entertainment, such as fighting among black people, or who's doing the latest twerk dance, who's dating who in the celebrity world, who's cleavage is hanging out, or which celebrity got drunk or who's in rehab.

Since the media is not going to promote modesty and righteousness, we as Muslim women have to do it ourselves. Dressing modestly may not be the popular trend in our society, however, when our people see examples of modesty they may not openly admit it but their nature causes them to admire and respect it. It causes some of our men to give more respect and they will open the door for us. This is the respect that every woman deserves. Therefore we have to reach out to our lost found sisters to take them under our wing and teach them the ways of modesty and righteousness. We also have to do it with great care where they don't feel overwhelmed or scared. We should treat them with the same love and care that hopefully all of us experienced when we first accepted Islam. Then we will find as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught that our people would fall in love with Islam once they truly come to understand it."

 

Thank you Sis. Tamorah for speaking up on this important topic and allowing me to feature you on my blog! I pray Allah (God) continues to bless you in your endeavors!

 

You can follow the Modesty International Movement on either one of  their Social Network sites:

www.twitter.com/ModestInternatl
www.facebook.com/ModestyInternational
www.blogtalkradio.com/ModestyInternational
Instagram:Modesty_

International
GoogleTalk/Circles:ModestyInternational

Why is modesty absent in the media?

Why does a woman have to model indecent clothes? Why can't she model something beautiful and righteous instead? Why do women feel as though people have to see her bosom and behind before her mind?

The objectification and sexualization of women in America is no secret. America has taken the natural beauty of women and turned it into something that is vile and indecent. Women have been degraded so much so they've become nothing more than their physical features. But why is that? How and when did this happen?

Historically women of all races have been seen as property but the black woman especially has been defaced and degraded. According to Merriam Webster, deface means to intentionally spoil the appearance of something and degrade means to lower to an inferior or less effective level. The degradation of the black woman is by design, it is not an accident. During slavery the black woman's value was related to how many children she could bear and servicing the sexual needs of the slave master. The women were put on display like merchandise and were bought and sold to be "bred" to different men like livestock. Isn't that what's going on today, women having sexual relations with many different men? Is this modern day slavery?

Evil has been made to be fair seeming. Everything that is unnatural is acceptable in today's society. The media feeds on anything related to sex. They do this to keep our minds on the lowest part of self. We have been fed the wrong things through television, radio, magazines, movies, and the internet for so long we have become numb and blind to the truth. There's a saying that goes, "if you keep telling yourself lies you will eventually start to believe them." That is what's happening in America. Who are our young girls role models? Nicki Minaj? Rihanna? Beyonce? Miley Cyrus? No. We have to be the inspiration we want to see but we must first change the way we think before we can change our behavior.

I will end this topic with a verse from the bible, "...in like manner also, that the woman adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works."                 -1 Timothy 2:9

I encourage everyone both men and women to give their opinion on this topic and the previous topics. Please keep your comments respectable and refrain from using any profanity. Thank you!

Suggested article(s): http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/America_s_sex-mad_culture_4777.shtml

Image: http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/187/d/5/god_bless_amerikkka_by_oldirtymastered-d6c75ax.jpg

Joshua Muhammad speaks on what the definition of modesty is...

                                              Joshua Muhammad, 22

Joshua Muhammad, who goes by his stage name, Isa Ibn, is a rap artist from the city of Houston, Texas. His goal with music is to take a positive revolutionary message and combine it with music that is both fun to listen to and most importantly, raises the mindset of those who listen. You can find his new single “Ride Out” at isaibn.bandcamp.com and make sure to be on the lookout for his new EP “All Or Nothing” coming October 16!

During Bro. Joshua's interview he shed some light on what his definition of modesty is...

"Look at the depictions of Jesus through the arts. What do you notice about the women in these depictions? Did any of them have a miniskirt? It’s interesting that the women who were around the man of God in their midst, were always covered and dressed modestly. This is because they were not representing themselves and also because they knew their value.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, is quoted saying, “A Nation can rise no higher than its woman.” This is because she is the first teacher, and every being that has walked this Earth has come through a woman, even Jesus, himself. Think of the type of woman one has to be to birth a man such as Jesus. She cannot be an immoral and indecent woman, and this is why modesty is important no matter the religion. For a woman to be modest in dress, speech, behavior shows that she knows her value and that she is not a woman who is subjected to the wickedness of this world, but a woman is of the kingdom of God and through a woman and women like this will come even more men like Jesus.

The principle of modesty is not meant to oppress women in any shape or form, but instead it is meant to protect her value. Just like precious jewels which aren’t given to us exposed, but wrapped and cared for, a woman should also present herself the same way and even better, for she, as the scriptures say, “is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her.” (Proverbs 3:15)"

Thank you Bro. Joshua for your words of wisdom and allowing me to feature you on my blog! I pray Allah (God) continues to bless you in your endeavors! Follow Bro. Joshua aka Isa Ibn on twitter: @IsaIbnOfficial and Instagram: IsaIbn.

Halimah Muhammad speaks on what the definition of modesty is...

Halimah Muhammad, 16

Fashion blogger Halimah Muhammad of Halimahnia.com and youtube fashionista HalimahMuhammad has always loved fashion. When she was younger she sewed, had an interest in modeling and loved being a stylist. Halimah's future goals include creating her own modest fashion line, opening up a store to employ young girls, and influencing the fashion world. She desires to show the world that you can be covered and still be beautiful! Her motto is modesty is the best policy. Above all she desires to apply the life giving teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad in the best way she can and aid the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in his work and be the best MGT she can be.

During Halimah's interview she shared her knowledge on what modesty means to her...

"Modesty in my eyes means self-respect. When you respect yourself, you set the standard for everyone else to respect you. I dress modestly because I know that Allah (God) does not intend for us as women to have our adornments exposed to the world. They are gifts from Allah (God) for the one man we select as our mate (smile). Our bodies are beautiful and is a gift, but we should not and do not have to expose our adornments to everyone. I strive to dress modestly because it keeps the people I meet from being distracted by my physical assets and allow them to focus on the more important assets — my mind, personality, talent, and character. If every woman around the world were to choose modesty as a way of life for herself, the standard of relationships in this world would be elevated over night!"

Thank you Sister Halimah for your beautiful words and allowing me to feature you on my blog! You are such an inspiration and I pray Allah (God) continues to bless you in your endeavors!

What is your definition of modesty?

"A nation can rise no higher than its woman"- Elijah Muhammad 

Modesty is the consciousness of the mind and body. When we are modest in our dress it means we are aware and understand the power God gave us when He created the woman's body. Being modest isn't just for our protection it is for the man's protection as well. He needs to be protected from his lower self/desires and when we are not mindful of that we put him and ourselves in danger.

I'm sure you all have heard the term "sex sells". The media feeds on anything related to sex. They do this to keep our minds on the lowest part of self. If we see filth on the television and every where we go and hear it on the radio, how can we settle on the best part of ourselves? When we are modest in our thought we think on a higher plane. Our thoughts are clearer and we move forward in life looking back only to reflect on how far we've come, we think godly thoughts. Although it can be difficult we must strive to be the light in the darkness. Be the inspiration you want to see!

The question on the table is, what does modesty mean to you? This question is open to both brothers and sisters.

Please keep your comments respectable and refrain from using any profanity. Thank you!