The Reality of True Modesty

When the Prophet ﷺ would see something wrong happening, he would be careful how he would address this. Let's say for instance — this happens often — somebody we know, maybe in the family or a friend, let's say they do something wrong. Let's say they miss their salah, let's say they're rude to someone, let's say they use a swear word.

Now there's two ways to deal with it. Option one, I come to this person, I say, "Man, what's wrong with you? Why do you swear like this?" Is that going to invite him to stop swearing and to speak in a better language? Or is it going to make him feel more dislike for me? It's going to be too aggressive. I'm going to come head on to this person, he's going to run away from me.

He's not going to feel very endeared by the way I speak to him. So what did the Prophet ﷺ used to do? He used to speak in generalities. When he would see something he didn't like, he would address the general audience.

He would say, "Why is it that some people do XYZ?" Those people, they know it's them — but they don't feel embarrassed that he has come and confronted them in front of everyone.