By Jawed Anwar

[Announcement: Haya Movement of Canada, a project of Seerah Education Foundation, is organizing the Haya Parade on Sunday, July 26 at 11:00 am at Celebration Square, Mississauga, inviting all faith groups. See attached flyer.]

Divine Foundation: The Concept of Gender

God created human beings from a single soul and from it He created its mate. He created two genders and spread countless men and women throughout creation. (Quran 4:1, 7:189)

Today, our world is home to 8.3 billion people: 50.26% men and 49.74% women.

God created all things in complementary pairs—male and female (Quran 51:49), positive and negative, 0 and 1. This binary principle is foundational to creation itself.

The first man was Adam and the first woman was Eve. God taught them Haya—both understood well how and why to cover their private parts. (Quran 7:22, 20:121)

God established tribes and communities so that people might recognize and know one another. The most honored in the sight of God are those most righteous among us. (Quran 49:13)

Understanding Haya

Haya encompasses bashfulness, decency, modesty, and dignity. It involves lowering one's gaze and avoiding indecent things. It is an essential part of faith and requires us to abstain from indecent conduct.

Haya embodies the Prophetic way of life. It is a resistance against Satan and ignorance.

A Universal Principle

Our Christian friend, Elder George, has written:

"Gender came into existence upon the creation of the universe and makes possible all movement and universal activity. Movement results from an assertive influence acting upon a receptive entity. Two receptive entities cannot produce movement, nor can two assertive entities.

The assertive influence is called the masculine principle, and the receptive entity is called the feminine principle.

Examples of action created by gender are: the masculine North Pole sending a charge to the feminine South Pole, creating magnetism; the masculine Anode in a battery sending a charge to the feminine Cathode, creating electricity.

Religious texts throughout the world illustrate the principle of gender by referring to man and woman, or male and female—a universal principle."

In the symphony of creation, the concept of two genders is not merely a societal construct but a divine truth. This principle echoes across sacred scriptures—the Vedas, the Old and New Testaments, and the Quran—all converging on the profound acknowledgment of two genders, as reiterated by Messengers and Prophets of God throughout history.

Three Foundational Principles

Across the tapestry of human civilization—from ancient traditions to modern societies—a profound consensus emerges on three principles central to family and society:

• Creation's Design: Every major faith and culture recognizes that the Divine established humanity in two complementary genders—masculine and feminine—each bearing inherent dignity and purpose.
• Sanctity of Adult Partnership: The intimate bond between man and woman is consecrated exclusively for those who have reached adulthood, reflecting both wisdom and responsibility.
• Sacred Covenant: This union must be solemnized through the sacred institution of marriage—a binding contract that honors both spiritual commitment and social responsibility.

Haya Society and Community

Haya society respects the two-gender principle. It honors and cherishes parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and all maternal, paternal, and extended family relations. The Haya movement seeks to strengthen the bonds of kinship and family ties.

The Purpose of the Haya Parade

The Haya Parade is a demonstration of faith and a display of values. It aims to build confidence within faith-based communities.

The Haya Parade declares that Haya is our pride. It honors God's design for family and marriage and celebrates faith and family values.

The Haya Parade stands as a response to gender confusion in schools. We believe schools should educate, not indoctrinate.

The Haya Parade affirms the rights of parents regarding their children's upbringing.

The Haya Parade resists institutional interference in matters concerning children, protecting parental authority and responsibility.

Our Conviction

We firmly believe that separating parents and children weakens families, destabilizes society, and ultimately harms the nation. Parental involvement and family cohesion are essential to a healthy society.

(Web: seerah.ca, E-mail: hayaparade@gmail.com)