In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful
Types of Envy
There are two types: blameworthy and praiseworthy.
The blameworthy type is when a person desires that the favour bestowed the other person be removed. The ruling about this is prohibition. It is this type of envy that is discussed in this work.
The praiseworthy envy, called al-Ghibtah, is when a person desires the good in the other but without the thought that the good be removed from him. The Messenger of Allâh salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam] praised that when he said:
لا حسد إلا في اثنتين رجل أتاه الله مالاً فسلطه على هلكته في الحق ورجل أتاه الله الحكمة فهو يقضي بها ويعلمها
‘There is no [good] envy except in two things: a person whom Allâh has given money and spends it thoroughly in the path of truth, and a man whom Allâh endowed knowledge and he acts with and teaches it [to others].’ [Recorded by Al-Bukhârî and Muslim].
Traits of Envy
There are many dispositions when noticed or observed in a person that will give him out as an envier:
One, waiting for the envied person to make errors so that he can announce them to the people.
Two, he takes delight in when someone slights or backbites the person he envies.
Three, he backbites in a cunning way such as saying: ‘so-and-so is knowledgeable but does not how to pronounce some of the Arabic letters.’
Four, he hates that the person he envies be mentioned in any circle of goodness. He loves to be the only person to be mentioned.
Five, when the person he envies is mentioned meritoriously, that brings him sadness.
Six, he always strives to find faults in the person he envies.
Seven, he tries to know what goes on in the heart of the envied person such as saying ‘so-and-so does not really believe in Allâh.’
Eight, he will never ponder in a moment to measure his actions with respect to his act of envying the other person. He will forget that envy is prohibited. This therefore is an indication that he is weak in faith, and has allowed the devil to be his ally.
Causes of Envy
When the envying person lacks being pleased with the provisions of Allâh for all His slaves.
Pride is another factor such as when the envying person sees himself being above everybody else. With that, he will feel he is the most worthy of praise.
Dirtiness of the soul is yet another factor. Some people do not like that any good comes from the other people. So sad that when you do good to him, he will repay you with evil.
Love for fame and dunya is another factor. When a person love that he takes the lead in everything, he will envy anybody he thinks wants to outdo him in his bid. With that, he will never mind to destroy the others so that he will maintain his self-declared leadership.
Being partners in one activity. This also breeds envy. For instance, men of the same trade and profession, in the same locality, often envy one another. Sadly too that people who ascribe themselves to the pursuit of the Islamic knowledge fail in this regarding a negative way [that is, not in the sense of Al-Ghibtah which is commendable]. You hardly see a doctor envy a farmer, but a doctor envies another doctor, a farmer another farmer, a Muslim scholar another Muslim scholar and a student of knowledge another student of knowledge. We ask Allâh for wellbeing.
Fear of loss of target. When the envying person is known with a phenomenon such that people flock him on that purpose, such a person may hate that he should see a rival to take away some of the fame he has earned. He will rather wish the person move to another place or that people neglect him so that his own fame will remain.
Harm of Evil
Much harm comes with envy. Among them are the following:
The envying person will remain in a perpetual state of sadness in his heart such that it will transform into body pains for him. This is because of what he harbours of malice, despair and hatred towards the envied person. The more this favour on the other person increases the more he suffers more pains.
An envying person will not last long with the people. They will eventually shun him such that he will become the most hated of the people. An envying person does not rise, goes the popular saying.
The envying person will earn the anger of Allâh because of his displeasure with the predestination and decree of Allâh.
The envying person loses the rewards of his actions because most definitely he will carry them out for some mundane reasons.
Envy causes disunity among the Muslims. The envying person will never rest until he causes splits among the Muslims because of his evil dispositions. No doubt, some people like him will follow his ways thus in no time will they become a clog in the wheel of development of the Muslim society.
Some Sayings of the Scholars in Dispraising the Enviers
As-Samarqandee [may Allâh bestow mercy on him] said: ‘There is no evil as vicious as envy, it brings five punishments for the envying person: an everlasting sadness, a non rewardable affliction, non praiseworthy vilification, anger of the Lord and furthermost from guidance.’
Umar bn Al-Khattâb [may Allâh be pleased with him] said: ‘It suffices you that the person that envies you is sad when you are happy.’
Al-Qur’tubî [may Allâh bestow mercy on him] said: ‘Envy is blameworthy, the envier will always be unhappy...’
Al-Hasan [may Allâh bestow mercy on him] said: ‘I have never seen an oppressor who looks like the oppressed one than an envier; always embittered and feeling despair.’
Ibn Mas’ûd [may Allâh be pleased with him] said: ‘Do not fight with the favours of Allâh.’ They say: ‘Who will fight with the favour of Allâh?’ He replied: ‘Those who envy people for what Allâh has given them of His bounty.’
Al-Ahnaf [may Allâh bestow mercy on him] said: ‘There is no rest for the envier.’
Al-’Asma’ee [may Allâh bestow mercy on him] said to a Bedouin: ‘What made you live long?’ He replied: ‘I shunned envy so I lived long.’
One of the Salaf has said: ‘The envier hates the favour bestowed on the others so he is angry over the predestination. ’ A poet wrote these lines:
O envier of my favour
do you know whom you have shown your foul character
You have wronged Allâh regarding His judgement
because you are not pleased with what He has bestowed
May Allâh despise you when He adds more for me
while He blocked the paths of asking [Him] from you.
Another poet wrote:
Be patient over the plot of the envier
your patience will definitely kill him
Indeed the fire devours itself
when it has nothing to devour
How to Protect Oneself from the Harm of the Envier
Ibn Al-Qayyim [may Allâh bestow mercy on him] mentioned, in Badaa’iul-Fawaaid, the means of protecting oneself from the envying person, such as the following:
One: Seeking protection with Allâh from his harm.
Two: Fear of Allâh and guarding His do’s and don’ts.
Three: Being patient over his enmity by not fighting him or reporting him or thinking of harming him in anyway.
Four: Relying on Allâh. Whoever relies on Allâh, He will suffice him.
Five: Freeing the heart from getting occupied with him.
Six: Turning to Allâh and singling all acts of worship for Him.
Seven: Turning to Allâh completely from all sins and inequities.
Eight: Trying to be good to him as much as possible.
How to Relate with the Envying Person
Staying away from him as much as possible.
Trying to hide one’s favour from him.
Not revealing one’s secrets to him.
Praying that Allâh should guide him and make him better.
Staging a complete detachment from him such as having the feeling that he is nonexistent.
Playing hide-and-seek with him so as to guard against his harm.
How to Treat Envy in One's Heart
Fear of Allâh. The envier should know that Allâh sees him in all what he does. He should be fearful lest his good deeds are wasted. He should also submit to the will, predestination and decree of Allâh. He should be wary of the mundane punishment of being an envier and that is if people discover him out and thereby shun him. That he should shun envy if he wants rest of mind for himself. He should not desire this world because desiring the world is one of what breeds envy.
Other means of curing envy is by making supplications for your brother who has been bestowed a favour; you can make the supplication in his presence or behind him. Maashaa Allâh, Baarakallaahu feehi are some of those beautiful supplications you can make for your brother. Trying to love him, asking after him and his family is one of the ways you can cure the envy in your heart. If you can visit him, that is better. You can let him know some of those favours he has over you. Do not be happy if he is backbitten or slighted beside you. Seek advice from him and let him know you may need him when the need arises. One of the ways is by sending him gifts. You may also mention some good virtue in him whether he is present or not.
Epilogue
May Allâh safeguard our Eemaan and protect us from all forms of evil that come out of the heart.
