33. Envy

[ummtaalib]

Allah, The Most Exalted, says:

“Do they envy others for the bounty that Allah has bestowed upon them?". Qur'an-(4:54)

 

The Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:

 “Do not envy one another; do not hate one another; do not turn your back on one another (in discontent); (but) be servants of Allah as brothers."  (Hadith Bukhari & Muslim)

 

Note: Envy refers to the desire that a person feels for the destruction or removal of a blessing that another person has – a destruction which the bearer of this feeling would himself carry out if he had the power to. This is quite different to wanting such blessings for oneself while not wishing for them to be removed from others, for that is, indeed, a positive and commendable desire. Envy is an evil disease of the heart and the cancer of the soul. If unchecked it leads to animosity, bad behaviour, thinking evil of others, backbiting, tale-bearing and dishonesty. It is considered to be among the most dangerous and destructive of internal diseases and is the most destructive to a person's religion and worldly life.