Envy and Jealousy (Hasad): A Disease of the Heart

"Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak... from the evil of an envier when he envies." (Quran 113:1,5)

Allah commands seeking refuge from the envier. Envy is that dangerous — a spiritual poison that harms both the envier and the envied.

What is Hasad?

Hasad (envy) is wishing that a blessing be removed from someone else.

It is not simply wanting what others have. It is wanting them NOT to have it.

The envious thought patterns:

• "Why did they get that and not me?"
• "They do not deserve it."
• "I wish that blessing would leave them."
• "If I cannot have it, neither should they."

This distinguishes envy from admiration. Admiring another's blessing and wishing for the same is natural and permissible. Resenting their blessing and wishing its removal is hasad.

Hasad vs. Ghibtah

Islamic ethics distinguish between two related concepts:

Ghibtah (Permissible Admiration)

"I wish I had what they have — without wanting them to lose it."

The Prophet said: "There is no envy except in two cases: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom and he judges by it and teaches it." (Bukhari)

This "envy" refers to ghibtah — a healthy desire to emulate good qualities.

Hasad (Forbidden Envy)

"I wish they did not have it."

Wanting the blessing removed, regardless of whether you gain it yourself.

The difference is crucial. Ghibtah motivates; hasad destroys.

The First Murder

Envy produced history's first homicide.

Habil and Qabil (Abel and Cain), sons of Adam, each offered a sacrifice. Habil's was accepted; Qabil's was rejected.

Qabil's response was not to improve his offering. It was to destroy his brother:

"If you raise your hand against me to kill me, I shall not raise my hand against you to kill you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds." (Quran 5:28)

Qabil killed him anyway. The motivation? Pure envy.

The Fall of Iblis

Before human envy, there was the envy of Iblis.

When Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, Iblis refused:

"I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay." (Quran 7:12)

He could not accept that Adam was honored above him. His envy led to eternal damnation.

The first major sin recorded in creation was envy.

The Quranic Warnings

The Quran addresses envy repeatedly:

"Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty?" (Quran 4:54)

"Many of the People of the Book wish they could turn you back to disbelief after your faith, out of envy from themselves." (Quran 2:109)

"And if any good touches you, it grieves them." (Quran 3:120)

And the command to seek refuge:

"From the evil of an envier when he envies." (Quran 113:5)

The Prophetic Warnings

The Prophet's teachings are stark:

"Beware of envy, for envy consumes good deeds as fire consumes wood." (Abu Dawud)

"The diseases of previous nations have crept into you: envy and hatred. Hatred is the razor — it does not shave hair, it shaves religion." (Tirmidhi)

"Faith and envy do not coexist in a servant's heart." (Nasai)

Envy literally erases the reward of good deeds. It is incompatible with genuine faith.

Why Envy is So Grave

1. It Objects to Allah's Distribution

Allah gives blessings as He wills. To resent another's blessing is to question divine wisdom:

"Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord?" (Quran 43:32)

Envy implicitly says: "You gave wrongly, O Allah."

2. It Burns the Envier

The envier suffers most. They live in constant dissatisfaction, pained by others' happiness.

Ali ibn Abi Talib said: "I have never seen an oppressor who resembles the oppressed more than the envier — constant grief, perpetual sadness, unending sorrow."

3. It Destroys Good Deeds

"Envy consumes good deeds as fire consumes wood."

A lifetime of worship can be erased by persistent envy.

4. It Breeds Further Sin

From envy comes: backbiting (speaking ill of the envied), slander, injustice, and sometimes violence. Envy is the root; sins are the fruit.

5. It Can Harm Others

When envy manifests in looks or words, it becomes the "evil eye" (ayn), which the Prophet confirmed is real:

"The evil eye is real. If anything could outstrip destiny, it would be the evil eye." (Muslim)

Recognizing Envy in Yourself

Warning Signs

1. You feel disturbed when others succeed
2. You feel secretly pleased when others fail
3. You minimize others' achievements
4. You think "they do not deserve it"
5. You constantly compare yourself unfavorably

Self-Examination Questions

• "When my friend got promoted, what did I actually feel?"
• "When my neighbor bought a new house, was I happy for them?"
• "When my relative's child succeeded, did I genuinely celebrate?"

Honest answers reveal hidden envy.

Treating Envy

Envy can be overcome. The heart can heal.

1. Make Dua for the One You Envy

This is the most powerful remedy. Forcing yourself to pray for their success contradicts the essence of envy.

The Prophet said: "When one of you loves his brother, let him inform him." (Tirmidhi)

Go further: make dua for them and tell them.

2. Give Them Gifts

"Give gifts, and you will love one another." (Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad)

Generosity toward the envied transforms resentment into connection.

3. Speak Well of Them

Force yourself to praise them. What the tongue speaks, the heart eventually follows.

"Repel evil with that which is better, and suddenly the one between whom and you there was enmity will become like a warm friend." (Quran 41:34)

4. Recognize the Blessing Comes from Allah

They did not steal your blessing. Allah distributed according to His wisdom:

"This is from the favor of my Lord." (Quran 27:40)

5. Count Your Own Blessings

"If you tried to count Allah's blessings, you could not enumerate them." (Quran 14:34)

You have countless blessings others lack. Gratitude cures envy.

6. Remember Death

In the grave, what difference does their wealth, beauty, or status make? Death equalizes all.

7. Do Not Act on Envy

Even if you feel it, do not let it control your actions. The Prophet said:

"Three things none escape: suspicion, pessimism, and envy. But if you suspect, do not investigate; if you feel pessimism, proceed anyway; and if you envy, do not act on it." (Tabarani)

Feeling is not sin; acting on it is.

The Evil Eye and Protection

What is the Evil Eye?

When envy moves from internal feeling to external expression — through looks, words, or excessive praise without blessing — it can cause real harm.

The Prophet said: "The evil eye is real. If anything could outpace divine decree, the evil eye would outpace it." (Muslim)

Protection

1. Say "Masha'Allah": When praising or admiring anything
2. Recite Ayatul Kursi: Daily and when feeling vulnerable
3. Recite Al-Mu'awwidhatayn: Surah Al-Falaq and An-Nas
4. Morning and Evening Adhkar: The prescribed remembrances provide protection
5. Trust in Allah: Ultimately, only what Allah decrees happens

If Affected

Ruqyah (Quranic healing) from Fatiha, Ayatul Kursi, and the Mu'awwidhatayn. The Prophet prescribed ghusl with water used by the suspected envier for the affected person.

The Words of the Wise

Ali ibn Abi Talib: "The envier objects to Allah's distribution, resents His blessings upon His servants, and is stingy with what Allah has given."

Hasan al-Basri: "The envier is one who is not pleased with Allah's decree, who grieves over His blessings to His servants, and who is miserly toward Allah's giving — though Allah owes nothing to His servants."

Fudayl ibn Iyad: "The believer feels ghibtah (admiration); the hypocrite feels hasad (envy)."

Conclusion: Purifying the Heart

Envy is a disease. Like any disease, it can be treated.

The treatment:

1. Acknowledge the envy
2. Seek Allah's refuge
3. Make dua for those you envy
4. Act opposite to the envy's urging
5. Count your blessings
6. Persist patiently

And remember:

"Envy consumes good deeds as fire consumes wood."

Do not let your worship burn away in the fire of envy.

Purify the heart. Extinguish the fire.

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Related Pages:

• Backbiting in Islam
• Dealing with Waswasa
• Anger Management in Islam