(This article was written by blog reader Saeed Muhammed Lawan, may Allah reward him)
Envy, one of the renowned deadly habits, is a sin that infects the
world in several shapes and forms.
Envy is defined as, “the feeling of wanting to have what someone else has.”
“Envy is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
Do you ever feel envious?
Do you want to stop being envious?
Do you know that envy can lead you to die as a disbeliever?
Do you know that there is halal and haram envy?
Read this amazing article and you will find the solution to envy.
Envy is a bad character trait which leads people to steal, cheat, break
promises, and do a variety of other sins.
Envy leads us to to wish that we have what people have and that they lose
the good they have.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Do not look to those above you, look to
those below you, as this is more likely to remind you of Allah’s favors
bestowed on you. ” (Bukhari, Muslim)
Envy makes us ungrateful to Allah, because we are always seeing
people who are richer than us , and we are always comparing ourselves to them.
We wish we have what they have.
People who make Envy their habit will start saying, “I wish I was him! Ohh!
Allah give me money like this man. He is doing what he wants with his money.”
It is not good for a Muslim to start saying all these things. This will make
you among those who are ungrateful to Allah.
There are also good and bad aspects of Envy.
THE GOOD ASPECTS OF ENVY
There are also good aspects of envy in which there is
no harm; for example, wanting good for one’s family if one sees good
happening to others is not harmful to some degree.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Envy is permitted only in two cases: Of a
man whom Allah gives wealth, and he disposes of it rightfully, and of a
man whom Allah gives knowledge, and he applies and teaches it.” [Bukhari]
Those who have something good and utilize it in a good way which is
pleasing to Allah (swt)–there is no harm in being envious of them. There
is no harm to say, “I wish I had what they have so I could do what they do.”
THE BAD ASPECTS OF ENVY
When envy leads us to wish that people do not have a thing but instead we
have it, at this point we enter into haram.
Such a wish is evil because we are wishing that people would lose the good
they have, such as wealth.
Also, if they have something good and they are doing evil with it, to
envy them is even more wrong.
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“Beware of envy, for it consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood or
grass.” (Sunan Abu Dawud)
Below are the causes , consequences and the solutions to bad aspects of envy.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ENVY?
1- Dissatisfaction with what you have
2- Being ungrateful to Allah
3- Looking at people above you, who have more than you
4- Focusing on what people else have
5- Low self-esteem ; this originates whenever someone else is blessed
with goodness the person feels inferior and this inferiority leads him
to desire that the blessing be removed from the other person.
6- Pride and arrogance, such as when a person sees another succeeding
beyond him and he always feel bad and considers this person as unworthy
of his blessing .
THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING BAD ENVY
1- You will never be a happy Muslim
2- You will end up thinking that “if I had what they have , I’ll do
this and that”
3- You will not be grateful to God
4- You could end up as a disbeliever , because Allah calls those who
are ungrateful disbelievers.
HOW TO PREVENT OURSELVES FROM BEING ENVIOUS
1- Prophet Muhammad PBUH gave us general rules on how to protect
ourselves from envy when he said, “Do not look to those above you”. There
are always people who have more than you, and if you are looking
at them you will never be satisfied with what you have. You will always
be running after this and that.
2- If you see what people have, don’t focus on it .
3- Never worry that you don’t have something because it’s Allah who gave
them all that they have.
4- You should always remember that “it’s GOD’S destiny that they have
it, and it’s GOD’s destiny that I do not have it.”
5- There are always people below you , who have less than you.
6- Always look to those who have less than you because when you look to
those who have less you will appreciate what you have. When
you look to those who have more than you, you will be ungrateful to God.
7- Always say Masha Allah (as God wills).
Remember that those who are ungrateful have fallen into a state of disbelief.
” And remember when your Lord proclaimed , if you are grateful I’ll
surely increase you in favor, but if you deny, then indeed My punishment
is severe. ”
Surah Ibrahim 14:7
Dont fear the man who earns the most but fear the man who is earned by money and lives for money , thank you so much dear brother saeed muhammad lawan ,an example for good envy i wish i knew as much as you do and act.May Allah bless you all,have me in your prays
Thank you for your positive comment!