Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah - Naib Amir USA & Chairman Markazi Al Islam Team
Published: November 7, 2025
Self-reflection is the cornerstone of spiritual maturity. Those who aspire to reform the world must first reform themselves, purifying their hearts of destructive emotions and adorning their character with virtue. Among the most pervasive are envy and jealousy. These are traits we must be aware of and monitor. Envy, in its benign form, is an inspiration that motivates excellence; jealousy, by contrast, is a grave spiritual transgression that the Quran warns us against. Envy may at times devolve into jealousy and needs to monitored.
The Prophet (sa) taught us that "the faith of a man cannot be straight unless his heart is straight, and his heart cannot be straight unless his tongue becomes straight." This interconnection between faith, heart, and speech underscores the importance of moral vigilance. Abdullah ibn Masud relates that the Prophet (sa) declared: "By the One other than whom there is no God on this earth, there is no one more deserving of long imprisonment than the tongue." Our words reflect the state of our hearts, and both must be disciplined for spiritual growth. The Promised Messiah (as) in talking about this triad of heart, mind and tongue emphasize purifying the heart to reroute disordered thinking and cure disturbed emotions hence facilitating the restraining of our tongue so our words are humble and grateful instead of being hurtful and hateful. "Guard your heart, guide your mind, grace your tongue."
The Quran uses hasad to describe jealousy, particularly its destructive form. Surah Al-Falaq offers divine protection: "Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak... from the evil of the envier when he envies." (113:6) Hasad is malicious jealousy, the desire not merely to possess what another has, but to see it stripped from them. This emotion involves resentment, bitterness, and often a wish for the other's harm. It is a three-person dynamic: the jealous individual, the object of their jealousy, and the perceived threat or rival.
Islamic scholars distinguish hasad from rashk (benign envy) and ghibtah (admiration). Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) said in his dars that Imam Raghib explained the difference: the believer (momin) experiences rashk, while the hypocrite (munafiq) harbors hasad. The Promised Messiah (as) said: momin's muallim is Allah, munafiq's muallim is shaitan. The believer's teacher is Allah; the hypocrite's teacher is Satan. This distinction is crucial: hasad is forbidden because it represents discontent with divine decree, while ghibtah inspires emulation and improvement.
Envy (rashk or ghibtah) involves two parties: the one who desires and the one who possesses. It is the longing to attain blessings, qualities, or achievements that another enjoys, without wishing harm upon them. The Prophet (sa) said: "There is no envy except in two cases: A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously, and a man whom Allah has given wisdom who judges by it and teaches it." This hadith, found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim, describes ghibtah, the permissible aspiration to emulate excellence.
When properly channeled, benign envy becomes a catalyst for self-improvement. It motivates us to compete in virtue, as the Quran exhorts: "So hasten to all that is good" (2:148). Envy in this form involves admiration, inspiration, and the recognition that excellence is achieved through effort. Rather than resenting another's success, we ask: "What did they do to achieve this? How can I follow their path?"
Jealousy, by contrast, is fundamentally possessive and fear driven. It involves three elements: the jealous person, something they value, and a perceived threat to that possession. Jealousy arises from insecurity, the fear of losing a relationship, status, or advantage to someone else. Unlike envy, which desires to gain, jealousy fears to lose.
Malicious jealousy (hasad) consumed Iblis when he refused to submit Adam (2:35), and it drove Cain to murder Abel (5:31). The jealous heart is perpetually restless, finding no peace in the blessings of others. Imam al-Ghazali, in Ihya Ulum al-Din, lists hasad among the destructive vices, noting that it is illogical, it brings no benefit to the envious, only spiritual harm. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya observed that the jealous person is angry at Allah's decree, a dangerous attitude for one's faith.
The Promised Messiah (as) reminds us that the Quran forbids nukta chini, unnecessary criticism and fault-finding. Allah declares: "Such were you before this, but Allah conferred His special favour on you" (4:95). This verse calls us to humility, reminding us that our own transformation came through divine grace. In life, we can always find fault if we seek it. The choice is ours: to develop an eye for the good or to cultivate a critical gaze.
Self-inquiry demands honest introspection. Do we rejoice in the blessings of others, or do we secretly wish for their removal? Do we feel inspired to emulate excellence, or do we harbor resentment? Benign envy whispers, "I wish I had that, how can I achieve it?" Destructive jealousy hisses, "Why do they have that? They don't deserve it."
The cure for jealousy lies in spiritual discipline. First, trust in Allah, knowing that He alone grants and withholds blessings. Second, practice patience when confronted with jealousy from others, refusing to descend to their level. Third, maintain dignity and piety, disregarding provocations. Fourth, free your mind from obsessive thoughts about those who envy you. Fifth, respond with kindness, doing good to those who wish you ill. Sixth, strengthen your tawhid, your belief in Allah's oneness, for a heart that enshrines divine unity and trust in Allah cannot be shaken.
Surah Al-Falaq (Ch. 113) teaches us to seek refuge in Allah from the evil of the envier. But we must also seek refuge from becoming enviers ourselves. The highest form of maturity is self-inquiry: lessening our focus on others' faults so we may identify and rectify our own. When we discipline our tongues, we discipline our hearts; when we purify our hearts, our faith becomes unshakeable.
The choice lies before us: to race against others in jealousy, or alongside them in emulation, each striving to reach the divine presence with a heart purified of rancor, a tongue disciplined in truth, and a soul adorned with virtue.
