JEALOUSY

Allah Ta'ala says in the Noble Qur'an,
'Do you have jealousy over those people upon whom Allah has bestowed of his favours.'

Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) also mentioned in a Hadith,
'Jealousy destroys the good deeds like how the fire burns wood.'

It is mentioned in a Hadith that when Moosa (Alayhis salaam) went to converse with Allah Ta'ala on mount Toor, then he saw a person in the shade of the Arsh. So Moosa (Alayhis salaam) desired that, 'How Nice! If I was in this place and I get this place.'

So Moosa (Alayhis salaam) asked Allah to show him the name of this person who was sitting in the shade of the Arsh. Allah told him, 'What is the need for the name? Rather ask that that what is his actions?'

This person used to do three things:

1. On seeing the bounties of Allah upon other he would not get jealous.
2. He would not disobey his parents
3. He would not carry tales

Hadhrat Zakariyya (Alayhis salaam) mentions that Allah Ta'ala says, 'Jealousy is the enemy of my bounty, that a person is displeased upon anything which I have given to someone'.

If we look into our lives, we see that this is the condition of our Muslim men and women, that if Allah gives anybody wealth, riches, cars, houses, shop, knowledge, beauty, etc. then we become jealous.

In one Hadith, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said,
"Jealousy is the work of the hypocrites"

Jealousy is Haraam. But today Muslim male and female do not consider it as Haraam. It is as if it has become a play. Today we see sons become jealous of their fathers and mother, brothers get jealous of their sisters and vice-versa. family members get jealous of relatives. Whereas Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) has given great warnings regarding these people and also he has given glad-tidings of favours and big Jannat to those people whose hearts are clean of jealousy like how it is explained in the Hadith.

Hadhrat Anas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) reports: One day we were sitting in the presence of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, 'Just now a Jannati person will come in your presence.' In the meantime one Ansari Sahaabi (Radhiallaahu Anhu) came holding his shoes in his left hand, and the Wudhu water was dripping off his beard and said, 'Assalaamu Alaykum" When it was the second day, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, 'Just now one Jannati Sahaabi will come and the same Sahaabi (Radhiallaahu Anhu) came. Also on the third day, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) mentioned the same thing and the very same Sahaabi (Radhiallaahu Anhu) came. When Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) returned to his house, then another Sahaabi, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) followed this person. He said to that Sahaabi, 'I had an argument with my father about something and because of this I took a Qasm that for three days I would not go to my father. If give permission I may stay at your place for three days.' The Ansari Sahaabi (Radhiallaahu Anhu) told Abdullah (Radhiallaahu Anhu), 'No problem'. And Abdullah slept three days by him and kept watch all night to see what was his action?

So Abdullah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) saw that he didn't perform any Tahajjud Salaat, only when he turned his side (direction) during sleeping he would make Dhikr of Allah, then he would go back to sleep. When three days had passed, Abdullah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) said to himself that this person doesn't do anything much, he does very little actions. So Abdullah said, 'O Ansari Sahaabi! I didn't have any dispute (argument) with my father, but I only wanted to see the actions you do for which Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) gave you the glad-tidings of Jannah for three days. But I have seen that you do not do any extra actions, then how did you get such a stage?" This Ansari Sahaabi said, 'I only do those actions which you have seen." While he was going, the Ansaari Sahaabi then called Abdullah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) and said, 'I do not have any special action but I only practice on one thing, that if Allah gives, anybody a favour, then I do not become jealous over it." Then Abdullah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) remarked, 'It is for this same reason that Allah has given you the glad-tidings of Jannat in this world.'

From here, we realise that because of this Sahaabi abstaining from his jealousy, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) gave him the glad-tidings of Jannah. We will not be able to do harm to other by having jealousy, in fact, one destroys one's own actions through it. Everyday, we read Salaat and we fast, we make Tasbeeh and make the Tilaawat of Qur'an, read Kitaabs and teach Kitaabs, go out in Jamaat and make a lot of effort. But if we are jealous about others then through this jealousy all our good deeds are destroyed. Therefore, at all times we should abstain from the jealousy which is Haraam.

May Allah Ta'ala save us all from having jealousy and may Allah protect us from sins.

concerned Student

Islamic Info

Source:  Jamiatul Ulama (Kwazulu-Natal)