The positive and negative sides of envy

The envy is a pathological property reprehensible. He is one of the worst diseases of the heart, which destroy the envious.

 

An Arabic poem reads:

 

How Allâh created but the envy, he yet is how fair! It started with the envy and killed him in the end.

 

The Prophet forbade the envy of his community, saying: "do not envy one another!"

 

Continue he said: "the diseases of the (previous) communities have crept in you: the envy and hatred." Narrated by at-Tirmidhî.

 

The noble Qurân forbade the faithful to seek the grace of others.At the same time calling on it to request this from Allâh and hope for his kindness. Allâh, the exalted, says: "and wishes you not that which Allâh has preferred the one of you before the other. A proportion of which comes to men, what they deserve, and a proportion of which comes to the women what they deserve. And ask Allâh (to something) of his grace. Allâh knows everything."(Sûra 4:32)

 

This noble verse talks about the envy. Envy is the desire of a grace, a Muslim has received from Allâh, so that this one even goes over. Is also the desire of things that are not possible in Islâm with envy such as that women desire to be equal with men in religious rules such as the Jihad or in secular rules of inheritance or dropping of a certificate. It still referred to as the desire of things that contradict the physical laws of Allah (the laws of nature). Include the desire of women of and men to his (and vice versa) and to possess the same abilities like this.Continue to desire any member of this community, becoming a prophet, after Allâh told us that the Prophet Muhammad is the last of the prophets.

 

We read the statement of the Messenger of the opposite in the Sunnah: "no envy except in two: a man, Allâh granted a fortune that he emits Islamically correct;" and a man that Allâh knew it with wisdom, which he believes and teaches." Narrated by Al Bukhari and Imâm Muslim.

 

The Hadîth indicates that jealousy is not negative, but even positive only in two cases. These two cases are the desire for knowledge to implement this, and to teach and the desire to the ability to spend it for good.

 

Perhaps verse prepares doubt some preceded the hadeeth with the. The verse prohibits in principle the envy of things other people received as a mercy from Allâh. The Hadîth prohibits generally the envy and taking only two matters: the desire for knowledge and the desire for wealth. How do we understand the ban of the verse and the exception of Hadîthes now?

 

The Hadîth scholars were concerned with this problem and responded as follows: the Hadîth tells the believers to want the same religious and worldly gifts that Allâh granted his other servants. The verse again forbids the faithful to wish the gift itself, which Allâh has given one of his servants. The verse prohibits the servant to covet something that is in the hands of another, on that it passes into his possession. The hadeeth encourages Muslim, however, to wish the same grace that Allâh granted his other servants, unless they lost come the owner.

 

The scholars have divided the envy in two categories: the positive and the negative. The envy of postivien is called the "lucky" envy. In this case the man desires a thing similar to the that what someone else has, without them losing the other. With the envy, but mostly the negative envy is meant: this refers to the desire that disappears, where it is two if this gift to the Envier, or someone else goes over the possession of another.

 

The grasp it, is the envy of the negative meant in the verse. Envy, the calls of the Hadîth, which is the positive envy. The difference between them is enormous.

 

The similarities between the verse and this Hadîth also encounter following saying of the Prophet to: "in the world, there are only four types of people: A servant of Allâh assets and knowledge gave the one who fears his Lord in this regard maintains his ties to and knows the right of Allah." This one has the best position. Continue to a servant, the Allâh knowledge brought, but no assets. He has a sincere intention, he says: 'If I were rich, I would do what I and the person.' He has his intention and is the first in the wage. And a servant which Allâh brought wealth but no knowledge. He acts with the asset without knowledge and fears his Lord not. He maintains his ties with it and does not recognize the right of Allah in this regard.This one has the worst position. And a servant which Allâh brought neither wealth nor knowledge. He says: ' if I were wealthy, I would do what I and the person.' He has his intention and is similar to the third party in punishment." Narrated by at-Tirmidhî, which classifies this Hadîth as Hasan Sahîh.

 

Finally, we summarize: the believer may wish to do the pious deeds his gäubiger brother commits. He may wish to do the same deeds and should work. The believers even requires that it is aimed in the religion according to the, who is him and tiring himself in this way. Allâh, the exalted, says: "...und about to compete the competitors..." (Sûrah 83:26)

 

If someone in a religious act preceded him, he strives to overtake him and lamenting his negligence. It is not envy to what the others gave Allâh, but the contest and the grief over their own negligence. The same is true for the worldly things: the believer may ask his Lord without hesitation to the permitted and possible.

Category: Creed Muslims