Envy

Hasad (Envy) Hasad or malicious Envy is a psychological state in which a person wishes for the deprivation of a blessing, talent, or merit possessed by another person. Ethical teachings shed light on the causes and motives of hasad and its harmful spiritual, moral and social effects, and offer practical solutions for combating this spiritual disease.

Do you know that this condition is a sickness of soul and heart and it also harms your physical health ?

Diseases of the Soul… Qualities in others such as certain intellectual, spiritual, and moral merits, or good and pious deeds, or outward factors such as honour, prestige and wealth can cause hasad . Also, immoral or negative traits that are imagined to be merits can be a cause of hasad . Almost all of the causes of hasad are the products of a feeling of inferiority and dejectedness. When a person perceives others to be more perfect than himself, a feeling of inferiority seizes him, which, with the help of external factors and inner propensities, generates the feeling of envy in his heart. The scholar al-`Allamah al-Majlisi has mentioned seven causes and motives of hasad . We have listed these causes and in some cases provided examples of hasad corresponding to the cause: Enmity : Hasad can be the result of enmity. For example, enmity against another family, tribe or group can cause one to envy successes they achieve. The sense of one's supremacy : The hasid (one who envies) anticipates the pride of the mahsud on account of a merit mahsud enjoys. Not having the patience to put up with this pride, the hasid feels a sense of superiority and earnestly desires the loss of this merit. Kibr (pride) and Wonder : The hasid high-handedly treats the person who is conferred some merit, favour, or talent, and may wonder to see a great blessing enjoyed by the object of his envy. For example, a wealthy individual outwardly looks with disdain upon the respect enjoyed by a poor person believing that he deserves to be the recipient of such admiration. Fear and Love of authority : Also, the envious man is fearful of some hindrance on the part of the person enjoying an advantage or talent or merit that may frustrate his cherished objectives. Such fear manifests itself when one's acquiring or preserving authority over others requires that nobody should share his advantages or merits. For example, one who wishes to be re-elected as the leader of an organization may desire that no other member step forward and exhibit leadership skills such as eloquence of speech and efficiency of organization and mobilization Viciousness of nature : A human being of vicious nature does not like to see others enjoying any kind of good whatsoever. Such a person always greets news of another’s good fortune for example, in education or business, with sarcasm, pessimism, and ridicule or with other unethical tactics or conduct Imam Ali (a.s) said: “ The person who gives up hasad is loved by people. ” (Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar , vol. 77, p. 237, hadith no. 1) The Causes and Motives of Hasad (Envy)

So you don’t like a person because he/she possesses some thing you imagine to be good that you don’t have ?

You feel ‘sick’ whenever you see him/her, hear people talking about him/her or even when you think of him/her while you are alone…

This is because he/she is smarter or wealthier or more knowledgeable or intelligent or virtuous than you are…

And you are not able to appreciate his/her unique talent or possession or popularity….

… And by your behavior you try to downgrade, avoid, or defame him/her, feel happy when he/she suffers a loss or is in a difficulty. But you hide this feeling inside yourself…

The Evil effects of Hasad (Envy) Envy is one of the deadliest diseases of the heart and it produces additional vices such as hypocrisy, backbiting, slandering, abuse, taunting, and torturing, all of which are grave sins. This hideous condition makes the human heart so narrow and gloomy that its effects pervade the realm of one's inner and outer being. The fears and grief of the hasid revolve around the person(s) of whom he is envious. The hasad he harbours in his heart blinds him to the virtues of the envied, and he becomes unhappy over the blessings of God conferred upon the mahsud . The spiritual light and the divine spark of faith which makes the human heart greater than anything else in the world cannot go along with the darkness and narrowness caused in it by hasad . The heart becomes grieved and depressed, the chest narrow and suffocated, and the face grim and frowning. The more this state gains in strength, the more it diminishes the brightness of faith, while this faith is the source of his salvation in the Hereafter and the life and vigour of his heart. Eventually this disease reduces the hasid into a helpless wretch.

Harms of Jealousy Jealousy is the fountainhead of many individual and social evils some of them being. A: It can be said that jealousy is a kind of criminal motives observed in the world and if an investigation is made in the real factors behind murders, thefts, excesses etc we shall find that a significant number of them is based on jealousy and, perhaps, that is why jealousy has been compared with a spark of fir which can endanger both individuals and societies. We see in narrations that: B: Jealousy can be close to blasphemy or disbelief and it is likely that jealousy may turn off the life and future of man. In other words, sometimes destines of a family and a community change due to jealousy and in history, such happenings are found like the events of the sons of Adam and the sons of Yaqoob (a.s.). C: A jealous person spends away all or most of his energy, be it physical or mental, which otherwise could help in the progress of the society, By losing it a jealous man spoils both his personal as well as the collective assets, of the society. D: Over and above all this, jealousy leaves very undesirable effects on the body of man and his health. Usually jealous persons are seen to be almost ill and restless both physically and mentally because, today it has been established that many physical illnesses are due to nervous causes or psychics causes. In today's field of medicine we see detailed discussions under the title of illnesses related to physical???

1 - Ali (a.s.) said: Less jealousy, more health. 2 - Ali (a.s.) said: It is surprising that jealous people are totally careless about their physique. 3 - Also we read: Liar has no virili 4 - Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: A miser cannot have peace nor a jealous pleasure. 5 -Imam Ali (a.s.) said: One who does not suppress jealousy makes his body his own grave.

Remedy for this Dangerous disease: The best procedure of removing this dangerous disease is: First: Keep in mind the individual, social and otherworldly harms of it. Second: Seek its practical remedy and remove it from heart by discipline. Third: Man must think for a while whether he can, through jealousy, grab a bounty from others where as the fact is that whatever God Almighty has decided is bound to reach him. So he says: And there is measure with him of everything. And in respect of the other says: For every term there is an appointment.

Kinds of Jealousy: A: That man desires that the comfort enjoyed by his fellow brother may be taken away from him even if thereby he himself does not get any benefit. This is the worst kind of jealousy. B: Man wants that others bounty may be removed from him and may be given to him. C: Sometimes man does not want that someone's ease may be taken away from him but wants the same ease for himself and since it does not reach him he entertains a desire for the other man's down fall and possibly, if he gets such strength, he removes the said ease from the other person. D: In the beginning one does not want that the other man should lose his bounty but since he does not have the ability to reach it he desires the downfall of the other person, but without an intention to seize the other person's bounty even if he is able to do so. As he considers himself religiously responsible and duty bound. E: His heart would feel happy if the other prosperity vanishes but, at the same, he is also angry with his own heart due to such wish and also condemns scolds it. The Prophet of God (s) : Beware ! Don’t be enemy of blessings of God. (he was asked: Oh Prophet of God “who are those who keep enmity with the blessings of God ?”) : He replied: ‘Those who are envious.’ [Ibn Abi al-Hadid, vol.1, p.315]

امام على : الحسد مرض لا يؤسى Imam Ali (a) : Envy is a disease without remedy [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1378]

امام على : الحسد دأب السفل و اعداء الدول Imam Ali (a) : Envy is the trait of those with degraded nature and enemies of popularity [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1472]

امام على : الحسد مقنصة ابليس الكبرى Imam Ali (a) : Envy is the great trap of Devil [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1133] ٰ

امام على : الحسد حبس الروح Imam Ali (a) : Envy is prison for spirit [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 372]

امام على : الحسد شرا لامراض Imam Ali (a) : Envy is worst of diseases [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 332]

امام على : الحسد احد العذابين Imam Ali (a) : Envy is one of the two tortures [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1635]

امام على : الحسد عيب فاضح ، و شجى فادح ، لا يشفى صاحبه الا بلوغ امله فيمن يحسده Imam Ali (a) : Envy is an obvious fault and a heavy grief. The envious person is never remedied until he doesn’t get to his aim which he has for the envied [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 2205]

امام على : رأس الرذائل الحسد Imam Ali (a) : Envy is the source of humiliations [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 5242]

امام على : اذا مطرالتحاسد انبتت التفاسد Imam Ali (a) : When there is rain (abundance) of envy, there is mutual discord and mischief [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 4131]

امام على : لله در الحسد فما اعدله ! بدأ بصاحبه فقتله Imam Ali (a) : May God deal with envy ! For what an enemy it is ! It kills the one who has it [Ibn Abi al-Hadid, vol.1, p. 216]

امام على : من ولع بالحسد ولع به الشوم Imam Ali (a) : The one who loves envy, is loved by the troubles [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.78, p. 12, hadith # 70]

امام على : الحسد مطية التعب Imam Ali (a) : Envy is an exhausting ride [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.78, p. 12, hadith # 71]

امام على : ثمرة الحسد شقاء الدنيا و الاخرة Imam Ali (a) : The fruit of envy is the misery of world and the hereafter [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 4632] ٰ

امام على : الحاسد لا يشفيه الازوال النعمة Imam Ali (a) : The envious person is not satisfied until the blessing (from the person he envies) is lost [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1478]

امام على : الحاسد يفرح بالشر و يغتم بالسرور Imam Ali (a) : Envious person is happy when evil befalls (the envied) and sad over happiness [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1474]

امام على : الحاسد يرى ان زوال النعمة عمن يحسده نعمة عليه Imam Ali (a) : The one who is envious imagines that the blessing possessed by envied will be lost and reach him [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1832] ٰ

امام على : الحاسد يظهر و ده فى اقواله ، و يخفى بغضه فى افعاله ، فله اسم الصديق و صفة العدو Imam Ali (a) : The envious person looks like a loving friend by his speech, but hides malice behind his actions, he is friend only by name but by his characteristics, he is an enemy [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 2105]

امام على : ما رأيت ظالما اشبه بمظلوم من الحاسد Imam Ali (a) : I have not seen an oppressor who resembles an oppressed like the envious person [Tuhuf al-Uqool, p. 216] ﹰ

امام جعفر الصادق : الحاسد مضر بنفسه قبل ان يضر بالمحسود ، كابليس اورث بحسده لنفسه اللعنة و لادم عليه السلام الاجتباء ... Imam al-Sadiq (a): The envious person harms himself before he harms the envied, like Iblis who because of his envy left the legacy of curse on himself and for Adam (a) became the source of God’s selection (over himself) ٰ [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.73, p. 255, hadith # 23]

امام على : ما رأيت ظالما اشبه بمظلوم من الحاسد ، نفس دائم ، وقلب هائم ، وحزن لازم Imam Ali (a) : I have not seen an oppressor so similar to oppressed like an envious person, (because he is) with permanently sick soul, disturbed heart and inseparable sorrow [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.73, p. 256, hadith # 29]

امام على : يكفيك من الحاسد انه يغتم فى وقت سرورك Imam Ali (a) : It is enough for you that the envious person is sad at your happiness [Mustadarak al-Wasail, vo.12, p.17, hadith # 13388]

امام على : النصيحة من الحاسد محال Imam Ali (a) : Expecting good advice from envious is fruitless [Al-Khisal, p.269, hadith # 5]

رسول الله : قال الله عزوجل لموسى بن عمران : يا بن عمران لا تحسد الناس على ما اتيتهم من فضلى و لا تمدن عينيك ... The Prophet of God (s) said : God the Almighty said to Musa bin Imran (a), Oh son of Imran, don’t be envious of what I have given to people from my grace and don’t enchant your eyes… [Al-Kafi, vol.2, p.307, hadith # 6]

... الى ذلك و لا تتبعه نفسك ، فان الحاسد ساخط لنعمى ، صاد لقسمى الذى قسمت بين عبادى ... … with the blessings and don’t put your soul in search of them, because the envious person is unhappy at my blessings that I have distributed among my servants [Al-Kafi, vol.2, p.307, hadith # 6]

رسول الله : الا ! لا تعادو انعم الله ( قيل : يا رسول الله ! و من الذى يعادى نعم الله؟ ) قال : الذين يحسدون The Prophet of God (s) : Beware ! Don’t be enemy of blessings of God. (he was asked: Oh Prophet of God “who are those who keep enmity with the blessings of God ?”) : He replied: ‘Those who are envious.’ [Ibn Abi al-Hadid, vol.1, p.315]

امام جعفر الصادق : بينما موسى بن عمران يناجى ربه و يكلمه اذ رأى رجلا تحت ظل عرش الله فقال : يا رب من هذا الذى قد اظله عرشك؟ Imam al-Sadiq (a): While Musa (a) was busy in communication and prayers with God, a man came under the shadow of divine authority ( ‘arsh ) of Allah. He asked: ‘O Lord, Who is this person who is under the shadow of your ‘arsh ?

فقال : يا موسى هذا ممن لم يحسد الناس على ما اتاهم الله من فضله The God replied: Oh Musa ! This person is not envious of people whom God has bestowed from His grace [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.73, p. 256, hadith # 25]

امام على : الحسود كثيرالحسرات متضاعف السيئات Imam Ali (a) : The envious person has many unfulfilled desires and his sins are double [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1520]

امام على : الحسود لا يبرء Imam Ali (a) : The envious person cannot get relief (from envy) [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 884]

امام على : الحسود لا خلال له Imam Ali (a) : The envious person has no way for him [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1017]

امام على : الحسود لا يسود Imam Ali (a) : The envious person cannot be a leader [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1270]

امام على : الحسود غضبان على القدر Imam Ali (a) : The envious person is angry over the destiny [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1271]

امام الصادق : ليست لبخيل راحته ولا لحسود لذة Imam al-Sadiq (a) : There is no serenity for miser and no pleasure for the envious [Al-Khisal, vol.1, p.271, hadith # 10]

امام الصادق : لاراحة لحسود Imam al-Sadiq (a) : There is no tranquility for the envious [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.73, p. 252, hadith # 12]

امام الصادق : لا يطمعن الحسود فى راحة القلب Imam al-Sadiq (a) : There is no peace of mind for the envious [Al-Khisal, vol.2, p.434, hadith # 20]

امام على : الحسود سريع الوثبة بطئ العطفة Imam Ali (a) : The envious is fast to leap in an attack while slow in showing kindness [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.73, p. 256, hadith # 29]

امام الصادق : ليس لحسود غنى Imam al-Sadiq (a) : There is no prosperity for envious [Al-Amali al-Toosi, p.301, hadith # 595]

امام على : بئس الرفيق الحسود Imam Ali (a) : An envious person is a bad companion [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 4400]

رسول الله : استعينوا على حوائجكم بالكتمان فان كل ذى نعمة محسود The Prophet of God (s) : Seek to protect your granted wishes by hiding (them) because every one who is bestowed with blessings is envied [Ibn Abi al-Hadid, vol.1, p.316]

امام الباقر : ان الحسد ليأكل الايمان كما تأكل النار الحطب Imam al-Baqir (a) : Verily envy destroys faith like fire destroys wood [Al-Kafi, vol.2, p.307, hadith # 1]

امام الصادق : آفة الدين الحسد و العجب والفخر Imam al-Sadiq (a) : Calamities for one’s religion are envy, self-admiration and pride [Al-Kafi, vol.2, p.307, hadith # 5]

رسول الله : الا ! انه قد دب اليكم داء الامم من قبلكم و هو الحسد ، ليس بحالق الشعر ، لكنه حالق الدين The Prophet of God (s) : Beware ! Indeed a disease that afflicted past nations before you has reached you like an ant and that is envy because it doesn’t eat hair but eats away (your) religion [Al-Amali al-Toosi, p.117, hadith # 182]

رسول الله : اياكم و الحسد فان الحسد يأكل الحسنات كما تأكل النار الحطب The Prophet of God (s) : Beware of envy because indeed envy destroys good deeds in the same manner as fire destroys wood [Ja’meh al-Akhbar, p.451 , hadith # 1266]

امام الصادق : يقول ابليس لجنوده : القوا بينهم الحسد و البغى ، فانهما يعدلان الشرك Imam al-Sadiq (a) : Devil ( Iblis ) says to his gang : ‘Instill envy and disobedience among them (human beings) because these two are equal to shirk (polytheism)’ [Al-Kafi, vol.2, p.327, hadith # 2]

امام الصادق : اياكم ان يحسد بعضكم بعضا ، فان الكفر اصله الحسد Imam al-Sadiq (a) : Beware of envying each other for indeed the basis of disbelief ( kufr ) is envy [Al-Kafi, vol.8, p.8, hadith # 1]

امام على : الحسد يضنى الجسد Imam Ali (a) : Envy weakens the body [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 943]

امام على : الحسد يذيب الجسد Imam Ali (a) : Envy dissolves the body [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 981]

امام على : الحسد ينشئ الكمد Imam Ali (a) : Envy dulls the complexion [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1038]

امام على : الحسود ابدا عليل Imam Ali (a) : The envious person is permanently sick ً [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 782]

امام على : الحسود دائم السقم و ان كان صحيح الجسم Imam Ali (a) : The envious person is sick although he (apparently) possesses healthy body [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1963]

امام على : العجب لغفلة الحساد عن سلامة الاجساد Imam Ali (a) : Its surprising, the heedlessness of the envious persons regarding the health of their bodies [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 1803]

امام على : صحة الجسد من قلة الحسد Imam Ali (a) : The health of body is in absence of envy [Nahjul Balagha, saying # 256]

امام على : الحسد لا يجلب الا مضرة و غيظا يوهن قلبك و يمرض جسمك Imam Ali (a) : Envy doesn’t bring anything other than harm and anger and weakens your heart and makes your body sick [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.73, p. 256, hadith # 29]

امام الصادق : كاد الحسد ان يغلب القدر Imam al-Sadiq (a) : Envy appears to take over destiny [Al-Kafi, vol.2, p.307, hadith # 4]

امام على : كاد الحسد ان يسبق القدر Imam Ali (a) : Envy appears to go ahead of destiny [Uyoon Akhbar al-Reza, vol.2, p.132, hadith # 16]

قال لقمان لابنه : للحاسد ثلاث علامات : يغتاب اذاغاب و يتملق اذاشهد و يشمت بالمصيبة Said Luqman (a) to his son : The envious person has three signs: backbiting behind them (whom he envies), flatters them in front and is happy when they are in trouble [Al-Khisal, p.121, hadith # 113]

So what should a believer do when he/she observes a blessing that he/she lacks is possessed by another servant of God ?

He/she should desire that the blessing possessed by another servant of God should remain as such and increase and may God bestow him/her with the same blessing…

He/she must not desire that the blessing be lost from the servant of God. He/she must appreciate that the God has bestowed the blessing to His servant by His own grace and he/she should be happy with God…

امام الصادق : ان المؤمن يغبط و لا يحسد ، و المنافق يحسد و لا يغبط Imam al-Sadiq (a) : A believer desires (to achieve) a blessing and avoids envy while a hypocrite envies and is not desirous of (achieving) the blessing [Al-Kafi, vol.2, p.307, hadith # 7]

رسول الله : لاحسد الا فى اثنين رجل اتاه الله مالا فهو ينفق منه اناء الليل و انلء النهار ، ... The Prophet of God (s) : Don’t be desirous of achieving blessings except from two: A person whom God has bestowed wealth and he spend it (in the way of God) day and night [Al-Khisal, p.76, hadith # 119]

... و رجل اتاه الله القران فهو يقوم به اناء الليل و اناء النهار … and the other person is the one whom God has given knowledge of Quran and he keeps it up with him day and night [Al-Khisal, p.76, hadith # 119]

امام على : من ترك الحسد كانت له محبة عند الناس Imam Ali (a) : The one who gives up envy is loved by the people [Bihar al-Anwar, vol.77, p. 237, hadith # 1]

Conclusion: Hasad (Envy) is a disease of the soul that has grave psychological, moral, and social consequences. Fortunately, with faith and, sincere and persistent efforts, it is curable. A faithful person is optimistic, has a hopeful attitude towards God, and is satisfied with the way He has divided His bounties among His creatures. So what should a believer do when he/she observes a blessing that he/she lacks is possessed by another servant of God ? He/she should desire that the blessing possessed by another servant of God should remain as such and increase and may God bestow him/her with the same blessing… He/she must not desire that the blessing be lost from the servant of God. He/she must appreciate that the God has bestowed the blessing to His servant by His own grace and he/she should be happy with God…

You can find more collection of presentations files @ http://moralsandethics.wordpress.com Distributed & compiled by [email_address]

Envy

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Envy (20)

More from Morals Ethics (16)

Recently uploaded (20)

Envy