Don't Be Jealous

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.

If you desire that someone lose his blessings or that blessings be bestowed on you as well, this is envy. To envy is an expression of displeasure at the distribution of Allah. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "As fire destroys fuel, so envy destroys virtues."

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Every possessor of any blessing is envied." Someone of means, will have someone who envies him for what he possesses. Even two street sweepers will envy one another. The one who pulls his cart on his own will envy the sweeper who has a donkey.

The Qur'an teaches us to seek refuge in Allah from the evil of the envier when he envies.

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ﴿١﴾ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ﴿٢﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ﴿٣﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ﴿٤﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ﴿٥

Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak (1) From the evil of that which He created (2) And from the evil of darkness when it settles (3) And from the evil of the blowers in knots (4) And from the evil of an envier when he envies." (5)

[Qur'an 113:5]

Envy is injurious for the envier in this world and the next, but no harm reaches the envied person, rather it benefits him. The envied person if backbited will get the virtues of the envious person.

Stop being jealous of other people. Replace this bad trait by being generous and giving. A Muslim is avid in searching for the needs of others and always giving. Ask yourself, 'What do I have that everyone wants?' Also, don’t worry about others being better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between you and your self only.

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported:

The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the most generous of the men; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadan when Jibril visited him every night and recited the Qur'an to him. During this period, the generosity of Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, waxed faster than the rain bearing wind.

[Bukhari and Muslim]

There is a special gate to Paradise for the charitable believer. Imagine the blissful life beyond that gate.

This is one opportunity in Ramadhan to get you to the gate. Please don't forget to pay your zakat fitrah (obligatory charity payable in Ramadhan). Every member of your family has to pay this charity, including children and babies. It must be paid anytime in Ramadhan and before the time of Eid prayer.

If you don't have any poor relatives or don't know any student of (Islamic) knowledge or any poor Muslim or don't have a mosque in your area to distribute the zakat to the rightful recipients, there are many Islamic and masjid websites where you can pay online for your convenience. Don't wait till the last minute to do this. You don't want to be left behind.

May Allah remove any jealousy in our hearts, increase us in our provision, spiritually and physically, and make our spending for His sake easy. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam