Jealousy is dangerous sin

Written By:
Mufti Muhammad Akmal

Rendered into English:
Muhammad Rizwan Attari

Jealousy (hasad) is one of the most jeopardous and hurtful sins of human character (nature). In our society there will be found only very few out of millions not suffering from this disease of soul. Otherwise most of the people, due to the lack of knowledge of religion, deprived of virtuous accomplices and being fearless of the judgement day has put their religious faith to risk.

The first sin on earth:

Jealousy was dangerous sin, which caused the first assassination on earth. The summary of that incident is as follows:

"Eve or Hazrat Hawwah (May Allah (God) be please with her) gave birth to twins in every pregnancy, one of which used to be male child while other female one. When these children grew up their marriage was arranged in the manner that the boy of first pregnancy married to the girl of second pregnancy while the boy of second pregnancy married to the girl of first pregnancy. In one pregnancy Kabeel (male child) and Akleema (female child) and from another pregnancy Habeel (male child) and Leoza (female child) were born. According to the principle Kabeel was to marry Leoza and Habeel to Akleema. But Akleema was very beautiful and for that Kabeel wanted to marry her. Adam the father of children and prophet of Allah (God) (Allah’s grace and peace be upon Him) tried to explain him that since Akleema is born with him, she is his sister and her marriage with him is not permissible (halal). Kabeel replied to Adam that the explaination was in fact his own opinion and not the commandment of Allah (God). Therefore Adam (Allah’s grace and peace be upon Him) asked him together with Habeel that they both should present their sacrifices and one whose sacrifice is accepted by Allah (God) (pleases Him) will be entitled to marry Akleema. Kabeel presented for sacrifice a heap of wheat grains while Habeel presented a goat. The heavenly fire came and burnt the goat while rejecting the sacrifice of Kabeel. (At the beginning of mankind when a sacrifice was presented, and for that placed in a ground, a fire used to come down from the heaven and burnt the sacrificial article, this symbolized the acceptance of sacrifice). The rejection of sacrifice gave rise to jealousy and envy in the heart of Kabeel for Habeel. When Adam (Allah’s grace and peace be upon Him) left for Haj (a holy pilgrimage performed at Makkah-Saudi Arabia), Kabeel threatened Habeel that he will murder him (Habeel). When Habeel asked him for the reason, Kabeel replied that Allah (God) had accepted Habeel's sacrifice and rejected his, further Habeel wanted to marry his sister due to which he'll have to marry Habeel's ugly sister. Moreover due to this people will consider Habeel better than him and Habeel's offspring will dominate his. Habeel tired his every effort to prevent Kabeel from the sin of murder but Kabeel didn't turn down and eventually murdered him. After assassinating Habeel, Kabeel realized that he had done wrong and felt ashamed but he had lost the case."  (Reference: Tafseer Khazyin-il-Irfan and Khazan and Sawi)

            In the book named 'Durat-un-Naseheen' it is mentined that after murdering Habeel, Kabeel went to Yemen. There 'devil' revealed himself to Kabeel and said to him that Habeel's sacrifice was burnt by heavenly fir only because Habeel worshipped the fire and therefore he should do the same and worship fire. And on the misguidance of devil Habeel began worshipping fire (instead of one God (Allah (God)). Kabeel was the first man involved in sins like inventing the musical instruments, drinking alcohol, adultery and worshipping idols. At last he was drowned (as punishment for his sins) in the 'hurricane of Nuh' (Allah’s grace and peace be upon Him).

            The whole of the above incident is stated in the Holy Quran Part VI Chapter V Verses 27-31. The reason to state the above tale is that readers get the knowledge of the evils of jealousy and to teach a lesson to persons jealous of Holy Prophet Muhummed (Allah’s grace and peace be upon Him).

            After noticing the evils of jealousy from the above tale we should pray Allah (God) grant us the ability to protect ourselves from it and remembering its evils.

    Protecting ourselves from jealousy is only possible in the manner if we seriously acquire the knowledge of its definition, causes, symptoms /indicators and cure /treatment together with practically trying to protect ourselves from it.

Definition of Jealousy:

    Jealousy is that "you desire that fortune bestowed upon someone is lost from him and you attain it." In other words, if you see that a person is blessed with the favors of Allah (God) and you wish that he is deprive of it and you are given the possession of it, then this is jealousy. Thus we find that two characteristics of jealousy are:

• To wish deprival of a favor from a person
• To wish to acquire that favor

 Examples:

• When you see a fame and honor of a person you (due to hatred) wish that the person is disgraced and humiliated in the people somehow and the position of fame and respect he holds is attained by you, then it is jealousy.
• When you see a wealthy person you desire that a thief steals his wealth, he is deprived of even a single penny and in contrast you get the hold of same or more wealth and the related benefits, then it is jealousy.

 To understand jealousy it would be necessary and essential to also understand these cases:

 First Case: (Malevolence)

When you see a favor of Allah (God) to a person you wish that he be deprived of that. Under this situation 'the wish to obtain the favor for oneself' is not there.

For example: If someone is rich beautiful, rich, affable and possesses such other natural gifts and you wish that the person were deprived of these qualities same as I am.

 Second Case: (Admiration)

When you see a person favored by Allah (God), you desire that you be blessed with the same favors. Under this situation 'the wish for the deprival of favor from other person' is not there.

For example: If you see someone rich who enjoys all the amenities of life and you wish that you had all amenities like him.

 Third case: (Wish of deprivation for 'just cause')

When you see a person blessed by heavenly favors, you wish for a just cause that he be deprived by that favor. Under this situation the presence of wish to obtain the favor for oneself is not necessary.

For example: If a powerful and strong man uses his strength for an unjust cause like oppression on poor and you wish that he losses the power so that the poor is saved from the atrocities of the strong and that person is also saved from misdeeds/sins.