One of the early stories in the Matnawi is about a person that asks for his hands to be chopped off and later even commits suicide all out of envy. He did all of this just to destroy the good that others brought about. It seems like a far-fetched story but when we consider suicide bombing then it is very plausible.
Pride coupled with envy, is the root of all evil and sin.
When Allah SWT announced to all of creation that He was going to create His representative (caliph), all hell broke loose. The angels actually questioned Allah SWT as to whether this was a wise decision to take because the human race that He was about to create would fight and murder.
After creating Adam AS, Allah SWT practically demonstrated to the angels that Adam AS was unique from all of creation because of knowledge. He then commanded them to prostrate to Adam AS. All the angels seeked pardon and prostrated but not Iblis.
His pride led him to be envious and he said, ‘I am better than him because I am made of fire and he is made of clay.’
It would have still been okay if it ended at this point but his envy poisoned and consumed him. It led him into complete evilness and degradation. He vowed to take active steps towards misleading humanity.
This was no fault of Adam AS yet Iblis made him the enemy. Imagine spending your entire existence just to spite and harm someone and knowing that you are going to end up in hell for this and yet this is exactly what Iblis did. This is going on the offensive against someone simply because Allah SWT made them better than ourselves. How unjust!
“And if on the way envy seizes you by the throat, it is a characteristic of Iblis to go beyond bounds in envy;
For he, because of envy developed hate for Adam, and because of envy is at war with all that is good.”
” In the Way (of life) there is no harder pass than this (envy). Oh, fortunate is he who is not accompanied by envy!” Matnawi
Envy and jealousy is something we do not need. It is something that corrupts and defiles us. Our duty is to become good people with good characters which in turn would develop our faith and our spirituality. We have been created for a very special purpose and defiling ourselves with envy is going to deny us achieving enlightenment and fulfilling our goal. Of assurity, we’re going to meet up with people better than us, we’re going to feel the pangs of envy but we simply have to learn to overcome them.
“This body, you must know, is the house of envy, for the household is tainted with envy.
Although the body is the house of envy, yet God made that body very pure.
(The Quraan text) Cleanse My house, you two, is the explanation of (such) purity:it (the purified heart) is a treasure of (Divine) light, though it’s talisman is of earth.” Matnawi
We can envy others for different reasons but the worst reason to envy someone is for their knowledge, understanding and closeness to Allah SWT because, in opposing such people, we make it difficult for others in the community to benefit from their knowledge. All the Prophets and Aulia Allah were envied by someone or the other and we need to ensure that we are not one of these wretched people who envy.
“When you practice deceit and envy against the one who is without envy, from that envy, black stains arises in your heart.
Become (as) dust under the feet of the men of God; throw dust on the head of envy, even as we do.” Matnawi
Just someone’s envy, even if they do not do anything, can impact us. A parrot displaying its plumage ends up in the cage. So why display and show off our abilities unnecessarily. Unfortunately, we need to get things done and although we can try to get them done as discreetly as possible, some people are still going to notice and envy. A means of protection, as recommended by the Holy Prophet SAW, is to read the last three Quls with understanding at night, seeking our Lords protection and blowing into our palms and rubbing our whole body with our palms.
“Say, `I seek refuge in the Lord of the day break… from the evil of the envier when he envies.’
Al Quran 113:1-5
Ameen!
So, if by just envying someone we can cause them harm, we are quite powerful. Let’s use this energy in a positive, constructive way instead. Let’s instead pray that Allah SWT guides us, our children and our extended families on the straight path and let’s pray that he fills their hearts with faith. Ameen!