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مسند الشهاب
Musnad Shihab
Hadiths 801 to 1000
لَا تَحَاسَدُوا وَلَا تَنَاجَشُواDo not envy one another nor artificially inflate prices
Hadith 939
اُردوEn
939 - أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ النَّحَّاسِ، أبنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ جَامِعٍ، ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، ثنا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، ثنا دَاوُدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْفَرَّاءُ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، مَوْلَى عَامِرِ بْنِ كَرِيزٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا تَحَاسَدُوا، وَلَا تَنَاجَشُوا، وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا، وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that indeed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Do not envy one another, and do not artificially raise prices without the intention of buying, and do not harbor malice against one another, and do not turn your backs on one another. O servants of Allah! Become brothers to one another."
Brief Explanation
Explanation:
In this blessed hadith, there is a command to avoid four dangerous diseases found in human society:
① Envy (Hasad):
Envy (hasad) means to feel burned upon seeing a blessing with someone and to wish that this blessing be taken away from them—whether or not it comes to oneself, but it should not remain with the other person. This is called envy. The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam described it as a disease of previous nations. Thus, he said: “The disease of envy and malice of the previous nations has crept into you. Harboring malice for one another is a shaving disease—not one that shaves hair, but one that shaves (i.e., destroys) the religion.” [ترمذي : 2510]
And the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam declared the one who does not envy as the best of people. Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhu reports that it was asked of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: Who among the people is best? He replied: “Every person who is makhmum al-qalb (pure-hearted) and truthful of tongue.” They said: We know the one who is truthful of tongue, but what is meant by makhmum al-qalb? He said: “The pious, pure, in whose heart there is neither sin, nor rebellion, nor malice, nor envy.” [ابن ماجه : 4216 ، صحيح]
② Najsh:
Najsh means to exaggerate the praise of something in order to sell it, or, at the time of auction, to bid higher without actually intending to buy, merely to raise the price so that someone else has to buy it at a higher price. This is called najsh. Since this deceives and harms the genuine buyer, it has been prohibited. Sayyiduna Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade najsh. [بخاري : 2144] However, if a person genuinely intends to buy the item, then it is permissible for him to bid and raise the price.
Some traders are greedy to earn wealth by any lawful or unlawful means. Even if they do not intend to buy something, they bid just to raise the price and then take some money from the seller in return. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in this hadith and in other ahadith, has prohibited this practice.
③ Malice (Bughd):
Malice (bughd) is the name of an evil found in human society. Bughd is, in reality, the state of the heart that a person harbors against another due to enmity. Sometimes, envy (hasad) and malice (bughd) are used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two. The opposite of envy is admiration (rashk), and the opposite of malice is love. In hadith, the word «الشحنا» is also used for malice. Bughd is such a disease that, because of it, a person’s deeds have no value in the presence of Allah Ta’ala, nor is such a person forgiven.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Every Monday and Thursday, the gates of Paradise are opened. Everyone is forgiven except the polytheist and those two people between whom there is malice. It is said from Allah Ta’ala: Leave their matter until they reconcile. And this is said three times.” [مسلم : 2565]
Since malice is an extremely blameworthy trait, it has been prohibited. However, the ahadith state the principle that if malice and enmity are for the sake of Allah Ta’ala, then there is no harm in it.
④ Turning Away (Tadabur):
Tadabur means to turn away from one another, to show aversion, and to sever ties. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in this hadith, prohibited the fourth social evil, “tadabur.” If one becomes upset with someone, it is not permissible to remain angry and cut off communication for more than three days.
Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to cut off communication with his brother for more than three days. When they meet, they turn away from each other. The better of the two is the one who initiates the greeting (salam).” [بخاري : 2077]
If someone severs ties and communication with a Muslim brother and dies in that state, he will go to Hell. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to cut off communication with his Muslim brother for more than three days. Whoever does so and dies in that state will enter Hell.” [أبو داود : 4914، صحيح]
To sever ties for a year is akin to killing him. Sayyiduna Abu Khirash al-Sulami radi Allahu anhu narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say: “Whoever severs communication with his brother for a year, it is as if he has shed his blood.” [أبو داود : 4915 ، صحيح]
(Islamic Rulings and Etiquettes, pp. 250–253)
In this blessed hadith, there is a command to avoid four dangerous diseases found in human society:
① Envy (Hasad):
Envy (hasad) means to feel burned upon seeing a blessing with someone and to wish that this blessing be taken away from them—whether or not it comes to oneself, but it should not remain with the other person. This is called envy. The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam described it as a disease of previous nations. Thus, he said: “The disease of envy and malice of the previous nations has crept into you. Harboring malice for one another is a shaving disease—not one that shaves hair, but one that shaves (i.e., destroys) the religion.” [ترمذي : 2510]
And the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam declared the one who does not envy as the best of people. Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhu reports that it was asked of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: Who among the people is best? He replied: “Every person who is makhmum al-qalb (pure-hearted) and truthful of tongue.” They said: We know the one who is truthful of tongue, but what is meant by makhmum al-qalb? He said: “The pious, pure, in whose heart there is neither sin, nor rebellion, nor malice, nor envy.” [ابن ماجه : 4216 ، صحيح]
② Najsh:
Najsh means to exaggerate the praise of something in order to sell it, or, at the time of auction, to bid higher without actually intending to buy, merely to raise the price so that someone else has to buy it at a higher price. This is called najsh. Since this deceives and harms the genuine buyer, it has been prohibited. Sayyiduna Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade najsh. [بخاري : 2144] However, if a person genuinely intends to buy the item, then it is permissible for him to bid and raise the price.
Some traders are greedy to earn wealth by any lawful or unlawful means. Even if they do not intend to buy something, they bid just to raise the price and then take some money from the seller in return. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in this hadith and in other ahadith, has prohibited this practice.
③ Malice (Bughd):
Malice (bughd) is the name of an evil found in human society. Bughd is, in reality, the state of the heart that a person harbors against another due to enmity. Sometimes, envy (hasad) and malice (bughd) are used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two. The opposite of envy is admiration (rashk), and the opposite of malice is love. In hadith, the word «الشحنا» is also used for malice. Bughd is such a disease that, because of it, a person’s deeds have no value in the presence of Allah Ta’ala, nor is such a person forgiven.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Every Monday and Thursday, the gates of Paradise are opened. Everyone is forgiven except the polytheist and those two people between whom there is malice. It is said from Allah Ta’ala: Leave their matter until they reconcile. And this is said three times.” [مسلم : 2565]
Since malice is an extremely blameworthy trait, it has been prohibited. However, the ahadith state the principle that if malice and enmity are for the sake of Allah Ta’ala, then there is no harm in it.
④ Turning Away (Tadabur):
Tadabur means to turn away from one another, to show aversion, and to sever ties. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in this hadith, prohibited the fourth social evil, “tadabur.” If one becomes upset with someone, it is not permissible to remain angry and cut off communication for more than three days.
Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to cut off communication with his brother for more than three days. When they meet, they turn away from each other. The better of the two is the one who initiates the greeting (salam).” [بخاري : 2077]
If someone severs ties and communication with a Muslim brother and dies in that state, he will go to Hell. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to cut off communication with his Muslim brother for more than three days. Whoever does so and dies in that state will enter Hell.” [أبو داود : 4914، صحيح]
To sever ties for a year is akin to killing him. Sayyiduna Abu Khirash al-Sulami radi Allahu anhu narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say: “Whoever severs communication with his brother for a year, it is as if he has shed his blood.” [أبو داود : 4915 ، صحيح]
(Islamic Rulings and Etiquettes, pp. 250–253)
