Question:
Is envy a reality or a fabricated thing?
Answer:
Envy is a reality, and whoever does not acknowledge it despite knowing the ahadith is a disbeliever. The evidences are as follows:
«أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۖ فَقَدْ آتَيْنَا آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُم مُّلْكًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٥٤﴾ »
“Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But We had already given the family of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom.”
«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﴾ »
“So say, I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind, The God of mankind, From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, Who whispers in the breasts of mankind, Among jinn and among mankind.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he narrated from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم that he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«العين حق»
“Envy is real.”
