Authored by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (ḥafiẓahullāh)
What is Hasad (envy) according to Islam?
Hasad (envy) is defined as:
When Allah ﷻ bestows a blessing upon someone, and another person desires that this blessing be taken away from the one who has it and be given to him instead—this is known as Hasad.
✿ The first act of Hasad occurred when Iblis envied our father Adam (عليه السلام).
✿ The first sin among mankind due to Hasad was when Qabil (Cain) killed his brother Habil (Abel).
Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’an:
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ..
“And recite to them the story of Adam’s two sons, in truth: when they both offered a sacrifice, and it was accepted from one of them but not from the other. He said: ‘I will surely kill you.’ The other said: ‘Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous.’”
(Surah al-Ma’idah, 5:27)
Jabir (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“After the decree and destiny of Allah, most deaths in my Ummah will occur due to the evil eye (which stems from envy).”
✿ Hasad will remain a spiritual ailment in all nations until the Day of Judgment.
✿ Hasad and Iman (true faith) cannot coexist in the same heart.
Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Do not cut off ties, do not bear grudges, and do not envy one another. Be, O servants of Allah, brothers to each other.”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2559)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The best among people is the one with a clean heart (qalb makhmum) and a truthful tongue.”
They asked: “What is a clean heart?”
He ﷺ replied:
“It is a heart that is pious and pure, having no sin, no rebellion, and no Hasad (envy).”
They asked: “Who follows in his footsteps?”
He ﷺ replied:
“One who despises the world and prefers the Hereafter.”
They asked: “Who next?”
He ﷺ said:
“A believer with good character.”
(See: Sahih al-Jami‘, Hadith 3291)
Abu ‘Ubaydah said regarding the word “al-naqiyy” (pure):
“It refers to a person whose heart is free from envy and malice.”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4306)
✿ This narration has been authenticated by Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله).
✔ Hasad is a destructive and spiritually harmful trait.
✔ It is rooted in dissatisfaction with Allah’s decree and manifests in jealousy over others’ blessings.
✔ A true believer strives to purify the heart from Hasad and harbors love, humility, and contentment.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ and the Qur’an warn explicitly against the dangers of envy.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
❖ Question:
What is Hasad (envy) according to Islam?
❖ Answer:
Hasad (envy) is defined as:
When Allah ﷻ bestows a blessing upon someone, and another person desires that this blessing be taken away from the one who has it and be given to him instead—this is known as Hasad.
❖ The First Instances of Hasad in Creation:
✿ The first act of Hasad occurred when Iblis envied our father Adam (عليه السلام).
✿ The first sin among mankind due to Hasad was when Qabil (Cain) killed his brother Habil (Abel).
Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’an:
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ..
“And recite to them the story of Adam’s two sons, in truth: when they both offered a sacrifice, and it was accepted from one of them but not from the other. He said: ‘I will surely kill you.’ The other said: ‘Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous.’”
(Surah al-Ma’idah, 5:27)
❖ Hasad is a Deadly Disease:
Jabir (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“After the decree and destiny of Allah, most deaths in my Ummah will occur due to the evil eye (which stems from envy).”
- Narrated by Imam al-Bukhari in al-Tarikh al-Kabir (4/360)
- And by Imam al-Haythami in Kashf al-Astar (3/403), Hadith 3052
✿ Hasad will remain a spiritual ailment in all nations until the Day of Judgment.
✿ Hasad and Iman (true faith) cannot coexist in the same heart.
❖ Prophetic Warnings Against Hasad:
Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Do not cut off ties, do not bear grudges, and do not envy one another. Be, O servants of Allah, brothers to each other.”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2559)
❖ The Best of People – A Pure Heart and Truthful Tongue:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The best among people is the one with a clean heart (qalb makhmum) and a truthful tongue.”
They asked: “What is a clean heart?”
He ﷺ replied:
“It is a heart that is pious and pure, having no sin, no rebellion, and no Hasad (envy).”
They asked: “Who follows in his footsteps?”
He ﷺ replied:
“One who despises the world and prefers the Hereafter.”
They asked: “Who next?”
He ﷺ said:
“A believer with good character.”
(See: Sahih al-Jami‘, Hadith 3291)
❖ Explanation by Scholars:
Abu ‘Ubaydah said regarding the word “al-naqiyy” (pure):
“It refers to a person whose heart is free from envy and malice.”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4306)
✿ This narration has been authenticated by Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله).
❖ Conclusion:
✔ Hasad is a destructive and spiritually harmful trait.
✔ It is rooted in dissatisfaction with Allah’s decree and manifests in jealousy over others’ blessings.
✔ A true believer strives to purify the heart from Hasad and harbors love, humility, and contentment.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ and the Qur’an warn explicitly against the dangers of envy.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
