Taken from the book "Apne Aap Par Dum Kaise Karein" (How to Perform Ruqyah on Yourself for Evil Eye, Magic, and Possession) by Shaykh Shakhboot bin Ṣāliḥ bin ʿAbd al-Hādī al-Marri
The envier must realize that by being envious of the believers, he is aligning himself with the enemies of Allah. This is because the enemies of Allah do not want to see the signs of His blessings upon the believers. Thus, the envier shares the same outlook and sentiment as those enemies.
The envier should be certain that the person he envies does not harm him in any way. Rather, he is harming only himself. When he sees the blessings upon another, it causes him inner turmoil, distress, and bitterness.
Sayyidunā Amīr Muʿāwiyah رضي الله عنه said:
❝Among the evil traits, there is none more evil than envy (ḥasad), nor is there any trait equal to it in wickedness. Envy destroys the envier before it reaches the envied.❞
[Adab al-Dīn wa al-Dunyā: 176]
Some wise men have said:
❝It is sufficient (as a punishment) for the envier that at the moment of your hap piness, he is engulfed in sorrow and grief.❞
Others from among the scholars of literature have said:
❝We have not seen anyone more oppressive and similar to the oppressed than an envier. He always remains in distress, grief, and a broken state.❞
One must be fully content with Allah’s distribution. A person should not grieve over what he has not received of this world, for everything in this world is temporary and destined to perish.
The envier must acquire the firm conviction (ʿilm al-yaqīn) that by being envious, he is in fact objecting to the decision of Allah ﷻ.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ ۚ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا ۗ وَرَحْمَةُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ ﴾
"Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and raised some of them above others in rank so that some may employ others in their service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate."
[Surah az-Zukhruf: 32]
A poet said:
❝O you who envies the blessings I possess! Do you realize who you are being disrespectful to?
You are being disrespectful to Allah ﷻ and His decree.
You are dissatisfied with what Allah has given me.
And when Allah increases me in blessings, He will humiliate you even more
and will close the paths of provision before your very eyes.❞
① Envy aligns one with the enemies of Allah.
② The harm of envy returns upon the envier himself.
③ Contentment with Allah’s decree is a shield against envy.
✿ Remedy for Envy (Ḥasad) ✿
① The Reality of the Envier (Ḥāsid)
The envier must realize that by being envious of the believers, he is aligning himself with the enemies of Allah. This is because the enemies of Allah do not want to see the signs of His blessings upon the believers. Thus, the envier shares the same outlook and sentiment as those enemies.
② The Envier Harms Only Himself
The envier should be certain that the person he envies does not harm him in any way. Rather, he is harming only himself. When he sees the blessings upon another, it causes him inner turmoil, distress, and bitterness.
Sayyidunā Amīr Muʿāwiyah رضي الله عنه said:
❝Among the evil traits, there is none more evil than envy (ḥasad), nor is there any trait equal to it in wickedness. Envy destroys the envier before it reaches the envied.❞
[Adab al-Dīn wa al-Dunyā: 176]
Some wise men have said:
❝It is sufficient (as a punishment) for the envier that at the moment of your hap piness, he is engulfed in sorrow and grief.❞
Others from among the scholars of literature have said:
❝We have not seen anyone more oppressive and similar to the oppressed than an envier. He always remains in distress, grief, and a broken state.❞
③ Contentment with Allah’s Decree
One must be fully content with Allah’s distribution. A person should not grieve over what he has not received of this world, for everything in this world is temporary and destined to perish.
The envier must acquire the firm conviction (ʿilm al-yaqīn) that by being envious, he is in fact objecting to the decision of Allah ﷻ.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ ۚ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا ۗ وَرَحْمَةُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ ﴾
"Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and raised some of them above others in rank so that some may employ others in their service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate."
[Surah az-Zukhruf: 32]
A poet said:
❝O you who envies the blessings I possess! Do you realize who you are being disrespectful to?
You are being disrespectful to Allah ﷻ and His decree.
You are dissatisfied with what Allah has given me.
And when Allah increases me in blessings, He will humiliate you even more
and will close the paths of provision before your very eyes.❞
Summary of Points:
① Envy aligns one with the enemies of Allah.
② The harm of envy returns upon the envier himself.
③ Contentment with Allah’s decree is a shield against envy.
