SOME ISLAMIC DIRECTIVES
ABOUT Jealousy
MuhammadAli was very
determined to make plans in defense of Islam. He knew how ignorant his friends are about the religion. "However," he thought, "I better learn more about
Islam myself before I set people's minds right." Once dinner was finished, MuhammadAli lost no time in asking his father about what Islam says about jealousy.
His father sat
comfortably in a chair and asked, "Have you heard people say 'Oh how much I envy you?' It is better not to fall into the trap of envy and jealousy. Jealousy can
destroy and it can hurt. It is better to wish others well than to be envious or envious of them. To wish them well is constructive, it will make you feel good and
make others feel good. It will make them feel you are their friend, a man whose heart is not tarnished."
MuhammadAli's
father continued, "Islam discourages us from jealousy. Allah Almighty says:
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ
مِن
شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
وَمِن
شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ
وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي
الْعُقَدِ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Say: I Take Refuge
With The Lord Of The Dawn…... And From The Evil Of The Jealous As He Envies.
(Surah
113: Ayah 1-2...5)
Jealousy can lead to
destruction or even breaking up relationships. People with jealousy in their hearts may lead to destruction of others or lead to uncalled for trouble.
Allah's Messenger,
Muhammad (pbuh) says:
إياكم والحسـد، فإنَّ
الحَسَـدَ يَأكُل الحَسَنَات كَمَا تأكُل النَّارُ الحَطَب
Beware Of Jealousy; For It Eats Up Good Deeds As Fire Eats Up Wood.
Abu Dawood
لاحَسَدَ إلا في
إثْنَتـَين: رجلٌ أتاهُ اللهُ مالاً فَسَلّطَهُ على هَلَكَتِهِ في الحَقِّ، ورَجُلٌ آتاهُ اللهُ حِكمَةً فهو يَقْضِي بها ويُعلِّمُها
There Should Be No
Envy Except In Two:
One—If A Man To Whom
Allah Has Given Riches, And Commands Him To Bestow In Charity;
The Other—A Man To
Whom Allah Has Granted Religious Knowledge And He Applies It, And Imparts Its Instructions To Others.
Muttafaq Alayh
لاتَباغَضُوا، ولا
تَحَاسَـدوا، ولاتَدابَرُوا، ولاتَقاطَعُوا،
وكُونوا عِبادَ اللهِ
إخواناً، ولا يحِلُّ لِمسلمٍ أن يَهْجُرَ أخاهُ فَوقَ ثَلاث
Hate Not Each Other,
Nor Be Jealous Of Each Other, And Don't Stop Communicating With Each Other. O Allah's Servants! Be Brothers To Each Other. A Muslim Is Not To Leave His Brother More
Than Three Days.
Muttafaq Alayh
Other Hadiths of the
Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given here:
►
Lo! Poverty Has Almost Reached The State Of Disbelief, And Jealousy Has
Almost Superseded The Course Of Qadr. (Imam Ja'far Al-Saadiq
quoting the Prophet (pbuh), book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 307.)
►
The Biggest Mischief Defiling Religion Is Jealousy,
Vanity, And Conceit. (Imam Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from
Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 307.)
►
The Worst Servant Of Allah Is The One Who Is Double
Faced, Who Praises His Muslim Brother In His Presence And Speaks Ill Of Him In His Absence; And He Is Jealous Of Him When The Other Is Rich, But Forsakes Him When In
Need. (Imam Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol.
2, Page 343.)
After giving sometime
for MuhammadAli to think about the Hadiths, Abdul-Rahman resumed, "One may ask, 'Why being jealous is bad?' The answer is that the jealous person can go too far and
may say a hurtful thing or plan something destructive. Some people go so far that they destroy their relationship with others, if not even destroy jobs or property.
Besides, by
jealousy a person often holds grudges and says harsh words behind someone's back, ruining reputation and spreading false rumors. The result is suffering of an innocent
person." After a pause Abdul-Rahman suddenly said, "But there are exceptions."
"What are they?"
asked MuhammadAli.
"One example is a
well-off person who helps the poor and the needy by giving in charity. Another example is a person who learned Islam well, and who not only applies the knowledge but
also teaches it to others. It is like what we are doing right now. Besides, these are two examples which anyone can be envious of, they can be a source for imitation
and emulation."
"But why not be
envious in words only?" MuhammadAli interrupted.
"Well, if so, why
feel inferior to a person who has achieved what you are envious of? Why not be content and thankful for what you have?" answered his father and then continued, "And if
content, you will not keep the troubling feelings inside." After taking a sip of his tea, Abdul-Rahman asked, "Isn't it better to be grateful to Allah for what He has
provided? If yes, then be content and happy and have the good heart to wish others well and be friends."
ABOUT
Suspicion
MuhammadAli had
just come from school when he stopped to ask his father a question, "Dad!" he said, "I am having a lot of food for thought. What about suspicion in Islam?"
"I am delighted to
see your intense interest in learning about Islamic Ethics. I am very glad," Abdul-Rahman answered lovingly. He then continued, "Have you ever been suspicious of a
person? And hasn't your imagination run wild about his intentions? And more often than not the poor fellow was misjudged, if not accused by you because of your
suspicions?" He put the last dish in the dishwasher and then added, "Most of us have had such feelings, they are inherently bad and can be harmful. If you don't give
others a chance, your suspicions can often be distressing, leading to wrong conclusions. This is why Islam urges us to play down on suspicion.
Suspicion is as
bad, if not worse, than jealousy. Suspicion may lead to much destruction, distrust, and sometimes tragic consequences. Let us see what Allah Almighty says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيراً مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ
وَلا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلا
يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ
O You Who Believe!
Avoid Suspicion For Suspicion In Some Cases Is A Sin. And Spy Not On Each Other, Nor Speak Ill Behind Their Backs.
Would You Rather Eat
The Flesh Of His Dead Brother? Nay, You Would Abhor It, And Heed Allah, For Allah Is Ever-Forgiving, All-Merciful.
(Surah
49: Ayah 12)
"As you can see,"
Abdul-Rahman said after a short break, "We are commanded to avoid suspicion since it is bad and can lead to ill-feelings. We are commanded, too, not to spy on each
other, speak ill behind other people's backs, be it friend, relative, or even an enemy, because these are evil things too, a bad habit to say the least. The Holy Quran
even equates it to eating the flesh of a dead brother, of all things!"
"Let me quote some
Hadiths of Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh)," said Abdul-Rahman:
لا تَحاسَدُوا ولا
تَناجَشـوا ولا تَدابَروا ولايـَبْغِ بعْضُكُم على بـَيْعِ بعْضٍ
وكُونوا عِبـادَ اللهِ
إخْواناً
Don't Be Jealous Of
One Another, Don't Vie With One Another,
Don't Despise One
Another, Don't Be At Variance With One Another, And Don't Undercut One Another In Trading.
Instead, Be Brothers
In The Service Of God...
Muslim
إيَّاكُم والضَّـن فإنَّ
الضَّـن أكْذبُ الحدِيث
ولاتجَسَّـُسوا
ولاتحسَّـسوا
Beware Of Suspicion,
For Suspicion May Be Based On The Untrue Information;
And Spy Not Upon One
Another,
And Try Not To Expose
Each Other's Hidden Failings.
Bukhari And Muslim
Other Hadiths of the
Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given here:
►Not
Of A Muslim Ummah Is He Who Is The Conniving Person. (Imam Ja'far
Al-Saadiq quoting the Prophet (pbuh), book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 337)
"Wow!" MuhammadAli
said with gusto.
"Yes," answered
his father, "It is better to think well of people and be trusting. Once we are suspicious, our imagination can take us to extremes and often to wrong conclusions.
It surely is
better to be certain first before we reach any conclusions. Remember, as the Holy Quran says suspicion in certain cases is a sin. We better avoid it. Besides,"
Abdul-Rahman added, "spying on each other is very bad too, and it is condemned in the Quran. The same will apply about back-biting, gossiping, and spreading malice.
None of us likes others doing this to us, and no one wants us to do it to them. Good faith in people is righteous, to think well of them rather than suspect, spy, or
gossip about them," Abdul-Rahman concluded."
"Dad, Islam
teaches us a lot about suspicion, doesn't it?" MuhammadAli asked.
Abdul-Rahman
answered briefly:
After a
few moments MuhammadAli's father said, "Let us remember that Almighty God is the Witness, He sees what we do, and knows what is in our hearts. A pure-hearted person
shuns malice and suspicion, will fight the urge to indulge in them. By being so, he is the winner, since the Almighty will reward him handsomely."
ABOUT Ridicule and Mockery
MuhammadAli was
sad and upset because one of his friends made fun of another whose got feelings were hurt. "How could they do that?" he thought.
MuhammadAli could
hardly wait until evening, waiting to see what his father says about mockery. When asked, Abdul-Rahman answered, "Have you ever been or seen someone made fun of or
ridiculed?"
"Yes, my friend
was hurt today," answered MuhammadAli.
"Then," continued
his father, "Hasn't that made you feel bad inside, feel kind of inferior? In such a case, didn't you have a feeling of retaliating and hurting the one making fun of
you?" After putting the prayer rug away, Abdul-Rahman said, "Most of us had such experiences, and a hurt feeling as a result. Being ridiculed, intentionally or not,
is unfair and hurtful. Islam wants our welfare and naturally it discourages Ridicule and Mockery in all their forms.
With ridicule,
someone's feelings inevitably get hurt and his relationship with others may suffer; Islam warns against mockery.
The main reason a
person ridicules others is to attract attention to himself, to show-off so to speak. The Holy Quran teaches us as follows:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا لا يَسْخَرْ قَومٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَن يَكُونُوا
خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ…
O Believers! Let No
Man Mock Another Man, Who May Perhaps Be better Than He ... (Surah
49: Ayah 11)
وَمَثلُ كَلِمَةٍ
خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ
And The Parable Of An
Evil Word Is Like An Evil Tree Torn Out Of The Earth And Has No Stability ...
(Surah
14: Ayah 26)
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
الَّذِينَ
هُمْ فِي صَلاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
وَالَّذِينَ
هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُون…َ
Blessed Are The
Believers, Who Are Humble In Their Prayers; ...
Who Turn Away From
Vain Talk ...
(Surah
23: Ayah 1-3)
Other Hadiths of the
Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given here:
►
The Closest To Disbelief A Person Can Be Is When He
Conceals The Error Of His Brother In Faith Intending To Dishonor Him And Use It Against Him. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 355.)
►
The Worst Servant Of Allah Is The One Who Is Double
Faced, Who Praises His Muslim Brother In His Presence And Speaks Ill Of Him In His Absence; And He Is Jealous Of Him When The Other Is Rich, But Forsakes Him When In
Need. (Imam Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol.
2, Page 343.)
Therefore, we are
enjoined to be delicate with other people, to avoid mockery and ridicule; thereby we avoid hurt feelings and potential trouble. It is unfair to ridicule others, and a
good Muslim has fairness and justice in his heart, doesn't he? Mockery and ridicule can also make us look mean in other peoples' eyes, don't they?"
"It sure does,"
answered MuhammadAli right away.
"If we want people
not to make fun of us," his father carried on, "it would be fair of us not to make fun of anyone."
"So basically
Islam recommends a number of points about ridicule and mockery," MuhammadAli asserted.
Abdul-Rahman
answered briefly:
"I feel good,"
MuhammadAli said, "and thank you for being my Dad."
ABOUT
Spreading Scandal
"If ridicule is
bad in the sight of Allah our Creator, spreading scandal must be too?" asked MuhammadAli, having rested after dinner.
Abdul-Rahman
answered, "It is bad to spread rumors about innocent people. People's reputations are very important, just as yours is to you. Each person has built a certain image
in the hearts of his friends or relatives. To speak ill of a person is unfair and naturally Islam is specific about that. Islam prohibits us from spreading scandal.
Bad publicity and
spreading scandal damages others in many ways, it also damages people who are innocent. See what Allah's Holy Book says:
لاَّ يُحِبُّ اللّهُ
الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوَءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلاَّ مَن ظُلِمَ وَكَانَ اللّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا
Allah Does Not Like
Speaking Of Evil Publicly (From Anyone)
Except About One Who
Has Been Treating Others unjustly. (Surah
4: Ayah 148)
…وَلا تَلْمِزُوا
أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلا تَنَابَزُوا بِالألْقَابِ
بِئْسَ الاِسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الإيْمَانِ…
...Do Not Defame One
Another, Nor Call One Another Names. It Is An Evil Thing To Be Called By A Bad Name After Embracing The True Faith.
(Surah
49: Ayah 11)
وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ
لُّمَزَةٍ
Woe To Every Kind Of Scandal‑Monger And Back-Biter...
(Surah
104: Ayah 1)
الَّذِينَ يَلْمِزُونَ
الْمُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَجِدُونَ إِلاَّ جُهْدَهُمْ فَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ
سَخِرَ اللّهُ مِنْهُمْ
وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Those Who Slander Such
Of The Believers As Give Themselves Freely
To Deeds Of Charity,
.....Allah Will Throw
Back Their Ridicule On Them; And They Shall Have A Grievous Penalty.
(Surah
9: Ayah 79)
"It is clear,
MuhammadAli," continued Abdul-Rahman, "that the Almighty orders us to watch our tongue and fight the urge to talk about others in a bad manner. Let me quote Allah's
Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) who emphasizes:
المسلم مَن سَلِمَ المسلمون مِنْ
لسانِهِ ويَدِه
والمهاجِرُ مَن هَجَرَ مانَهَى اللهُ
عنهُ
The Quality Muslim Is The One
From Whom What He Says And Acts Other Muslims Are Safe.
Bukhari
سِبابُ المسلمِ فُسُوقٌ وقِتالُهُ
كُفْرٌ
To Abuse A Muslim Is Evil And
Transgression; And To Fight Him Is Unbelief.
Bukhari
Other
Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given here:
►
The Most Detested Of Allah's Servants Is A Person Who Is Avoided Because
Of The Evil Things He Says. (Imam Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of
Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 323.)
►
Vicious People Take Delight In Publishing The Vices Of Others, So That,
They Might Thereby Extend The Ground Of Excuses For Their Own Vices. (Imam
Ali.)
Also, if a friend does
something embarrassing you don't broadcast it to others. This is just as bad as gossiping and is in bad taste.
However, you can
complain to your heart's content about the person who does an injustice to you. This is acceptable and you are encouraged to do so, since Islam is for justice and
against any unfairness or injustice."
"How about those
who like to talk about scandals and who are backbiters?" wondered MuhammadAli.
"Well," answered
his father earnestly, "then woe to them!! What they do is something grave and serious. The Holy Quran is specific about that, isn't it?"
"Islam warns us strongly to
avoid spreading scandal," MuhammadAli commented.
Abdul-Rahman answered
briefly:
