Fatwa ID: 02031

Answered by Eunus Ali

Question:

Hazrat, tell me if harbour such feelings is haram.
Each time when someone in my family are about to and perform Umrah, Ifeel I was going instead, and feel they will surpass me in the number ofUmrahs/Tawafs I have performed. I feel like I don't want anyone in myfamily to surpass, and I want to be number 1.

Answer:

Allah has stated:

Or are they jealous of 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.(Surah Nisaa: 54)

And (I seek refuge) from the evil of a jealous person when he is jealous. (Surah Falaq: 5)

There are two concepts that need to be understood:

1.Hasad (jealousy): This is the desire of others being deprived of good fortune and blessings bestowed up them by Allah, even though the jealous person does not receive the same blessings.This is considered evil and impermissible.

Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said:"The disease of the nations before you is creeping towards you: Jealousyand hatred, it is the shaver. I do not speak of what cuts the hair, but what severs the religion. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love each other. Shall I tell you about what will strengthen that for you? Spread the Salam among each other." (Sunan At-Tirmizhi: 2510)

In the above Hadith, the Prophet  has taught us the method of removing thisevil and the method of creating love for one another by spreading thesalam (peace). (TuhafatulAhwazi, Page 1944, BaytulAfkar Ad-Dawliyyah)

It was the advice of my beloved teachers for the removal of jealousy that the one harbouring jealousy in his heart against another should make dua that Allah increases that person in that particularblessingand along with that to grant that person the same blessings.

2.Ghibtah (envy): This is the desire of receiving the same blessings of others without entertaining the thought of it being taken away from the other. This is not only permissible but rather desirable. Ma’ariful Quran, Volume 8, Page 924)

A person’s jealousy will not become harmful until he expresses his jealousy in action or speech. (Tafseer Al-Qurtubi, Volume 10, Page 478, Darul Hadith)

In conclusion, the person who may have hasad (jealousy) in his heart should make an effort to clean his heart from it and be happy for the other person.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Eunus Ali

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham