Part 10

[2.1 The Types of Hasad]

There is no envy (fasad) except in two cases: a person to whom Allah has granted wisdom, and he rules by this and teaches it to the people, and a person to whom Allah has granted wealth and property and along with this the power to spend it in the cause of Truth. *

This being the wording of Ibn Mas‘ad. The wording of Ibn Umar, (radiyAllahu ‘anhuma) is,

A person to whom Allah has given the Qur’an and he recites it night and day, and a person to whom Allah has granted wealth and property from which he gives in charity night and day. *

Al-Bukhari also reports this hadith from Aba Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) and its wording is,

There is no desirable form of jealousy except for two types: a person to whom Allah has given the Quran and he recites it day and night, so when a person hears him he says, ‘If only I were given the likes of what he has been given so that I may act upon it the way this person is.’ And a person to whom Allah has bestowed wealth and he spends in the cause of Truth, so a person says, ‘If only I were given the likes of what he has been given, so that I may act upon it the way this person is.’ *

° Sabih al-Bukhari (Eng, Trans. 1/62 no. 73], Sabih Muslim (Eng, Trans. 2/389 no. 1779].

’ Sahih al-Bukhari (Eng. Trans. 6/500 no. 543], Sabih Muslim (Eng. Trans. 2/388 no. 1777].

* Sabih al-Bukhari |Eng, Trans. 6/501 no. 544].

So the Prophet (4%) forbade asad, with the exception of two cases which are referred to as al-ghubfa, meaning that a person love the condition of someone else and dislike that this person be superior in this way (without his wishing that it be removed from that person).

So if it is asked: ‘Then why is this called envy when he loves only that Allah bestows these blessings upon him?” It is said, ‘The starting point of this love is his looking towards the favours Allah has bestowed upon someone else and his disliking that this person be favoured over him. So if this other person were not present then he would not have desired these blessings. So because the starting point of this love is this dislike that someone else be made superior to him, then this is called envy due to the love following the dislike. As for desiring that Allah bestows favours upon him without consideration of people’s material conditions then this is not envy at all.’

This is why the generality of mankind have been tried with this second type of envy that has also been called a/-munafasah (competition) because two people compete in a single desired matter, both of them trying to attain the same good. The reason for their trying to attain it is that one of them dislikes that the other be blessed with this matter over him just as any one of two competitors dislikes that other beat him.

Competition is not considered blameworthy in general, rather

it is considered to be praiseworthy when competing for righteousness, the Exalted said,

[2.1 The Types of Hasad]

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Indeed the pious will be in delight. On thrones, looking on. You will recognize in their faces the brightness of delight. They will be given to drink pure sealed wine. The last theteof (that wine) will be the smell of Musk, and for this let those compete who want to compete.

[Sarah al-Mutaffifin (83):22-26]

So one is commanded to compete for these delights and not to compete for the delight of this fleeting world. This is in total agreement to the /adith of the Prophet (4), for he forbade envy except of the one who has been granted knowledge and he acts according to it and teaches it, and the one who has beeni bestowed wealth and spends it (in the way of Allah). As for the one who has been granted knowledge but does not act upon this knowledge, or the one who has been bestowed wealth but does not spend this is obedience to Allah, then such a person is not to be envied and neither is his condition to be hoped for, for he is not in a state of good that is desirable, rather he is being presented with punishment. He also allowed jealousy for the one who has been given a responsibility and he fulfils it with knowledge and justice, and fulfils the trusts of its owners, and judges amongst the people by the Quran and Sunnah.

The station of such a person is lofty but this only comes after a great amount of effort (had) - the same is true of the mujahid. But the souls do not envy the one who is in severe hatdship and this is why the Prophet (4g) did not mention it even though the

mujahid, fighting in the Way of Allah, is superior to the one who is spending wealth. The opposite is true for the teacher and spender for they have no enemy in the physical world, but in the case that there were an enemy that they would have to perform jihad against, then their ranking is more superior (than their station without having an enemy to fight). Similarly the Prophet (#2) did not mention the one who prays, fasts and performs the pilgrimage, because thete is no tangible benefit attained from the people for these actions by which the person can be exalted or disgraced, as can be attained in teaching and spending,

[2.2 Between Hasad and Ghubta|

Fundamentally, envy occurs when someone else attains power and authority; otherwise the one who is performing actions is not normally envied, even if this person be blessed with far more food, drink and wives than others, as opposed to these two blessings of power and authority, for they cause a great deal of envy. This is why you find envy directed at the People of Knowledge, who have a following amongst the people that you will not find directed to others who do not have such a following, Similarly for the one who attracts a following due to his spending his wealth, for the people benefit this person by nourishing his heart, and this person brings benefit to them by nourishment of the bodies. Mankind is in need of that which will correct them in both these matters, this is why Allah, the one free from imperfection, has propounded two parables,

[2.2 Between Hasad and Ghubta]

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Allah puts forward the example: a slave under the possession of another, he has no power of any sort, and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed a good provision from Us, and he spends thereof secretly and openly. Could they be equal? (By no means, not). All the praises and thanks be to Allah. Nay! (But) most of them know not. And Allah puts forward another parable of two men, one of them dumb, who has no power over anything, and he is a burden to his master, whichever way he directs him he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one who commands justice, and is himself on the Straight Path?

[Sarah al-Nabl (16):75-76]

These two parables. were propounded by Allah for His Own Holy Self and for that which is worshipped besides Him, for indeed the idols are not capable of performing any actions that would be of benefit, and neither of saying anything that would be of benefit. So when a completely powerless slave under the possession of someone is considered, and another to whom Allah has provided a goodly provision from which he spends in secret

and in the open, can this slave, incapable of doing good, and this person capable of doing good for the people in secret and open, ever be equal? And He, free is as He from defect, is able to bestow good upon His servants, and as He is continuously doing so. So how can this incapable slave (i.e. the idol) who cannot do anything, be likened to Allah to the extent that he is worshipped alongside Him? So this is the parable of one to whom Allah has bestowed wealth from which he spends day and night.

The second patable: when two people are considered, one of them is dumb, he does not understand nor speak, and is not capable of anything and is in fact a burden upon his master, for whichever way he directs him he brings no good and hence he is of absolutely no use. The other is a just scholar - enjoining justice and acting justly, and is upon the Straight Path. This person is then like the one upon whom Allah has conferred wisdom and he acts according to it and teaches it. And Allah has propounded this parable for Himself, for He is All-Knowing, All-Just, All-Powerful, commanding justice, He is maintaining His creation is justice is upon the Straight Way as He, the Exalted said,

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Allah bears witness that there is none worthy of worship but He, and the angels, and those having knowledge; (He is always) maintaining His creation in Justice. There is none worthy of worship but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Sarah Al Imran (3):18.]

[2.3 The Competition between as-Siddig and Umar]

And He said upon the tongue of Hid,

eet brede oo} Indeed my Lord is upon the Straight Path. [Sarah Hid (11):56]

This is why the people used to exalt the home of al-‘Abbas: ‘Abdullah used to teach the people and his brother used to feed them, and so they used to exalt them due to this.

Mu‘awiyah, (radiyAllahu ‘anhn), saw the people asking Ibn ‘Umar about the rites of Hajj and Ibn ‘Umar would give them the verdicts, to which Mu‘awiyah said, ‘By Allah this is nobility’ or something similar.

[2.3 The Competition between as-Siddiq and Umar]

So here is ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (radiyAllahu ‘anbu) competing with Aba Bakr (radiyAllabu ‘anhu) with respect to spending in charity as is established in the Sahih (of al-Bukhari) from ‘Umar bin al-Khattab, (radiyAllahu ‘anbu), that he said:

The Messenger of Allah (2) commanded us to give in charity, and this coincided with my possessing some wealth. So I said (to myself): ‘If there is a day that I can better Abii Bakr than it is this one.’ So I went with half of my wealth and the Messenger of Allah (8) asked me, ‘What have you left for your family?’ I replied, ‘The same amount.’ Then Abi Bakr came with everything that he possessed and the Messenger of Allah (8g) asked him, ‘What have you left for your family?” He replied, ‘I have left Allah