Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (3/409)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

Chapter
On Wrongdoing and Envy

Envy is among the gravest sins, for Allah Most High has forbidden and prohibited it in His Book through the words of His Messenger. He, Almighty and Majestic, says:

“Do not covet what Allah has given some of you over others.” [al-Nisā’: 32]

And He Most High says:

“Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty?” [al-Nisā’: 54]

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Do not envy one another, turn your backs on one another, or hate one another. Be brothers, O servants of Allah.” Envy is to resent seeing another person enjoy any blessing and to wish that it would pass from him to oneself.

Asking Allah, however, to grant one, out of His bounty, the like of what He has granted someone else, without that person losing his blessing, is neither forbidden nor envy. Rather, it is emulation. One speaks of wishing to emulate a man in some respect, and of envying him for it. Emulation is permissible, whereas envy is forbidden. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “There is no envy except in two cases: a man whom Allah has given the Quran and who devotes himself to it throughout the night and day, and a man whom Allah has given wealth and who spends it throughout the night and day.” This means that there should be no envy at all, but that in these two matters you should seek to emulate one another. The exception in the hadith is thus an exception involving a different category.

Some scholars have held that the Prophet’s words, peace be upon him, “Do not envy one another,” are not unrestricted in their scope, because the Prophet, peace be upon him, permitted it in the report: “There is no envy except in two cases.” Those who took this view said: “Envy is of two kinds: envy accompanied by wrongdoing, and envy unaccompanied by wrongdoing.” It is reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “If you feel envy, do not commit wrongdoing.” Wrongdoing here—and Allah knows best—is to intend

فصل في البغي والحسد الحسد من الذنوب العظام؛ لأن الله تعالى نهى عنه وحرمه في كتابه على لسان رسوله فقال ﷿: ﴿وَلا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ﴾ [النساء: ٣٢] وقال تعالى: ﴿أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ﴾ [النساء: ٥٤] وقال رسول الله ﷺ: «لا تحاسدوا ولا تدابروا ولا تباغضوا وكونوا عباد الله إخوانا». والحسد هو أن يكره الرجل أن يرى النعمة في شيء من الأشياء على غيره ويتمنى أن تنتقل عنه إليه. وأما أن يسأل الله من فضله أن يعطيه مثل ما أعطى لغيره دون أن تزول النعمة عنه فليس ذلك بمحظور ولا حسد، وإنما هو الغبطة، تقول: غبطت الرجل في كذا وحسدته عليه، فالغبطة مباحة والحسد محظور. قال رسول الله ﷺ: «لا حسد إلا في اثنتين رجل آتاه الله القرآن فهو يقوم به آناء الليل والنهار، ورجل آتاه الله مالا فهو ينفقه آناء الليل والنهار». معناه لا حسد أصلا لكن في هاتين الاثنتين تغابطوا فيهما، فالاستثناء في الحديث استثناء منقطع. ومن أهل العلم من ذهب إلى أن قول النبي ﵇: «لا تحاسدوا ليس على عمومه»؛ لأن النبي ﵇ قد أباحه في الخبر فقال: «لا حسد إلا في اثنتين». والذي ذهب إلى هذا قال: «إن الحسد على وجهين: حسد معه بغي، وحسد لا بغي معه». روي أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: «إذا حسدتم فلا تبغوا». والبغي، والله أعلم، أن يريد