to harm the person one envies through the loss of his blessing. Envy unaccompanied by wrongdoing is therefore permissible, whereas envy accompanied by wrongdoing is forbidden. According to this view, envy falls into two categories: envy concerning goodness and envy concerning wealth. Envy concerning goodness is generally encouraged, while envy concerning wealth is permissible if unaccompanied by wrongdoing and forbidden if accompanied by it.

Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “I have been told that the first acts of disobedience were envy, arrogance, and miserliness. Iblīs envied Adam and behaved arrogantly towards him, while Adam displayed miserliness. He was told to eat from all the trees of Paradise except the one Allah had forbidden him, but he was miserly and ate from it.” Envy has already been discussed.

Arrogance is likewise forbidden and blameworthy, for supreme greatness belongs to Allah alone. Whoever behaves arrogantly, Allah will crush him; whoever humbles himself, Allah will raise him.

Miserliness is of two kinds: miserliness in fulfilling obligations and miserliness in performing recommended deeds. The former is forbidden, while the latter is disliked. Whoever is protected from both kinds has indeed prospered. Allah, Almighty and Majestic, says:

“Those who are protected from their own miserliness are the ones who will prosper.” [al-Hashr: 9]

Regarding his statement about Adam, “He was miserly and ate from it”: he did not eat from them, wishing to preserve them and being miserly with them, but ate from the one Allah had forbidden him. Success comes only through Allah.

Chapter
On Truthfulness and Lying

Truthfulness is obligatory, and lying is forbidden. Allah, Almighty and Majestic, says:

“O you who believe, fear Allah and be with the truthful.” [al-Tawbah: 119]

And He, Almighty and Majestic, says: “Truthful men and truthful women” [al-Ahzāb: 35], up to