Envy is a term that carries a particular meaning in common usage. This may coincide with its linguistic meaning, or it may differ from it. To clarify this, I shall mention several concepts within the semantic field of envy, though they differ somewhat in their origin, consequences, manner, and source. They are envy, the evil eye, emulation, al-adm, rancor, and malice.

Definition of Envy

Envy is the desire to possess something regarded as desirable, together with the wish that it be taken away from someone else—that is, from its owner. Envy generally arises upon seeing the thing, though it may also occur without seeing it. Envy can arise only from a wicked soul, whether Muslim or otherwise. Because seeing something frequently accompanies envy, envy became associated with the eye, and an envied person is therefore said to have been struck by the evil eye. An authentic hadith states, “The evil eye is real.” Agreed upon. Envy is invariably condemned because of the harm or corruption that may befall the envied person, commensurate with the evil within the envier’s soul, yet subject to what Allah Most High has decreed for him.

Ibn Manzur said: “Envy is well known. To envy someone is to wish that his blessing and merit be transferred to oneself, or that he be deprived of them:

You see the discerning man envied, though he has not reviled other men;
yet his own honor is reviled.

Al-Jawharī said: ‘Envy is to wish that the envied person’s blessing be removed from him and pass to you.’” End quote. (1)

Al-Fayrūzābādī said: “To envy someone is to wish that his blessing and merit be transferred to oneself, or that he be deprived of them. Such a person is called a hāsid (envier), with the plural forms hussad, hussād, and hasada; or a hasūd (one much given to envy), with the plural husud. The expression ‘May Allah punish me if I envy you’ means: may He punish me for envy. ‘They envied one another’ means that each envied the others.” End quote. (2)

It is stated in al-Misbāh al-Munīr: “One may say, ‘I envied him for the blessing,’ or, ‘I envied him the blessing.’ The verbal noun is pronounced hasad more often than hasd. The verb takes its second object either directly or with a preposition when one resents another person’s possession of a blessing and wishes it removed from him. As for what is called envy in respect of courage and similar qualities, it is actually emulation. It contains a sense of admiration and does not entail wishing that the quality be taken away from the envied person. If one does wish for its removal, however, then it belongs to the first category, which is forbidden. A person who does so is called a