to have what others have. This is emulative envy, the milder of the two kinds of envy. A soul wishes to rise above others and keep things exclusively for itself, or else envies another and wishes for his blessing to be taken away, even if it does not obtain that blessing itself. Its desire for ascendancy and corruption, its arrogance and envy, drive it to seek exclusive enjoyment of desirable things. How much more so, then, when it sees others enjoying those things exclusively, to its own exclusion!

The moderate person in this regard is one who wishes to share and be equal; the other is unjust and envious. Both tendencies occur in permissible matters and in matters forbidden on account of Allah’s rights. When things that are permissible in themselves—food, drink, marriage, clothing, riding and wealth—are enjoyed exclusively, this gives rise to injustice, stinginess and envy, all rooted in covetousness.

Thus, in an authentic report, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Beware of covetousness, for covetousness destroyed those before you. It commanded them to be stingy, and they were stingy; it commanded them to act unjustly, and they acted unjustly; and it commanded them to sever ties of kinship, and they severed them.”