with Allah’s decree and predestination: he is displeased that Allah has given this man wealth, or family, or knowledge, and thus he is objecting to Allah’s decree and predestination.

Furthermore, envy is a smouldering ember lodged in the heart—may Allah protect us. Whenever Allah bestows a favour upon one of His servants, the envier’s heart catches fire, so you find him perpetually sullen and continually anxious.

Envy can also drive a person to wrongdoing and aggression against the one whom Allah has favoured. He may tarnish that person’s reputation, spreading this or that—whether true or false—purely to begrudge him the blessing. In this way he wrongs his Muslim brother.

Yet envy never revokes a blessing that Allah has granted His servant. No matter how much you envy or scheme, you cannot overturn Allah’s decree for His servants. The Prophet ﷺ said to ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): “Know that if the whole nation were to unite to harm you in anything, they could not harm you except with something that Allah has already written against you; otherwise, they would never be able to harm you.”

Accordingly, when a person detects envy in his own soul toward someone, he must fear Allah and scold himself, saying: “How can you envy people for what Allah has granted them of His bounty? How can you dislike Allah’s favour upon His servants? Suppose this blessing were yours—would you want anyone to envy you for it?” He should remind himself as well: “If you envy and resent what Allah has given, that will not harm the one envied; it only harms the envier.” He must persist in such self-reproach until he abandons the envy within; then he will feel tranquil, relieved, and free from gloom and agitation.

O Allah, guide us to the best of manners and deeds—none guides to the best of them but You—and turn us away from vile manners, for none can turn us away from them but You.