The Ugliness of Envy and Heart Disease
One of the worst character traits that leads to a person’s spiritual ruin and devours goodness as fire consumes wood is envy (jealousy). Imam Ghazali specifically examined envy among the destructive characteristics, emphasizing that it is one of the most insidious afflictions causing the heart to darken. Envy is being unable to tolerate the blessing given to another, desiring that blessing to be taken away and destroyed. In a believer, not wanting good for others contains a hidden objection to divine distribution and the justice of fate. Abdülkadir Geylani states that removing envy and malice from the heart is a more important purification than even outward acts of worship.
The Difference Between Envy and Admiration
In Islamic morality, while envying another’s blessing by wishing for its destruction (envy) is forbidden; desiring to have the same blessing in oneself without diminishing it from the owner (admiration) is permissible. The envious person is always unhappy; because Allah’s favors to His servants never end, and the fire within the envious person never extinguishes. The one who envies actually torments himself; his sleep escapes him, his nerves are disturbed, and his world becomes poisoned. The first sin that caused Satan to be expelled from the mercy of Allah was also his envy and pride towards Hz. Adam.
Purifying the Heart and Acceptance of Divine Decree
Sufi masters teach that the only cure for freeing the heart from envy is to reach the station of “Acceptance” (Rıza). A believer who accepts the sustenance, position, and abilities distributed by Allah does not envy anyone. For he knows that the absolute owner of sovereignty is Allah, and He gives as much as He wills. A perfect believer should learn to rejoice in the success and blessing of his fellow believers as if it were his own blessing. The servant who uproots envy, greed, and worldly competition from his heart attains spiritual peace and joins the ranks of those with pure hearts (kalb-i selim) whose prayers are accepted by Allah.