The Envier

"By His Wisdom, Allah has made a man's face a mirror which reflects the thoughts that are hidden in his mind and heart. The effects of sickness are seen in the sick man's face, the sorrow of one who is grieving and depressed shows on his face, and the good health of one who is sound is reflected on his face. If a person is happy and content, his hidden thoughts show on his face and through slips of the tongue. If a believer is true and sincere in his faith and humble before the Most Merciful and reads the Quran frequently, that joy and light will show on his face; his nature will be humble and kind and his speech will be polite and noble. The opposite is also true; the effects of an evildoers immortal actions and sin will be reflected in his face and in slips of the tongue, even if he outwordly resembles those who are righteous.

By the same token, the envier who resents the good things that people have and wished that the blessings of Allah be taken away is sick at heart and lacking in faith. No matter how much he tries to conceal what he feels inwardly, he will soon let out the envy that he feels.

The issue of the evil eye includes all people, even those who are righteous if they do not pay attntion to it, whereas envy is only limited to certain people. Hence the envious person has certain characteristics by which he may be distinguished, such as the way he looks and smiles, the expression on his face and the way he speaks. All of that points to what is in his heart. Whatever a person conceals in his heart will inevitably show on his face and through slips of the tongue and in his movements and expressions.

What are the characteristics of the envier?

1. The envier is always angry at the decrees of Allah.
2. The envier always complains and rarely thanks Allah, even if he owns the whole world.
3. He follows up the mistake of the one whom he envies and tries to seek out his faults, and exposes them and exaggerates about them before others.
4. He conceals or ignores or belittles the good qualities and distinguishing characterisitics of the person whom he envies.
5. The envier cannot speak in front of the one whom he envies without addressing him in a laughing jocular anner, but deep down he is filled with hatred and resentment which is clear by the way he looks at him
6. He clearly criticises the one he envies, with or without evidence
7. He looks for opportunities and makes the most of any chance to harm the one whom he envies.
8. Finally, the envier is a troubled man, due to the resentment that is always festering in his heart, so depression and dullness show on his face.

Since envy is a serious disease of the heart, diseases of the heart can only be treated with beneficial knowledge. Such knowledge concerning the disease of envy means understanding that envy will harm you in this world as well as being a sin which incurs the wrath of Allah and avoiding envy is one of the means of entering paradise."

-Extract taken from 'The Jinn and Human Sickness' by Dr Abu'l-Mundhir Khaleel ibn Ibraheem Ameen, Maktaba Darusalam.

Subhannallah, I thought it an ample reminder in these noble days, that I be reminded (and remind) of having good character and the importance of looking at oneself and asking Allah for protection of being of such people such as the enviers. Envy is a serious disease which in this day and age doesnt seem to be taken seriously enough. May Allah protect us of being enviers and protect us from being in the company of or the target of such enviers. May Allah allow us to help the Ummah in the best of ways but make discreet our achievments and allow us to humble ourselves for His Sake. Ameen