JEALOUSY AMONGST MUSLIMS

Haven’t you for ones felt jealous seeing a brother or sister (in the deen) who apparently does lots of good deeds? Wishing you were in his/her shoes, well that’s normal and permissible (as it shows how much you love to be a doer of good and excel in it), but does it get to the extent that you begin to wish him/her evil? Thinking ‘has he not gone away with all the good deeds and what’s left for me?’

This is an attempt from shaytan to make you hate your brothers and sisters and to place in your heart aversion which is in opposition to what Allah(s.w.t) says:

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.”

Qur’an (3 v 103)

So let’s eliminate this hazardous feeling (biiznillah)

Usually, this jealously begins to go extreme when you start thinking 'what’s left for me?' 'Won’t he take my place in jannah?'  'Isn’t he more beloved to Allah(s.w.t) than me?' 'Would not Allah(azawajal) prefer him to me?' Amongst other question that goes through your mind. To eliminate this this hazardous feeling, we need to answer some of this questions.

As regards ‘Won’t he take my place in jannah?’

Do you know the expanse of jannah?, think about this, here in the duniya that we live (almost) everbody has a house whether its rented or theirs, you have your room where you sleep and all of this is just this duniya what do you say of the akhirah about which Allah(s.w.t) say

“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous”

Qur’an (3 v 133)

And remember the saying of the Prophet(s.a.w) that each of us has a place in jannah and jahannam, and where you will end up in would be determined by the kinds of deeds you do, if you do good deeds by the mercy of Allah(s.w.t) you will end up in jannah.

Isn’t he more beloved to Allah(s.w.t) than me?

Indeed the closest and most beloved to Allah(s.w.t) are those who are conscious of Him, those who hearken to do that which He(azawajal) has commanded them and flee from that which He(subhanok) forbids them. These are the kind of people you should strive to be like.

With regards to ‘What is left?’

There is a lot, I doubt if there is anybody who can finish all the good there is. Many are the good deeds that the Prophet(s.a.w) taught us, some are apparent while others are hidden, no good deeds should be underestimated even of it is just meeting your brothers/sisters with a smile, removing a potential danger from the road, speaking nice soothing words to people, giving alms, etc. you can take up this good deeds and remember it is your intention that matters most, if you can start up with the small good deeds, Allah(s.w.t) would ease the bigger ones for you.

Next time you see someone who apparently does more good than you, it is normal that you would feel jealous (if you don’t, then there is a problem) but what (I will suggest) you should do next is

1.      Improve on the good you are doing.

2.      See if there is something you can tap from him and try to be better at that thing - it may be knowledge, a particular act of worship that he is doing which has a basis in the religion, etc. don’t feel he will regard you as a copycat, remember you are doing that to be a better slave of Allah(s.w.t) and that is what matters most.

3.      Try to be better at that thing (if possible than him).

4.      Learn (authentically) about your religion.

5.      Spend some time with your brothers and sisters.

From the desk of a creative Muslim

Abdultoyyib ibn Musediq