Incentive of Envy
Ethicists referred to a number of incentives that originate envy:
- Theoriginofenvyisthementalevilnessandavarice.Ittakesthesouls
tothebottoms.SuchsoulsareannoyedwhentheynoticeGod’samenit-
iesandcharitieswidespreadoverpeople, andrejoicewhentheynotice
distressed persons. This is the most evilsort of envy. The Prophet (s)
said,“God’samenitieshave enemies.They arethose who envypeople
for receiving God’s charities.”
- Envyisoriginatedfromenmityandmalice.Theenemiesandthema-
liciousarepleasedwhentheyseeotherssinkingriefandsorrow.They
feel depressed as they notice them live in luxury.
- Itisalsooriginatedfromthedesireofexceedingothers.Thebearers
ofsuchdesiresaredejectedwhenothersexcelthem,andthinktheywill
obtain comfort if they excel others.
- It isalso originated from the anticipation of missing opportunities
andinterests.Thisfeelingisgenerallystucktocraftsmen.Itextendswith
thenarrownessoftheprovince.Thebigcitiesmaylackthissortofenvy
because of the engrossment of crafts.
- Itisalsooriginatedfromarroganceandpride.Thearrogantmayfear
of others’ excelling them if their elegance is increasing.
- Itisalsooriginatedformcontempt.Theenvious,whocontemptoth-
ers,wishthefadingofothers’amenities.Thissortcomprisestheatheists’
envying the prophets for being given the Lord’s mission exclusively.
Thoseatheistsusedtosaytotheprophets,astheQuranexposes,“Your
arenaughtbutmortalslikeourselves.”Thisenvyalsoincitesthoseathe-
iststoaccusethe prophetsandapostles falsely.Anyhow,theseaccusa-
tions would change into the publicity of those apostles’ virtues and
elevation.
AbuTemmam,thefamedpoet,referredtothismeaningwhenhecom-
posedacoupleofversesinwhichheassertedthatGodusesthetongue
of the envious when He wills to arouse an unseen virtue.
