In Islam, envy (hasad) is a disease of the heart where a person:
wishes that another person’s blessing is removed or reduced, whether or not they gain it themselves.
It can relate to:
Wealth
Knowledge
Beauty
Success
Influence or status.
This feeling goes beyond simple desire — it involves resentment toward Allah’s distribution of blessings.
Here are some authentic Hadiths about envy (hasad) in Islam, along with clear explanations to deepen your understanding.
1. Envy destroys good deeds.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
> “Beware of envy, for envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood.”
— Reported in Sunan Abi Dawud
Meaning:
This Hadith shows how dangerous envy is. Just like fire leaves nothing behind, envy can:
wipe out your rewards
cancel your عبادات (acts of worship)
leave you spiritually empty
2. No true faith with envy and hatred.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
> “The disease of the nations before you has crept upon you: envy and hatred… They shave the religion, not the hair.”
— Reported in Jami` at-Tirmidhi
Meaning:
Envy is described as a spiritual disease
It doesn’t just harm feelings — it destroys your religion (deen)
Like a razor, it removes faith layer by layer
3. Permissible type of envy (Ghibtah).
The Prophet ﷺ said:
> “There is no envy except in two cases:
A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in truth,
and a man whom Allah has given wisdom and he judges and teaches with it.”
— Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
Meaning:
This is not sinful envy, but positive envy (ghibtah):
You admire someone’s الخير (goodness)
You want similar blessings without wishing theirs to go away
This type actually encourages righteousness.
4. Do not envy one another.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
> “Do not envy one another, do not hate one another, and do not turn away from one another, but be servants of Allah as brothers.”
— Reported in Sahih Muslim
Meaning:
Islam builds a strong community based on:
love
unity
sincerity.
Envy breaks all of these and replaces them with division.
5. Envy leads to other sins.
Though not always stated directly, scholars explain: Envy often leads to:
backbiting (ghibah)
slander (buhtan)
hatred
ظلم (oppression)
That’s why it is considered a root sin of the heart.
Key Takeaway.
❌ Envy (hasad) = wishing others lose their blessings → Haram & destructive
✅ Ghibtah = wishing to have similar good → Allowed & encouraged.
Simple Du‘a to Fight Envy:
When you feel envy, say:
“Allahumma barik lahu/laha”
(O Allah, bless them in what You gave them)
This transforms your heart from jealousy to sincerity.
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