The lion continued, "O brothers and sisters of mine, listen to this story according to the salaf,'There was a man who visited a king all the time. He would sit beside him and say, 'Treat the good-doer with good and don't treat the evil-doer with evil, for his evil will be sufficient for him.' Another man envied his position with the king and his good speech. The hasid came to the king and related, 'This man that sits beside you, claimed that you had a bad smell.' The king inquired, 'But how can I verify this?' The hasid replied, 'Call him to you. He will put his hand on his nose as he gets closer to you.' The king said, 'Leave, and I will see!'There is no evil more harmful than Hasad. The Hasid receives five punishments even before the envied person is harmed. The first is a constant anguish. The second is a trial that he would not receive a reward for. The third is censure. The fourth is the anger from the Rabb. And the fifth is that the gates of support and assistance would be closed for him."
The hasid left the king and invited the king's companion to a meal that he had placed much garlic in. The companion ate and then went to the king as usual and said, 'Treat the good-doer with good and don't treat the evil-doer with evil, for his evil will be sufficient for him.' The king said to him, 'Get closer to me!' The man moved closer, and placed his hand over his mouth so that the king would not smell the odor of garlic. The king thought to himself, 'That man was truthful.'
The king then hand-wrote a letter and gave it to the king's companion. The king never wrote anything unless he wanted to give someone a prize or gift. But this letter was written to one of his administrators and contained the following message, 'When the bearer of this letter comes to you, slaughter him andskin him. Then fill his skin with straw and send him back to me.'
Later, the hasid met the king's companion his way and asked, 'What is this letter?' The king's companion replied, 'The king has given me a gift.' The hasid asked, 'Would you give it to me.' The other man said, 'It's yours.'
The hasid took it and went to the administrator. The administrator said to him, 'This letter is a command from the king to slaughter you and skin you.' The hasid announced, 'This letter is not mine. I beseech you in the Name of Allah to check with the king before you do anything.' The administrator informed him that there would be no changes to what the king had written. Then administrator slaughtered the hasid, skinned him, filled his skin with straw, and sent him back to the king. In the meantime, the king's companion returned to the king as usual. The king was shocked and demanded, 'What happened to the letter?' He said, 'So-and-so met me and asked me for it, so I gave it to him.' The king then challenged, 'Have you said that I have a bad smell?' The king's companion rebutted, 'No!' So the king asked, 'Then why did you place your hand over your mouth?' The king's companion answered, 'So-and-so provided me with food that had much garlic in it and I hated that you might smell it.' The king declared, 'You are truthful. The evil of the evildoer is sufficient for him."'
Shama' asked the lion, "What reasons for hasad? The lion said, "There are many causes that lead to Hasad. When one is hurt by another for any reason or he goes against his interests, then he hates him and will have malice for him in his heart. Malice produces the urge for revenge. When he sees the other person undergoing a hardship, he enjoys it and further thinks that Allah has done it to him as an evil reward. Anytime the person is blessed with a gift he grieves. So, Hasad produces enmity and hatred. When we hate a person, it is impossible that we would care if that person is having a good time or a bad time.
Arrogance and conceit are also the cause of Hasad. A good example of this is when a person attains wealth or a good position and another would hate that, and fear that the former would get ahead of him or would have a degree over him. So he envies him and has too much pride to see the other equal to or above him.
Love of leadership and glory can also bring Hasad. This is like a person who wants to be at the top in a certain field as he is overwhelmed with love for praise. Because of the praise received, he thinks that he is the best ever in what he does. When he learns of someone similar to him even in another comer of the world, he is disturbed and wishes that the other person dies or loses the bounty that he shares with him, whether it be knowledge, bravery, wealth, profession or even an act of worship.
Selfish evil and misery are also the supporter of Hasad. Some people may not have pride and do not look for leadership, but when they hear about good things happening to others, they grieve and become sad. And when they learn about hardships or adversities, they enjoy that. They always love to see people in a bad state as if the people are taking the wealth or the gifts from their properties or treasures."
Parakeet asked, "How the Muslim stance towards the Hasid?" The lion replied, "The Qur'an has delineated in detail, the stance of the Muslim towards the Hasid. Allah said,Scholars have said that there are three ranks of those who perform good. The first group includes the person that when he is mistreated, he represses his anger and does not call for revenge. This is the lowest rank. The second group contains those who repress their anger and pardon people. This is better for the purity of the heart and good intentions, especially when it is done hoping for a reward from Allah. The third group are those that repress anger, pardon people and do good deeds. A person from this group would also do good towards others, such as visiting them and giving them gifts.وَالْكَاظِمِيْنَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِيْنَ عَنِ النَّاسِۗ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَۚ" ... and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good." [QS. 'Ali 'Imran (3):134]
The Muslims stancetowards Hasad and Hasid requires him, first to return to Allah in repentance from all sins, from what may have touched him through his enemies and because of his sin. The second stance towards Hasad and Hasid is derived from dependence and reliance on Allah. Allah is sufficient for those that put their trust in Him. This is one of the strongest means for pushing away the harm and injustice of others that a person cannot push himself away. The third stance is that of seeking refuge with Allah, Isti 'adhah, and reciting Qur' an as well as other prescribed prayers. Allah has commanded His Prophet (ﷺ) to seek refuge from the envious when they envy. The fourth is to make supplication, beseeching Allah to sustain and protect him from the evil ofhis enemies and the envious. The fifth is to be just with the envious and not retum the evil with similar evils. The sixth is to be good with the envious. Should the envious increase his harm and transgression, the Muslim is instructed to increase his good treatment, advice and compassion. The seventh is to show courtesy to the envious and treat him in a friendly manner, so that Allah may guide the envious person and protect from his evil.The Straw-headed Bulbul asked, "What are means for repentance from Hasad?" The lion said, "The sound heart is the one free from Shirk, malice, hatred, hasad, stinginess, arrogance, love of this world, and love of leadership. It is this heart that is free from any evil that would take the person away from Allah, free from any suspicion about His Divine Scripture, and free from any desire that would hinder him from obeying His Commandments. The purity of the heart and the reconciliation of discord are requirements for piety.
The first requirement for repentance from hasad is sincerity. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,The second requirement is the contentment of the slave with his Rabb and having complete faith in Him. Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "It (contentment) opens the door of peace and security for the slave." It makes his heart pure from hatred, evil and malice. No one will be saved from Allah's punishment except those who come to Him with a sound heart. It is impossible to have a pure heart filled with discontent and dissatisfaction. The more contented the person is, the purer his heart is. Purity, piety and sincerity ofthe heart are the companions to contentment. Hasad is the product of discontent, whereas purity of the heart is the product of contentment.ثَلاَثٌ لاَ يُغِلُّ عَلَيْهِنَّ قَلْبُ مُؤْمِنٍ إِخْلاَصُ الْعَمَلِ لِلَّهِ وَالنَّصِيحَةُ لِوُلاَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَلُزُومُ جَمَاعَتِهِمْ فَإِنَّ دَعْوَتَهُمْ تُحِيطُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ"There are three things in which the heart of the believer does not betray: sincerity of action for the sake of Allah, offering sincere advice to the rulers of the Muslims, and adhering to the Jama’ah (main body of the Muslims). Their supplication is answered (i.e. encompassing every good, and all of the people)." [Sunan Ibn Majah; Hasan]
The third requirement is reciting the Qur'an and having an understanding of it. The Qur'an is the cure for every disease. The deprived person is the one that doesn't go to the Book of Allah for a cure. The Qur'an is the complete cure and healer from all physical and emotional diseases in this life and the Hereafter.
The fourth requirement is remembering the reckoning and punishment that would reach those that harm Muslims by the evil of their selves and their bad qualities. These would include malice, Hasad, Ghibah, Namimah and mockery etc.
The fifth requirement is supplication: A slave must pray to his Rabb at all times to purify his heart from anything against his brothers. He must pray for his brothers that they do what is correct and righteous.
The sixth requirement is Sadaqah or charity. This purifies the heart and sanctifies the self. It is for this reason that Allah said to His Prophet (ﷺ),The seventh requirement is that we always remember that the one we are "blowing poison and throwing arrows at" is a Muslim brother. How can we harm a fellow Muslim?خُذْ مِنْ اَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيْهِمْ بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْۗ اِنَّ صَلٰوتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْۗ وَاللّٰهُ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌ"Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [ Allah 's blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing." [QS. At-Tawbah (9):103]
The eighth requirement is that we spread Salaam. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,This proves that the Salaam can lift hatred and produce love."وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَوَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ"By the One in whose Hand is my soul! You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not (truly) believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greetings of Salam amongst yourselves." [Sunan Ibn Majah; Sahih]
The lion paused, then said, "Before saying goodbye, I hope this advice is useful for all of you. So, have Taqwa of Allah and settle the affairs amongst you, and obey Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) if you are true believers. O my brothers and sisters! When the Prophet (ﷺ) was asked who was the best of people, he (ﷺ) replied,And Allah know best."لُّ مَخْمُومِ الْقَلْبِ صَدُوقِ اللِّسَانِ " . قَالُوا صَدُوقُ اللِّسَانِ نَعْرِفُهُ فَمَا مَخْمُومُ الْقَلْبِ قَالَ " هُوَ التَّقِيُّ النَّقِيُّ لاَ إِثْمَ فِيهِ وَلاَ بَغْىَ وَلاَ غِلَّ وَلاَ حَسَدَ"Everyone who is pure of heart and sincere in speech." They said, ‘Sincere in speech, we know what this is, but what is pure of heart?’ He (ﷺ) said, "It is (the heart) that is pious and pure, with no sin, injustice, rancor or hasad in it.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah; Sahih]
After saying salaam, calmly, the lion walked down while saying,
[Part 1]There was a man brought malady
He was well-known as Envy
Who had spears deadly
Always sharpening with angry
Lived a life in haughty
Walked on like a male deity
Forgotten his dignity
Whoever better was his enemy
Gazing with pouty
Saying he was the best proudly
Whoever denied tripped up cruelty
Without warning surprisingly
He had a partner named Jealousy
Whose brains was empty
He had an arrow fiery
Lifted the bow arrogantly
There was a man with a shield of humility
Faced them patiently
Killed them with a sword of sincerity
Who brought salvation safely
References :
- Abdul Malik Al-Qasim, Lying and Enving, Darussalam
- Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, Hasad : A Condemnation of Envy and Envious People, translated by Abu Alim Rasheed Salahuddin, Tasdeeq
