‘Why did you place your hand over your mouth when you got closer to me yesterday?’ He replied, ‘Your Majesty! Before I came to your royal court, this courtier had invited me to a meal which contained a large amount of raw garlic, and I did not wish to offend you with the smell.’

The king understood everything and requested, ‘In the future when you advise me, add this statement as well: for the destruction of a person, his evilness is sufficient for him, as happened with this envious person.’ (Ihya-ul-‘Uloom, vol. 3, p. 233)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                                                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! Have you seen how jealousy and greed caused this courtier to hatch such an evil, deplorable and shameful conspiracy but it resulted in his own destruction. We have learnt through this parable that we should not feel envious of other people’s blessings & possessions nor should we wish for them to be deprived of their blessings because the Bestower of all blessings is our Creator, and Absolute Ruler, Allah Almighty and He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the Self-sufficient, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is free to bless whomever He desires, and who are we to object or complain regarding His allotment.

Remember! Envy is a destructive habit, a very bad quality and a major sin. A jealous person is consumed by a self-destructive fire that suffocates him and inflames his entire life; he is deprived of peace and contentment. Unfortunately, this disease is menacingly rampant in our society; the majority are afflicted by this calamity. People become envious of other’s educational skills, greater intelligence, abundance of wealth, honour & virtue, and excellent job and dignity. It is such a repugnant act that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated:

اَلۡحَسَدُ يَأۡكُلُ الۡحَسَنَاتِ كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ النَّارُ الۡحَطَبَ

Jealousy consumes good deeds as fire consumes wood.

(Sunan Ibn Majah, vol. 4, p. 473, Hadith 4210)