Overcoming Envy in Islam: Healing the Heart with Gratitude

The Whisper of Hasad

Have you ever felt your chest tighten at the sight of someone else’s good news?

A promotion. A new home. A child accepted into the program, your own child longed for. The heart whispers: Why not me?

In that quiet moment, a disease can take root. Our scholars call it hasad (envy), and many consider it the root that feeds other sicknesses of the heart.

At its core, envy is to wish for a blessing to be taken away from another, or to desire hardship upon them. It is not the same as healthy competition, which allows us to admire a blessing in another and hope for the like of it for ourselves, while still wanting them to keep what they have. That kind of eagerness can stir us toward excellence without darkening our hearts.

There are rare cases where wishing for the removal of a blessing is not envy but justice, such as when that blessing is used for oppression. Imam al-Ghazālī explained that the proof of sincerity is simple: if the wrongdoer stopped oppressing, the wish for removal would vanish.

The Roots of Comparison

Every possessor of a blessing will be envied. Imam al-Ghazālī noted that even two street sweepers compare. One pushes his cart with sore hands, the other has a small donkey. The first man looks at the second and feels the pinch.

Imam Mawlūd put it plainly: envy appears when we want someone to lose a blessing that God has given them. It could be their home, their career, their circle of friends, or even their health.

Sometimes, what we covet is no blessing at all. A fortune may come wrapped in difficulty only God can see. And often, the hardships we dread carry hidden gifts. The One who gives is al-Mun‘im, the Giver of Blessings. To resent His gift to another is not merely to find fault with the recipient — it is to question the Giver Himself.

Envy Hurts the Envier First

Envy is a fire that burns the one who carries it.

A worker overlooked for promotion replays the outcome in his mind. Anxiety rises, anger swells, and the promoted colleague lives rent-free in his thoughts. Family, health, and even his prayer are sidelined.

None of this changes the past. None of it prepares him for the future. Envy wastes the very energy we need to build a better tomorrow.

Resentment narrows a life, but the person who resists envy keeps their shoulders back and their eyes clear. Such a person is free to excel.

The Prophet ﷺ warned:

Remedies from the Sunnah

Our tradition never diagnoses without offering medicine. Envy is curable, but the treatment requires discipline.

1. Act Against the Nafs: If envy urges you to harm, contradict it. Imam Mawlūd suggests offering a gift to the one you envy, or doing them a kindness. Praise them when your tongue wants to slander. This is hard — that is the point. It trains the soul to love what pleases Allah, not its own whim.

2. Make Dua for Them: Ask Allah to increase them in good, to protect them, and to grant you your portion in a way that is best. At first, the nafs may resist. But dua is water on a fire. With time, the heart softens and love grows where resentment once lived.

3. Remember Envy Injures You: Human nature flees harm. Remind yourself: “These thoughts are hurting me. They do not change my circumstances. They make my worship heavy and my life small.”

4. Correct the Story of Blessings: God gives with wisdom we cannot see. His portions of wealth, health, hardship, or opportunity are tailored for each soul. Remembering the Giver brings gratitude, and gratitude is a shield. The Qur’an reminds us:

A Concise Rule

If envy stirs, do not wrong anyone. Do not slander. Do not undercut. Do not plot. Instead, work on your own path. Strive for what is lawful and excellent. Ask Allah for your portion with a clean heart.

A Closing Reflection

Picture that dusty street again. One man pushes a cart with sore hands. The other rides a donkey. The first man lifts his eyes and smiles: “God gave you ease today. May He grant me ease too.” The other man nods.

The lane is still dusty, but the air feels lighter. Such is the weight lifted when a heart lets go of envy and holds on to the Giver.

Applying This Teaching to Our Personal Lives

1. Make Dua of Barakah
   Sunnah: The Prophet ﷺ said, “When one of you sees something of his brother that he likes, let him pray for blessing for him.” (Musnad Aḥmad 15550)
   Benefit: Dua redirects envy into blessing. Neuroscience shows that replacing negative thoughts with intentional gratitude rewires the brain toward positivity¹.

2. Practice Gratitude Journaling
   Sunnah: The Qur’an teaches, “If you are grateful, I will increase you” (Qur’an 14:7).
   Benefit: Writing daily blessings strengthens focus on what we have, not what we lack. Studies show gratitude reduces depression and increases resilience.

3. Give Gifts to the One Envied
   Sunnah: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Exchange gifts and you will love one another.” (al-Adab al-Mufrad 594)
   Benefit: Acts of generosity reduce resentment and activate the brain’s reward pathways³.

4. Fast for the Soul’s Discipline
   Sunnah: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Fasting is a shield.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1894)
   Benefit: Fasting reduces impulsive desires, strengthens self-regulation, and allows us to train the nafs.

5. Practice Dhikr of al-Mun‘im
   Sunnah: The Prophet ﷺ remembered Allah in all states (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 373).
   Benefit: Repeating the Name of Allah, al-Mun‘im, reminds the heart that blessings are His to give, shifting us from resentment to trust.

FAQ

1. What does Islam say about envy (hasad)?
Envy is prohibited in Islam because it resents Allah’s decree. The Prophet ﷺ warned that it destroys good deeds like fire consumes wood.

2. Is competition the same as envy?
No, competition in Islam is healthy when we admire blessings and strive for the same without wishing loss upon others.

3. How can I remove envy from my heart?
Act against your nafs, make dua for others, practice gratitude, and remember Allah’s wisdom in giving.

4. Can envy harm the person envied?
Yes, the Prophet ﷺ acknowledged the “evil eye,” which can harm, but the primary damage of envy is to the envier’s own heart.

5. What is the best dua against envy?
One may recite: Allāhumma bārik fīhi wa zidhu min fadlik — “O Allah, bless it for him and increase him from Your bounty.”

Footnotes

1. Davidson, R.J., & McEwen, B.S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: Stress and interventions to promote well-being. Nature Neuroscience.

2. Emmons, R.A., & McCullough, M.E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

3. Algoe, S.B., Haidt, J., & Gable, S.L. (2008). Beyond reciprocity: The role of gratitude in relationships. Emotion Journal.