In the verse, "... people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and guard against evil, Allah is aware of what you do." (Surat anNisa': 128), Allah points out that selfish greed and jealousy is to be found in the soul of everyone, but that it is a tendency which must be avoided. In another verse, Allah explains what it is a person who feels jealousy needs to do to avoid wrongdoing and the types of wickedness which ensue from jealousy: Say:
"I seek refuge with the Lord of Daybreak, from the evil of what He has created and from the evil of the darkness when it gathers and from the evil of women who blow on knots and from the evil of an envier when he envies."
That Allah warns people against the evil of those who are inclined to this misguided sentiment is important in understanding the kind of base morality into which envy can lead people. Problems caused through envy are frequently encountered in society; the source of arguments and conflicts which lead to serious injuries and even murder is often found to be jealousy.
Muslims know that envy is a feeling which Allah disapproves of, and for this reason they try to cleanse their selves of this vice. The faithful are aware that Allah is the bestower of all blessings and all beautiful things. They therefore know that coveting such blessings or things of beauty given by Allah is tantamount to disapproving of Allah's decision, because, according to His own wisdom, Allah saw good to grant these things to a particular person. Moreover, all of such things are part of the test which that person undergoes in the life of this world; they also comprise part of the test of other people who cherish these things. Either a person will lapse into jealousy because of these blessings or, by suppressing this tendency, arrive at the morality by which he or she will be pleased that others possess such blessings. In fact, the Qur'an announces that this very state of affairs has been especially created to test people, in the following verse:
"In this way We try some of them by means of others so that they say, 'Are these the people among us to whom Allah has shown His favor?' Does not Allah know best those who are thankful?"
In addition it should not be forgotten that all the blessings for which some have become jealous in the life of this world will no longer be attainable beyond their death. To covet something which will eventually vanish, thereby engaging in behavior of which Allah will not approve, is a grave error. Acting in this knowledge, the faithful take refuge in Allah from jealousy when they see something particularly beautiful belonging to others around them. As they carefully guard themselves from jealousy, so too do they also avoid arousing doubt and anxiety in others. They appreciate the good qualities of those they talk to, and employ a style of speech imbued with praise and expressions of admiration. As for those who, in such circumstances, are overtaken with envy, rather than speaking in a way to show their appreciation of the other person, they overlook their good qualities and try to emphasize instead the flaws and deficiencies of the person.
Muslims are people who can control the desires and passions of the lower-self as described in the verse of the Qur'an. As with other forms of deviation, they respond to the envy within themselves as stipulated in the verses of the Qur'an. In the eyes of Allah, determining the foremost among the faithful is not established on criteria like beauty, wealth, education or culture. The most pious is he or she who is the most respected and the best loved amongst the faithful and in the sight of Allah. Believers' knowledge that which ought truly be coveted is piety (that is, consciousness of Allah) prevents them from feeling envy of any thing of this world.
