Good will remain as long as we harbour no blameworthy envy

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Damratah Bin Thalabah [may Allah be pleased with him] said that  Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “The people will not cease to be upon good as long as they do not envy one another.

Al-Allamah Zaid Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khali [may Allah have mercy upon him] said:

The hadith is clear in its prohibition against envy. What is intended by envy is when one wishes that the blessing bestowed upon another person should cease, regardless whether the envier wants that blessing for himself or for another person, or wants that the blessing given to the one he envies should cease- whether the blessings is related to an affair of the religion or a worldly affair. Envy is forbidden and the command to seek Allah’s protection from the evil of an envier has been stated in the Qur’an:

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

“And from the evil of the envier when he envies”.

Therefore, one should be careful of envy! Indeed the Prophet said, “Do not envy one another”. [1]

Imam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: There are three types of envy. The first type is very little and does not lead the (envier) to harm (others)-either by way of (hatred in) his heart, (speech of the) tongue or (deeds of the) hand; rather the person has some envy in his heart but he only deals with his Muslim brother through what Allaah loves. The second type is that the envier desires that the blessing (bestowed on the one he envies) should cease. He hates that Allah should give blessings to His slaves; rather he (desires) that the envied person should remain in that state (of deprivation).The third type is Al-Ghibtah and it is when a person wishes to be like another person without desiring that the blessing possessed by that person should cease. The person who has this type of envy is not blamed; rather this is very similar to praiseworthy competition to excel another in good deeds. [2]

Mu’aawiyah Bin Abee Sufyaan [may Allah be pleased with him and his father] said: “I am able to please all the people [i.e. with regards to what is lawful] except the one who is envious of a blessing [bestowed on others] because never will he be pleased until that blessing ceases”. [3]

[1] at-Taleeqaat Al-Maleehah Alaa Silsilah Al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah. Page 1/270.
 
[2]: Badaa’i Al-Fawaa-id 2/237
 
[3]: Tarikh Baghdad 59/200