How do I deal with jealousy and envy (hasad)?

The short answer

Hasad is resenting a blessing someone else has, and it is a disease of the heart the Prophet ﷺ told us to avoid. A passing feeling you dislike and resist is not the same as acting on it. The cure is to accept Allah's distribution, ask Him for His bounty instead of wanting someone else's taken away, pray for blessing for the other person, and wish for them what you wish for yourself.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Explanation

What the texts forbid. The Prophet ﷺ said, "do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert (cut your relation with) one another, and do not hate one another; and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers" 1. He added that a Muslim does not look down on his brother, and pointed to his chest: "The piety is here" 2. Allah even teaches us to seek refuge "from the evil of an envier when he envies" 3.

A feeling versus a choice. Almost everyone feels a pang when a friend gets the job, the spouse or the grades they wanted. What matters is what you do next. Envy becomes sinful when you nurse it, wish the blessing away from them, speak against them, or treat them badly.

Practical cures from the texts:

  1. Redirect the wish. "Do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others... And ask Allah of his bounty" 4. Ask Him for good for yourself, without wanting theirs removed.
  2. Pray for them. When one Companion admired another's skin and the man suddenly collapsed, the Prophet ﷺ asked, "Why would anyone of you kill his brother? If he sees something that he likes, then let him pray for blessing for him" 5. Saying "barakallahu lak" (may Allah bless it for you) when you notice a blessing turns envy into kindness.
  3. Love for them what you love for yourself. "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself" 6.
  4. Look at those below you. This keeps you from belittling Allah's favours on you 7.
  5. Ask Allah to clean your heart. "Our Lord... put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed" 8.

Every time you choose dua over resentment, you are working on your own heart, which is where piety lives 2.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 6064
    Sahih Bukhari

    Do not be jealous of one another, nor desert or hate one another; be brothers.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; and do not look for the others' faults and do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert (cut your relation with) one another, and do not hate one another; and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers (as Allah has ordered you)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيثِ، وَلاَ تَحَسَّسُوا، وَلاَ تَجَسَّسُوا، وَلاَ تَحَاسَدُوا، وَلاَ تَدَابَرُوا، وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوا، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا ‏"‏‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2564
    Sahih Muslim

    A Muslim does not look down on his brother; piety is in the heart.

    Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Don't nurse grudge and don't bid him out for raising the price and don't nurse aversion or enmity and don't enter into a transaction when the others have entered into that transaction and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. The piety is here, (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice. It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith: his blood, his wealth and his honour

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ قَيْسٍ - عَنْ أَبِي، سَعِيدٍ مَوْلَى عَامِرِ بْنِ كُرَيْزٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لاَ تَحَاسَدُوا وَلاَ تَنَاجَشُوا وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوا وَلاَ تَدَابَرُوا وَلاَ يَبِعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَيْعِ بَعْضٍ وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا ‏.‏ الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ لاَ يَظْلِمُهُ وَلاَ يَخْذُلُهُ وَلاَ يَحْقِرُهُ ‏.‏ التَّقْوَى هَا هُنَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَيُشِيرُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ‏"‏ بِحَسْبِ امْرِئٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ دَمُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  3. 3
    Quran Al-Falaq · 113:5

    Seek refuge in Allah from the evil of an envier when he envies.

    وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ۝٥

    And from the evil of an envier when he envies

  4. 4
    Quran An-Nisaa · 4:32

    Do not wish for what Allah has given others over you; ask Allah of His bounty.

    وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوۡاْ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبࣱ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبُواْۖ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبࣱ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبۡنَۚ وَسۡـَٔلُواْ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمࣰ ا ۝٣٢

    And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of his bounty. Indeed Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing

  5. 5
    Hadith Sunan Ibn Majah 3509
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    When you see something you like in your brother, pray for blessing for him.

    It was narrated that Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif said:“ ‘Amir bin Rabi’ah passed by Sahl bin Hunaif when he was having a bath, and said: ‘I have never seen such beautiful skin.’ Straightaway, he (Sahl) fell to the ground. He was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) and it was said: ‘Sahl has had a fit.’ He said: ‘Whom do you accuse with regard to him?’ They said: “ ‘Amir bin Rabi’ah.’ They said: ‘Why would anyone of you kill his brother? If he sees something that he likes, then let him pray for blessing for him.’ Then he called for water, and he told ‘Amir to perform ablution, then he washed his face and his arms up to the elbows, his knees and inside his lower garment, then he told him to pour the water over him.”

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ بْنِ سَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ، قَالَ مَرَّ عَامِرُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ بِسَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ وَهُوَ يَغْتَسِلُ فَقَالَ لَمْ أَرَ كَالْيَوْمِ وَلاَ جِلْدَ مُخَبَّأَةٍ ‏.‏ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَنْ لُبِطَ بِهِ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَدْرِكْ سَهْلاً صَرِيعًا ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ تَتَّهِمُونَ بِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا عَامِرَ بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ عَلاَمَ يَقْتُلُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَخَاهُ إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ أَخِيهِ مَا يُعْجِبُهُ فَلْيَدْعُ لَهُ بِالْبَرَكَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِمَاءٍ فَأَمَرَ عَامِرًا أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيَغْسِلَ وَجْهَهُ وَيَدَيْهِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ وَرُكْبَتَيْهِ وَدَاخِلَةَ إِزَارِهِ وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَصُبَّ عَلَيْهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَكْفَأَ الإِنَاءَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 13
    Sahih Bukhari

    No one truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself.

    Narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَعَنْ حُسَيْنٍ الْمُعَلِّمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2513
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    Look at those below you so as not to belittle Allah's favours on you.

    Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said:"Look to one who is lower than you, and do not look to one who is above you. For indeed that is more worthy(so that you will) not belittle Allah's favors upon you

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَوَكِيعٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ انْظُرُوا إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَلاَ تَنْظُرُوا إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ فَوْقَكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ لاَ تَزْدَرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏

  8. 8
    Quran Al-Hashr · 59:10

    A dua asking Allah not to put resentment in our hearts toward the believers.

    وَٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَلِإِخۡوَٰنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلۡإِيمَٰنِ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلࣰّ ا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفࣱ رَّحِيمٌ ۝١٠

    And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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