“Imam Abu Hamid Ghazali’s Work on Envy (hasad),
its Causes and overcoming it”
A summery from Tafsir Al-Kabir (surah al-Baqarah, ayah 109)
of Imam Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi
by Imam Didmar Faja
Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi defines envy (hasad) as a condition in which a person desires the removal of a blessing or good fortune from someone else.
The Levels of Envy
Abu Hamid Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) identified four levels of envy:
1. The Extreme Form of Envy: When a person desires the removal of someone else’s blessing, even if they themselves do not gain it. This is the ultimate form of envy and is entirely condemned.
- Desiring the Removal of the Blessing Out of Self-Interest: When a person wishes for the blessing to be removed from another so they can attain it for themselves. For example, someone sees another with a beautiful house or high position and wants it to be taken away to have it for themselves. Here, the focus is on attaining the blessing for oneself, while its removal from the other is secondary.
- Wishing for an Equivalent Blessing: A person does not desire the other’s blessing to be removed but instead wishes to have something similar. If they fail to obtain it, they may then wish for the other’s blessing to be taken away to avoid feeling inferior. This type has both permissible and impermissible aspects.
- Admiring without Envy: A person desires a similar blessing for themselves but does not wish for the other’s blessing to be removed if they fail to attain it. This is praiseworthy when related to religious matters, as it motivates improvement, and excusable when related to worldly matters.
Causes of Envy
Imam Ghazali listed seven causes of envy:
- Hatred and Enmity: When someone has harmed another, the victim feels anger, which leads to resentment. This resentment gives rise to a desire for revenge, and if one cannot exact revenge directly, they wish misfortune upon their enemy. This form of envy is intrinsic to hatred and enmity.
- Arrogance and Pride: A person cannot tolerate someone of similar status surpassing them. Therefore, their primary goal is to maintain superiority or at least equality.
- A Desire for Exclusivity: Some people wish to monopolize blessings to maintain their uniqueness in a particular area (e.g., wealth, knowledge, or reputation).
- Astonishment or Disbelief: People may envy others when they cannot understand how someone with perceived flaws has achieved success or blessings.
- Fear of Losing Objectives: When individuals compete for the same goal, they may envy the success of others, fearing it will prevent them from achieving their own objectives.
- Love of Leadership and Fame: Envy can arise when one desires unrivaled recognition or leadership in a particular field.
- Miserliness with Allah’s Bounties: Some individuals resent the blessings of others, not because it harms them directly, but out of a general unwillingness to see others succeed.
This stems from an inherent wickedness of the soul and is the hardest type of envy to overcome.
Overcoming Envy
Imam Ghazali emphasized that envy may arise naturally, but controlling its effects is within a person’s capacity. Two key actions are:
- Not acting upon the envious feelings (e.g., by causing harm or spreading negativity).
- Counteracting envy by intentionally wishing good for the envied person. This can lead to a transformation where the envious feelings are replaced with genuine goodwill.