How envy poisons the heart
“One of the most effective ways to get rid of this feeling of envy is to constantly remember the hereafter.”
The khutbah argues that envy and hatred are destructive diseases of the heart that oppose Allah’s decree, consume good deeds, and should be treated by remembering death and the Hereafter, purifying one’s heart, and wishing blessings for fellow Muslims.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Defines spiritual diseases as more dangerous than bodily illness.
- Explains envy through the examples of Iblis and Adam’s two sons.
- Details envy’s spiritual, psychological, social, and theological harms.
- Prescribes remembering death, the Hereafter, and visiting graveyards.
- Connects clean hearts with Jannah and loving good for others.
In the khateeb's words
“Diseases of the heart and diseases of the soul, they are worse than diseases and illnesses of the body.”
“One of the most effective ways to get rid of this feeling of envy is to constantly remember the hereafter.”
“I don't deceive anyone. I am fair and just towards others. I don't cheat anyone.”
“A person who has no bad feelings towards his brothers in this world, this person has been given in this world a quality of the people of Jannah.”
For the dinner table
The khateeb taught that envy is a disease of the heart, just as physical illness is a disease of the body. Envy harms our worship, peace of mind, relationships, and acceptance of Allah’s decree. Remembering death and the Hereafter can loosen our attachment to worldly comparisons. We should be happy when others receive blessings, ask Allah to increase those blessings, and treat people fairly. A clean heart that wishes good for others is described as a quality of the people of Jannah.
- What is one blessing we can sincerely celebrate for someone else this week?
- How can remembering the Hereafter change the way we respond when someone has more than us?
- What does fairness toward our brothers and sisters look like at home?
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