Jealousy – Overnight Programme Durban after Asr

Main Topic

The lecture focuses on protecting one's good deeds from spiritual diseases, specifically backbiting (ghibah) and jealousy (hasad). The speaker emphasizes understanding the difference between matters within our control (ikhtiyari) and matters under Divine decree (ghair ikhtiyari), encouraging believers to compete in good deeds while maintaining a pure heart.

Key Lessons

• Gratitude for Faith: Iman is an unearned favor from Allah Ta'ala that grants entry to Jannah, but righteous deeds (amal-e-saleh) backed by sacred knowledge (ilm) elevate a believer's status.
• Securing Spiritual Wealth: Performing good deeds is insufficient if internal diseases like backbiting and jealousy drain one's spiritual balance account.
• The Gravity of Hasad: Jealousy consumes good deeds like fire consumes dry wood. In essence, hasad is a dangerous challenge to Allah Ta'ala's divine wisdom and distribution of favors.
• Ikhtiyari vs. Ghair Ikhtiyari: Believers often stress over uncontrollable external circumstances (economic fluctuations, natural traits) while neglecting actions fully within their control (daily Salah, removing harmful influences from the home).
• Healthy Competition in Good Deeds: While worldliness requires contentment, spiritual matters call for striving and competing (fastabiqul khairat), exemplified by the Sahaba Radiyallahu anhum.

Quranic/Hadith References

• Surah An-Nisa (4:32): "Wa la tatamannu ma faddala allahu bihi ba'dakum ala ba'd..." (Do not covet that by which Allah has favored some of you over others).
• Hadith on Hasad: Jealousy eats away good deeds just as fire consumes wood.
• Narrations of the Sahaba: Sayyidina Abu Bakr and Sayyidina Umar Radiyallahu anhuma competing to assist an elderly lady in Madinah and contributing wealth for the expedition of Tabuk.
• Battle of Khaybar: The virtue promised by Nabi Sallallahu alayhi wasallam to the banner-bearer, ultimately granted to Sayyidina Ali Radiyallahu anhu.
• Hadith of the Bankrupt Person (Muflis): The individual who arrives on the Day of Judgment with vast worship but loses all rewards due to mistreating others.

Practical Advice