COVETOUSNESS

 Covetousness -haset- is to envy others and to long for having their possessions. It is a wish about the person who is coveted to lose the favors he has.

 Longing for the ruin of something bad is not jealousy but it is ardor. A wish to lose his reputation for a man of religion that employs his knowledge to attain wealth and status is not covetousness. Wishing the ruin of their wealth of the people who use their richness in prohibited acts, oppression, attack to Islam, for spreading heresy and sins; is not considered as jealousy. If someone feels jealousy in his heart but refuses this feeling and becomes sorry about it, this is not a sin. Sudden thoughts and feelings in the heart are not considered as evil because they are beyond man’s capacity. But if such people do not have any sorrow about these feelings or envy others by their own will, this turns to be a sin and it is prohibited. If they display this feeling by words and behaviors the sin becomes greater. In an hadith it is declared: “Man can not be free from three feelings, suspicion ( su-i zan ) , to hold ill omen ( ta’yere ) and covetousness. When you have a suspicion about someone do not act accordingly. When you see something inauspicious, does it by putting trust to Allah (c.c). Never offend the person whom your are jealous of.”

 Ta’yere is to believe in ill omen and su-i zan is to suspect about wickedness of others although there is no evidence. It is understood from this hadith that feelings like jealousy in the heart are not considered as sins. Being contented with them, to wish their continuation is prohibited. In the book of Hadika, it is said the feelings come to one’s mind pass through five levels:

1. It comes to heart but do not remain and goes away, this is “hacis”
2. It comes and remain in mind for a while
3. The person hesitates about practicing the thought in his mind. This is known as “hadis- ün- nefs”.
4. He prefer to act according to the feeling or thought , this is “hemm”
5. His choice becomes stronger and he gives the decision. This is “azm” -determination and “cezm” resolution.

 Without wishing his loss, asking to attain the same favor that a Muslim has, is not covetousness. This is to envy without malice. This is a good quality. This is explained under the topic of “Good Moral Qualities and the way of attaining them”

 Covetousness removes the merits of the worship that the person performs. In a hadith it is declared: “Avoid being covetous. Be aware of that just like the fire exhausts the wood, covetousness exhausts the merits, carries them a way entirely”. Covetous one also backbites the person whom he envies, makes gossip thus he commits a further sin. Even he may attack the possessions and life of the person he covets. In doomsday, the merits of the covetous person will be taken from him and given to the one that he coveted in return of his oppression. Who does good deeds and charity in this world will be given rewards of ten times or more of it. Covetousness carries a way nine of them but one reward will remain. Other than disbelief, none of the sins exhausts all merits of a Muslim.

 In hadith it is declared: “When you’re asking help for your needs from wealthy people, does this secretly. Because they are coveted.” When they meet people’s needs they are envied by others.

 Jealousy does not change the preordinance of Allah. Covetous person would be sad and tired in vain because of his feelings. The sins he committed also will be loaded on him. Caliph Muaviye told to his sons as an advice: “Be cautious about covetousness without fail. Because the harm of this feeling to you will be more and sooner than the harm you will make to the person you are jealous about.

 Again Muaviye said: “I can please anybody but covetous one. Because he wants the removal of the favor. As soon as I have the good fortune he covets I cannot make him happy.”

 People who are jealous of others have never attained their wishes and never respected by others. Covetousness upset one’s psychology and may cause to shorten his lifetime.

 People who are envied suffer no harm in this world and in the other. Even it becomes useful for them. Jealous people spend their lives in sorrow and become nervous as they see that the favors of coveted ones do not diminish or even increase. To free him from this feeling one may sent him presents, give advice to him and praise him. Coveted person should be modest against the jealous one and pray for the augmentation of the favors he has. (1)