Two Things For Which Jealousy Is Permissible

From Ibnu Umar r.a narrates that Rasullullah s.a.w said ; “Hasad (jealousy) is not permitted except in respect of two person – one whom Allah blesses with recitation of Quran and he remains engaged in it day and night, and the others who is a lot of wealth by Allah and he spends it day and night”

On the authority of many ayat of the Quran and numerous hadith, hasad is an evil and is absolutely forbidden. This hadith, however, appears to permit hasad in respect of two person. Because there are many well know traditions dealing with hasad, the ulama (plural of alim – religious scholar) have interpreted this hadith in two ways. Firstly, hasad as denoted by arabic word (ghibtah), is taken here in the sense of emulation. There is a difference between jealousy and emulation. Hasad is desire that one possessing a blessing should be deprived of it; whether the person who feels jealous acquires it or not, while emulation signifies a desire to possess a thing, whether the actual owner is deprived of it or not. Since hasad is haram (religiously unlawful) under ijma (consensus of opinion), the ulama (Islamic religious scholar) have translated, by way of metaphor, this word hasad as ghibtah, meaning emulation. Ghibtah is permissible in worldly affairs and commendable in religious matters.

The second interpretation is that the term hasad has been used in a hypothetical sense, i.e., if hasad has were permissible it would have been so with regard to the two persons mentioned above.


Prophet Muhammad, jealousy, Allah, Evil, scholar

Solat (praying) is a Pillar of Islam

Abdullah bin Umar r.a narrates that he heard the Rasullullah (Prophet) s.a.w saying:

“Islam is founded on five pillars: bearing witness that there are no God but Allah and Muhammad s.a.w is His servant and apostle; establishment of solat; paying of zakat; performance of Hajj; and fasting in Ramadhan.”

The Prophet s.a.w has compared Islam to a canopy resting on five supports. The Kalimah is the central support and the other four pillar of Islam are so to say, the remaining four supports is missing a collapse will result in the defective corner. Now let us judge for ourselves how far we have kept up the canopy of Islam. Is there really any pillar that is being held in its proper place?

The five pillars of Islam mentioned in this hadith signify the most essential duties of a Muslim. Although a Muslim cannot do without any one of them, yet solat in Islam occupies a position next only to iman. Abdullah bin Mas’ood r.a says:

“Once, I inquired of the Holy Prophet s.a.w, which act (of man) was the dearest to Allah. The Prophet replied, “Solat”. I then inquired which act come next (in order of merit) and the Prophet replied, “kindness to parents”. I again asked what was next and he answered “jihad”. “

Mullah Ali Qari (Rahmatullah Alaih) has quote this hadith in support of the belief that Solat is the most important religious duty after iman. This is further corroborated by a hadith, in which the Holy Prophet s.a.w is reported to have said:

“Solat is the best of all that has been ordained by Allah.”


Prophet Muhammad, praying, Allah, Zakat, Hajj, Fasting, Ramadhan

Sahabah's Discard of Red Sheets of Saddle Cloth

Rafe r.a says:

"We were once with the Prophet s.a.w on a journey. The sheets that we had spread on our camels were decorated with red thread work on the borders. The Prophet s.a.w said, "I notice that the red colour has begun to catch your fancy." We stood up and dispersed in confusion at this rebuke, so much so that our camels seeing our bewilderment began to run about. We immediately removed the sheets from their backs."

We surprised on hearing such stories about sahabah, as we are living in a different atmosphere with quite a different frame of mind. When the Truce of Hudaibiyyah an envoy of Qureysh, had an opportunity of studying very carefully the behaviour of sahabah. When we returned to his people, he said to them:

"I have been to the courts of great kings and monarchs as an envoy. I have met the Emperors of Persia, Rome and Abyssinia. Nowhere have i seen people around a Sovereign so respectful to him as I saw the companions of Muhammad s.a.w. When he spits, his sputum is not allowed to fall on the ground. It is taken by somebody in his hands to anoint his face and body therewith. When he issues some order, every person hastens to carry it out. When he makes wudhu, his companions race one with another to snatch the water trickling down from his limbs, in such a way that an observer would think there are going to fight over that water. When he speaks, everybody is silent as if he were dumb. Nobody raises his eyes to look at him, out of respect for him."

Prophet Muhammad, Emperors Of Persia, Rome, Abyssinia, Speaks

Rewards for fluent recitation and for faltering recitation.

From Aishah r.a narrates that Rasullullah s.a.w once said ; “One who is well versed in the Quran will be in the company of those angels who are scribes, noble and righteous; and one who falters in reading the Quran and has to expert hard for learning, gets double the reward.”

“One who is well versed in the Quran” means one who is proficient in memorizing as well as in reciting it. It is highly praiseworthy if one masters its meaning and significance as well. “To be with the angels” means that like the angels who transferred the Quran from Loh Mahfuz (Protected Tablet in the Heavens), he also conveys it to others through its recitation and, therefore both have the same occupation; or that he will join the company of such angels on the Day of Judgement. One who falters will get double reward – one for his reading and the other for his effort in reading the Quran, In spite of faltering again and again. It doest not mean that his reward will exceed that of a well versed person. The reward that is mentioned for a well versed person is far greater, so much so that he will be in the company of special angels. The explanation is that the labour involved in faltering and the difficulties in the reading of the Quran carry an independent reward. As such, reading of the Quran should not be given up, even though faltering may be an excuse.

Mulla Ali Qari, has reproduced from the riwayat (saying) of Tibrani and Baihaqi that one who cannot memorize the Quran well and yet persists in learning it by heart get double reward. Similarly, one who cherishes a longing for memorizing it and doest not possess the ability to do so, but does not give up his efforts, will be reckoned by Almighty Allah among the huffaz (plural of hafiz – one who has learnt the whole Quran by heart) on the Day of Resurrection.

Reward, angels, Allah, reading quran, double reward, Judgement Day

Abu Bakar r.a daily allowance from the Baitulmal.

Abu Bakar r.a was a cloth merchant and live by that trade. On the death of the Prophet s.a.w , people selected him as the Khalifah. Next day with some cloth slung on his arm, he was proceeding to the market as usual when Umar r.a met him in the way.

Umar : “Where are you going to Abu Bakar ?”

Abu Bakar : “To Market !”

Umar: “If you get bussy with your trade, who will carry out the duties of the caliphate ?”

Abu Bakar: “How am I to feed my family then ?”

Umar: “Let’s go to Abu Ubaidah (incharge of Baitulmal), who will fix some daily allowance for you from the Baitulmal”

They both went Abu Ubaidah. He fixed for Abu Bakar an allowance equal to that usually paid to an average Muhajirin.

Once Abu Bakar wife said to him: “I would like to have a sweet dish.”

Abu Bakar : “I have no money to arrange for the dish.”

His wife: “If you permit, I shall to try to save something daily from our allowance which will some day make enough to enable us to prepare the sweet dish.”

He agreed. A little money was saved in many days. When his wife brought the money to make purchases for the sweet dish, he said :

“It seems that we received so much over and above our needs.”

He deposited the saving in the Baitulmal and for future got his allowance cut down by amount saved by his wife.