When envy is endorsed

It is almost preposterous to propose that there is a situation in which envy is permissible, nay encouraged. Its high evil ranking is recorded in all the religious scriptures. There is even no culture on earth that celebrates the envious.

In reality, most of mankind are guilty of this ancient and obnoxious sin. Our lives are largely a ceaseless comparison and competition with especially classmates. Who gets better grades, juicier government jobs, chicest cars; posh pads, gorgeous girls, social status, are some of the searches fuelling the oldest and crudest contest in the history of the human race.

Envy’s simple symptoms include absence of acknowledgement or appreciation, negative remarks, comparative behaviour, constant criticism and insincere compliments. Down-playing achievements and accomplishments and highlighting weaknesses; taking pleasure in the pain of others and showing sarcastic sympathy are also indicators. Nigerians have even nicknamed it after the highest academic qualification – PhD – for ‘Pull him/her Down.’

Life is even called the rat race, named upon the most despicable and deadly rodent cohabiting with people. It is more than everyman to him-self. It ends up in everyone working to end the existence of others. Jealousy, greed, backbiting, bitterness, hatred, resentment, rumour-mongering, spite, covetousness and even murder are the weapons of mutual destruction. It is the pivotal pathway to anarchy and eventually Armageddon.

Envy was the singular source of Satan’s fall from Divine Grace. Pride pushed him to envy the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and refuse to prostrate to him as commanded by God. Expelled for this rebellion, Satan swore to infect the souls of Adam’s progeny with pride and envy till the end of time on earth. It is not for nothing that the Divine Books placed it on the Top Ten Commandments of every creed.

This is why it seems so strange how so many souls continue to cheerfully cultivate this characteristic and extend it to everyone. As if this is not evil enough, so many people also delight in developing it in the hearts and minds of others. These are those who cannot stop bragging, consuming conspicuously, showing-off and rubbing their seeming success in the face of others.

Thankfully, tomes have been published on the treatment for envy. The Gracious Qur’an is a key healing as were the Bible, the Torah, the Psalms, etc. For the non-spiritual, there are scores of scientific studies showing the ill-effects of the condition on the mental and even physical state of the sufferer. Such debilitating diseases may manifest as neurosis, hypertension and even certain cancers. We are under-rating envy to our peril.

The upshot is that we must realize our real self and tune in to our major mission on earth. Envy is idiotic. It does not transfer the envied properties to the envier; it only rubs him of his own. When we add the time and energy invested in executing the act, the envious are always at a total loss.

Our major work in this world is to worship God alone without ascribing any partners to Him. This entails fully appreciating our individual lives and striving to save and serve others including the natural environment and all its populations. The best of people is not the most beautiful, the most certificated, the richest or the most powerful and famous. It is the one who helps others the most.

Love is the elixir for most of the critical human failures and follies. It is the perfect prescription with potent power capable of not just healing all hate and eliminating envy but firmly implanting and regenerating itself in the heart of the beloved. Why, even plants and animals respond to our affection. Given and taken in sufficient doses, love guarantees peace, prosperity and progress for all.

Let us break this deeper down. Across the board of class, colour, era, race, religion or region, mankind is united in the hunt for happiness. Envy is just one of those atrocious antics we liberally apply in the belief that it will make us happy. The fact that its almost always bitter aftertaste does not deter many from trekking the tract, simply shows how deeply embedded it is in our human nature.

Happiness is heightened when we help others. So, to assist others achieve joy guarantees instant returns in pleasure. As the Almighty God planned it, this goal is so overriding that even envy may be deployed in categorical contexts to attain it.

There are two specific scenarios where envy is considered permissible. According to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), these are when someone is blessed with riches and uses them righteously and when someone is given knowledge and uses it and teaches it to others. Scholars surmised that ‘permissible envy’ may be more accurately described as admiration, aspiration and a desire to emulate the positive qualities of the person being envied.

So, the bottom-line is not ending envy but understanding its real nature and knowing when to apply it. Let us ‘envy’ and emulate those who do great good and assist evil-doers to stop. Helping ourselves to happiness by aiding others and evading envy seems such a win-win situation.

Hassan-Tom writes from Abuja.