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No selfish greed
One of the negative qualities in human nature is selfish greed
and Allah tells us in the Qur'an that we must avoid it:
… But people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and
have taqwa, Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat an-Nisa': 128)
Some people's selfish greed manifests as envy because others
are materially or spiritual superior, or have something they do not.
For example, if there is someone more beautiful or attractive, they
become envious. Others are envious of people who are rich, success-
ful, knowledgeable, cultured, hard-working or own beautiful
houses. Prestige, fame or position can be causes for envy. However,
there is one important fact that envious people ignore; and Allah re-
minds us of it in the Qur'an:
Or do they in fact envy other people for the bounty Allah has
granted them? (Surat an-Nisa': 54)
Our Lord Allah is the Owner of all things. He provides for any-
one He wills and as much as He wills. A human being has no influ-
ence over whether more or less is given to him. The Absolute Owner
of beauty, property, possessions and superiority is Allah. A believer
is aware of this; so no matter what he encounters in the course of a
day that he does not own but finds appealing, it will not make him
envious. If he sees someone richer or more attractive than himself, he
will think of Allah, the only Owner of wealth and beauty. He knows
that Allah has chosen what He wills for whom He wills, has given
the blessings He wanted to whom He wanted to give them and that
the choice and the decision are totally His. The believer acts in a way
that acknowledges that Allah has created everything in the best and
most beneficial way and that all the various blessings in the world
are given to human beings as a test, that the true world is the world
to come and that in Allah's presence value is measured in terms of
behaviour that pleases Him.
24 Hours in the Life of a Muslim
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