By Mustafa Makumba

Envy is an old disease of the heart. It begins quietly, often unnoticed: a flicker of bitterness when someone else succeeds, a hidden resentment when others are blessed with what we lack. Left unchecked, it spreads like poison — consuming peace, ruining relationships, and turning hearts cold. It is one of the key causes of world conflicts in recent years.

History is filled with stories shaped by envy. It was envy that led Cain to kill his brother. It was envy that made Joseph’s brothers throw him into the well. It was envy that caused leaders to oppose prophets, not because the message lacked truth, but because they could not bear seeing someone else honoured above them. It is because of envy that one nation is wrongly attacking the other in the move to annihilate it and force them out of their land. 

The Qur’an warns directly against this: “And do not wish for what Allah has bestowed upon some of you over others…” (Quran, 4:32) This verse reminds us that every blessing, whether wealth, knowledge, or status, is given with purpose. Wishing it away from others only poisons the heart and ignores the wisdom of the Giver.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also described envy as one of the most destructive traits, saying: “Beware of envy, for indeed envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood.” (Abu Dawud)

What makes envy so destructive is that it harms the one who carries it more than the one who is envied. The envied may continue to enjoy their blessings, while the envious live in constant unrest, unable to celebrate others, unable to be content with what they already have.

The antidote to envy is not denial but transformation. Gratitude turns the heart outward, teaching it to recognize that every blessing, whether ours or another’s, comes from the same source. Compassion shifts envy into inspiration: instead of wishing for someone else’s downfall, we can use their success as motivation to strive for better in our own lives.

In a world that constantly compares wealth, status, and beauty, envy finds fertile ground. Social media in particular fuels the illusion that others are happier, richer, or more accomplished. But life is not a competition for limited shares of happiness. What is destined for one cannot be taken by another.

To free oneself from envy is to find peace. It is to accept that what we have is enough, and that whatever is written for us will find its way, in its own time.