The Poison of Envy, Its Cure in Faith -

Zaheer Haider jafri

We’ve all felt it, though few of us like to admit it. It starts subtly maybe while scrolling through social media, you come across someone announcing a new job, posting a picture from a tropical vacation, showing off a recent engagement, or moving into a new home. You might smile and double tap their post, even comment, “So happy for you!” But beneath that surface response, there’s often a quiet ache a small, uncomfortable twinge in the heart that asks, “Why not me?” That feeling is envy. It creeps in quietly and can linger longer than we’d like. Envy is one of the most human but also most corrosive emotions we experience. It doesn’t always shout, but it does poison slowly. Unlike jealousy, which is usually about protecting something we have, envy stems from a sense of not having what someone else does. It’s rooted in comparison and a belief conscious or not that someone else’s success, happiness, or blessings somehow diminish our own.

In our hyper connected world, where we see curated moments of people’s lives 24/7, it’s easier than ever to fall into the trap of comparison. We measure our self worth against someone else’s highlight reel, often forgetting that what we see is not the full picture. The danger of envy lies in how it distorts reality. That friend who got a promotion? We start to think they’re more valuable. That classmate who seems to “have it all”? We start to feel like we’re falling behind. Over time, envy doesn’t just make us feel bad about ourselves it begins to affect how we see others. We may grow distant, resentful, or even silently hope for them to stumble. This silent poison harms not only relationships, but also our spiritual and emotional well-being. Most painfully, envy blinds us to our own blessings. It convinces us that we are missing out, that our life is incomplete, and that we are somehow less worthy.

But where does envy really come from? At its root, envy is tied to a belief in security the fear that there isn’t enough love, success, or happiness to go around. It comes from feeling like we are unnoticed, less favored, or left behind. Many of us grew up hearing comparisons: “Why can’t you be more like so and so?” These early messages, even if well meaning, planted seeds of insecurity. Later in life, we face social pressure to meet certain standards beauty, success, marriage, wealth by a certain age or in a particular way. When we don’t, we begin to feel like we’re not enough. But this is where faith enters as a powerful and healing force. Faith teaches us that our worth is not tied to worldly measures. We are not defined by our resumes, salaries, appearances, or social status. We are defined by something far greater: our connection to our Creator.

Faith is the antidote to envy because it realigns our perspective. It reminds us that we are each on a unique path, one written with divine wisdom and perfect timing. When we begin to trust that God sees us, knows us, and has a plan tailored specifically for us, we let go of the need to compare. The Qur’an says, “Indeed, your Lord is the Bestower” (Surah Sad 38:9), a reminder that blessings are given with intention and knowledge. Faith also teaches gratitude, which is the opposite of envy. When we focus on what we have rather than what we lackwe start to feel full instead of empty. Gratitude doesn’t mean denying hardship; it means acknowledging blessings even in the midst of challenges. It opens the heart and shifts the focus from scarcity to abundance. Even small things a warm bed, a good meal, the laughter of a loved one can become powerful reminders of grace when seen through the lens of faith.

Alongside gratitude, faith brings contentment. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Wealth is not in having many possessions, but wealth is being content with oneself.” That kind of contentment is not passive it’s peaceful. It allows us to strive for more, while also feeling whole in the present. Faith also nurtures trust. Trust that what’s meant for us will come. Trust that delays are not denials. Trust that sometimes what we envy in others may not be a true blessing for us and that what we are given is exactly what our souls need for growth. Sometimes we look at someone else’s joy and think, “If only I had that, I’d be happy.” But we don’t always see the struggles behind the smiles, the pain behind the pictures. Faith reminds us to stop assuming we know the whole story.

A friend of mine once shared that she struggled deeply with envy. Every time someone got engaged or succeeded professionally, she felt like shrinking. It wasn’t that she wanted them to suffer she just felt invisible, left behind. Eventually, she started a quiet practice. Every morning, she wrote down three things she was grateful for. And when she felt the pang of envy, she made a du’a for that person. “Ya Allah, bless them more—and bless me too.” It was awkward at first, but over time, it softened her. She began to celebrate others sincerely. She began to feel joy again not because everything in her life changed overnight, but because her heart did. And before long, her own prayers were answered. But even before that, she was already lighter.

If you find envy in your heart, don’t panic and don’t punish yourself. You’re not bad or broken. You’re just human. The important thing is not to ignore it. Begin by acknowledging it. Say it plainly to yourself: “I feel this, but I don’t want to stay in this.” Turn it into a prayer. Ask God to purify your heart, to replace envy with peace. When you feel envy toward someone, make a du’a for them. Sincere du’a for another person can uproot even the deepest bitterness. Limit your exposure to things that trigger unnecessary comparison,this might mean curating your social media or stepping back from certain conversations. Most importantly, anchor yourself in gratitude and trust. You are not behind. You are not forgotten. You are not missing out. You are being shaped by a story bigger than you can currently see.

In the end, envy loses its power when we realize that someone else’s light doesn’t dim our own. Their joy is not a threat to ours. Life is not a race, it’s a garden. Each flower blooms in its own season. Your time will come. And while you wait, you can choose to water your own soil with faith, trust, and gratitude. Because the cure for envy isn’t getting what someone else has ,it’s knowing that what you already have, and Who you already have, is more than enough.