Different Types of Hasad in Islam

Among the most destructive diseases of the heart is hasad-envy. It is not simply disliking that someone has a blessing; it is a deep spiritual sickness that can grow into hatred, resentment, and even harmful intention. The scholars describe hasad as layers or "shades," each one darker and more dangerous than the last.

In our daily lives, we often see envy quietly working beneath the surface-between friends, coworkers, siblings, even strangers online. But in Islamic teachings, hasad can reach levels far beyond a passing negative feeling.

This article explores these levels, how they appear in ordinary life, and the frightening reality of envy when it becomes spiritually destructive.

1. The Everyday Shade of Hasad: Wanting Someone to Lose Their Blessing

This is the most common and recognizable form of envy.

It is when a person wishes that someone else would lose the blessing Allah has given them-whether or not they themselves gain anything from it.

• You see someone succeed, and instead of saying mashaAllah, your heart tightens.
• You hear that someone bought a new home, got married, or achieved something, and you silently wish it didn't happen.
• A coworker gets a promotion, and part of you wishes they would fail or be embarrassed.
• A friend posts something joyful online, and you feel angry instead of happy.

Allah mentions this form of envy in the Qur'an. Some of the People of the Book envied the Prophet ﷺ "for what Allah had given him," not because they wanted those blessings, but because they didn't want him to have them.

This is the "haters" energy we talk about today-people who don't want the good for others.

It is an internal poison.
It eats the soul before it reaches anyone else.

2. Deep-Rooted Hasad: When Hatred Fills the Heart

At this stage, the envy becomes intense:

• The person becomes angry, frustrated, and obsessed with the one they envy.
• They cannot sleep peacefully.
• Their feelings turn into hatred.
• They actively desire the fall of the other person-even if they themselves do not benefit.

It's not about gaining or improving.
It's about destruction.

This level of hasad is spiritually dangerous because:

• It corrupts the heart.
• It leads to sinful behavior-backbiting, slander, hatred, and conflict.
• It blinds a person to the blessings Allah has given them.

This is what the scholars call the pure form of destructive envy.

3. The Most Dangerous Shade: When Envy Becomes a Physical Force

Islam teaches that there is a kind of harm that can come from the soul of a person whose envy is exceptionally strong. Not everyone is capable of this-just like not every person has the same physical strength, not every soul has the same spiritual "impact capacity."

But some people do.

This is what we commonly call the evil eye (al-'ayn).

Here's how scholars describe it:

• A person's envy carries a negative spiritual energy.
• When this energy leaves the heart and eyes of the envious person, it can strike someone who is not protected.
• It can cause real, physical effects: illness, sudden misfortune, emotional breakdowns, financial setbacks, and in extreme cases-even death.

It is, as described in the transcript, almost like a dark superpower-an evil ability that only certain souls with intense negativity possess.

However:

• Not every person has this ability.
• Not every instance of envy becomes evil eye.
• The harm only affects those who lack spiritual protection (adhkār, dua, Qur'an).

It is a frightening reality, but one that Islam recognizes explicitly.

"Sometimes It Hits, Sometimes It Misses"

Scholars explain that even a person capable of giving the evil eye does not always succeed. It is like a projectile:

• Sometimes it lands.
• Sometimes it misses.
• Most of the time, the blessing Allah gives people acts as a shield.

But when it hits someone who is unprotected, it can have real effect. This is one of the highest and most dangerous shades of hasad.

A Story Illustrating the Madness of Hasad

The scholars narrate the story of two men in a city who envied each other intensely. Their hatred was so toxic that it affected the entire community. People talked about them constantly; their feud poisoned the atmosphere.

Finally, the king summoned them and said:

"You have poisoned the whole city with your hatred. Either you fix this now, or I will imprison or execute both of you."

One of the men replied:

"Your Majesty, I have the solution.
Put me in charge of him, and you will never hear about us again."

The king asked, "How will that solve the problem?"

The man replied:

"If I am placed above him,
he will die from frustration,
and I will die from happiness.
And that will finally get rid of both of us."

That is how deep envy can go-it destroys both the envious and the envied.

Hasad Is a Fire That Burns the One Who Contains It

Hasad exists on a spectrum:

1. Mild dislike of others' blessings.
2. Wishing for the blessing to be removed.
3. Hatred and obsession.
4. Envy so strong it becomes harmful-evil eye.

Each level is dangerous, and each level harms the person who carries it before harming anyone else.

Islam teaches us to counter this disease through:

• Gratitude
• Humility
• Dua for the one we envy
• Daily adhkār for protection
• Hiding our blessings
• Purifying the heart

May Allah protect us from envy, keep our hearts clean, and shield us from the evil of those who wish harm.