Ask our children:
1. Should we have good character or bad character?
2. What is jealousy?
3. Is it good to be jealous?
4. Do people like those who are always jealous?
Now tell them the story:
Sarah was a sweet little girl who was good to everyone. She always shared, cared, helped and looked after those around her. Everyone loved her and enjoyed to be in her company.
Asmaa’ was Sarah’s next door neighbour. She was a real cheeky girl, always getting irritated and fighting with others. She always thought to herself, “How is it that Sarah is forever smiling and happy, whereas I remain sulky and angry?” With time, she grew jealous over Sarah and she wished for the worst of things to happen to Sarah. At times, whilst playing, she would throw the ball at Sarah with extra force with the intention of hurting her or she would try to run into Sarah and drop her onto the ground. Despite all of these ill-actions, Sarah would just smile and continue playing as normal. This would make Asmaa’ burn in her heart with even more jealousy.
One day Sarah received a gift from her grandparents. It was two beautiful hens. Every day they would each lay an egg for Sarah and Sarah would be filled with joy and delight. Most amazingly, one of the hens would lay a golden egg once a month, and this only added to Sarah’s happiness and excitement. Asmaa came to know of Sarah’s special hen. Her jealousy now reached a point where it was harming her own health. She could not eat and sleep well anymore. Eventually she was forced into doing something which she had never dreamt of ever doing in her life. One night when everyone had gone to sleep, she quietly went into Sarah’s yard, picked up a hen and ran with it home. She thought to herself, “Sarah is so foolish. She waits the entire month to get that one golden egg. For once, I will show everyone that I am much smarter than her. I will slaughter this hen and, at once, I will have all the golden eggs, all for myself.”
As Asmaa took the knife to slaughter the hen, the hen began to flap its wings and kick its feet. Asmaa was all shocked and in that rush, the knife slipped and slit the upper part of her fingers. The moment she saw the blood pouring out, she screamed and fell unconscious. Her parents woke up with a shock, only to find Asmaa lying on the ground with blood all over the place. They rushed her to hospital where she received stitches, and the doctors advised her parents that she should have complete bed rest.
The next day Asmaa had her very first visitor. It was Sarah from next door with a golden egg in her hand, and in a sweet loving voice she said, “Don’t worry Asmaa! As from today, one golden egg will be for me and one for you.” Asmaa was lost for words. She finally realized that jealousy harms and destroys none but oneself. Thus, she emptied her heart of all jealousy and, from that day, she too was full of smiles and happiness, just like Sarah from next door.
Lessons:
1. Jealousy continues to “eat up” and burn a person from within.
2. A jealous person is NEVER a happy person.
3. The one who harbours jealousy is not forgiven on Laylatul Baraa’ah.
4. Jealousy may lead a person to the worst of sins.
5. Our jealousy indicates that we are unhappy with how Allah Ta‘ala has distributed His favours.
6. We should meet, greet and speak kindly to the one over whom we are jealous. Also, daily make du‘aa for the person we are jealous of that Allah Ta‘ala increases His favours upon him/her and protect them from every harm. Insha-Allah, by doing this regularly, our hearts will be cleaned of all jealousy.