Sayyiduna ibn Mas’ud [radhiallaahu anhu] narrates that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘There are only two people who are worthy of being imitated; a person to whom Allah gives wealth and guides to spend it in that which pleases Allah, and a person to whom Allah gives wisdom, thereafter he passes judgmment according to it and teaches it (to all of mankind).’ (Sahih Bukhari Hadith 73; Sahih Muslim 1896)
Firstly, the correct translation would be as follows: ?There is no envy except on two types of people.?
The Arabic term used for envy in this Hadith is ?Hasad?. Hasad refers to the desire in a person that the next man be deprived of a certain quality or article that he already possess. This is the literal meaning.
But, in this Hadith, it refers to the desire in a person to also be endowed with the very same quality or article as the next man without wishing him (the next man) to be deprived. This is referred to as ?Ghibtah? in the Arabic language. The law regarding Ghibtah is that it is advisable and meritorious in matters of Deen and obedience of Allah and it is abhorred in matters of disobedience of Allah.
Hence, the question arises: If Ghibtah is permissible and, in fact, meritorious in all matters of obedience, then why the restriction in this Hadith?
Hafiz ibn Hajar (RA) ? the renown commentator of Sahih Bukhari states that the reason for this restriction is to show that there can be no better instances for Ghibtah besides these two. Hence, the explanatory translation will be, ?There is no better / greater envy than having envy for these two types of people??
As for the wisdom referred to in this Hadith, the Muhadditheen have mentioned that in the light of other narrations, this refers to the holy Qur’aan. (refer Fathul Baari vol.1 pgs.220-222 and Daleelul Faaliheen vol.2 pg.430)
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Moulana Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abassommar
FACULTY OF SPECIALTY IN HADITH
CHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai