What does « Envy / Jealousy » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Envy / Jealousy (حسد) in the Quran, with 4 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

حسد

Envy / Jealousy

Root: ح - س - د

Creed (aqida) 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Envy / Jealousy

Al-hasad: wishing the disappearance of a favor from someone who deserves it.

Sometimes this is accompanied by efforts to make it disappear.

Allah says: 'From the evil of the envier (hâsid) when he envies' (Al-Falaq: 5).

Envy is a major sin that consumes good deeds.

Envy / Jealousy in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 3

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Baqara 1

An-Nisa 1

Al-Fath 1

Al-Falaq 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 109 Medinan

﴿وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ إِيمَٰنِكُمْ كُفَّارًا حَسَدًا مِّنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ فَٱعْفُوا۟ وَٱصْفَحُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾

Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from themselves [even] after the truth has become clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allah delivers His command. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.

Surah An-Nisa : 54 Medinan

﴿أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ فَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ ءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُم مُّلْكًا عَظِيمًا﴾

Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But we had already given the family of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom.

Surah Al-Fath : 15 Medinan

﴿سَيَقُولُ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ إِذَا ٱنطَلَقْتُمْ إِلَىٰ مَغَانِمَ لِتَأْخُذُوهَا ذَرُونَا نَتَّبِعْكُمْ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُبَدِّلُوا۟ كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِ قُل لَّن تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَٰلِكُمْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ فَسَيَقُولُونَ بَلْ تَحْسُدُونَنَا بَلْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾

Those who remained behind will say when you set out toward the war booty to take it, "Let us follow you." They wish to change the words of Allah. Say, "Never will you follow us. Thus did Allah say before." So they will say, "Rather, you envy us." But [in fact] they were not understanding except a little.

Surah Al-Falaq : 5 Meccan

﴿وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ﴾

And from the evil of an envier when he envies."