Why am I down? An Eye-Opening Story of Envy and Faith

“People will remain in goodness as long as they do not envy one another.”

(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 23408: Hasan chain)

An Envy Story — Zoya in Danger

Why do I feel dizzy and down for no reason? Why does nothing interest me anymore, and is life colorless? This question must have crossed your mind at some point.

Islam highlighted this truth 1500 years ago, and modern psychology now confirms it. Anyone who has fallen prey to envy will deeply relate.

Let me share Zoya’s struggle, a story of envy, jealousy, and hidden pain, and how she eventually found a cure through faith, prayer, and the guidance of a wise scholar.

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The Mirror Moment of Restlessness and Anxiety

Zoya stood in front of the mirror, her eyes clouded with frustration. She was deeply troubled; nothing like this had ever happened before.

Lately, every day felt the same: exhaustion weighing on her body and mind.

Feeling like this, too? 👉 Learn from Prophet Yunus’ story (part 1) and discover how Jibreel AS guided natural ways to heal anxiety and panic (part 2).

Her mother noticed her staring into the mirror and asked, surprised, “What’s wrong, Zoya? Why are you looking at the mirror like that?”

How envy causes a person to wither, represented by a withering flower.

Startled, Zoya turned to her mother, worry etched on her face.

“I’m running late for college, Mom. I should go,” she said quietly.

Her mother whispered a prayer. “Alright, sweetheart. Go with Allah’s protection.”

After class, Ramsha nudged her. “Why do you seem so lost today?”

Zoya shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

Ramsha smirked, “So ready for tomorrow’s competition?”

Zoya gave a small, shy shrug. “I’ve done my best. The rest is in Allah’s hands.”

Ramsha laughed. “No doubt about it! Everyone knows you’ll win.”

Why Am I Down? Zoya’s Sudden Illness and Hidden Causes

At dinner, her father noticed Zoya was barely touching her food. She murmured to herself, “This strange weakness; what is it?

She had just lifted a bite to her mouth when suddenly she felt nauseous, collapsed, and fainted. They rushed her to the hospital immediately, and treatment began right away.

The reports confirmed severe diarrhea. After a night of prayer, Zoya opened her eyes at Fajr as the adhan echoed and her parents whispered, “Alhamdulillah (All praise is due to Allah).

Heartbreak and Failure: The Competition 

Panicked, she asked, "Where am I?"

Her father gently stroked her head. "Sweetheart, you're in the hospital."

"But Dad, I have to go to college! Today’s my competition!"

Her heart sank, feeling as if a knife had pierced it, "I worked so hard for this day, now I’ll be disqualified!”

Her father smiled softly. “My dear, everything happens by Allah’s will.

If this attempt doesn’t succeed, another will appear. Hardship is always followed by ease.”

An Unexpected Betrayal: Ramsha Replaces Zoya

Three days later, she returned home. When she checked her college online group, she couldn’t believe her eyes; her friend Ramsha had won first place in the competition.

The shock hit her hard. Ramsha hadn’t even told her.

Some things are beyond understanding; the people we trust as true friends sometimes turn out to be slowly killing us.

But Zoya couldn’t figure out why Ramsha had acted that way. One day, her mother noticed her sadness.

When the Scholar Reveals a Secret: The Hidden Cause of Zoya’s Distress

She comforted her with patience, but that night, she mentioned it to Zoya’s father. He was deeply concerned about his daughter’s well-being.

He met with Scholar Saeed Ullah and shared Zoya’s challenges.

The scholar listened intently, and his expressions were grave: "The real problem is far more serious. The one who is truly ill doesn’t even realize their own sickness."

Confused, Zoya's father asked, "What do you mean?"

The scholar replied, "Understand this: Your daughter has been afflicted by the evil eye; someone’s envy has touched her." Sometimes resentment turns dark 👉 see how envy can trigger the evil eye.

Ruqyah for the Evil Eye and Envy

"Who would do such a thing?" "Knowing who isn’t necessary. Focus on the cure. Allah has given solutions in the Quran." He advised:

- Recite Surah Al-Falaq, Surah An-Nas, and Ayat-ul-Kursi, morning and evening.

- Blow (Ruqyah) on yourself and the afflicted one after recitation.

- Increase in charity (Sadaqah).

"In Sha’Allah, Allah’s mercy will bring relief. When a believer turns to the Qur’an with sincerity, healing often begins from places we cannot see.”

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Zoya’s father made it a daily routine to recite the prescribed surahs over her.

Within days, Zoya was lively again, smiling, and topping her class. At the next competition, she won first prize everyone cheered, except Ramsha.

When Envy Shows Its Face: Ramsha’s True Reality

Hoping to mend their friendship, Zoya approached her, only to hear, "I can’t bear to see you succeed." Shocked, Zoya wondered, Why can’t you be happy for me?”

Ramsha's face changed color, her eyes burning with anger. Finally, she confessed, "If you want the truth, listen. Your popularity poisons me."

Tears welled up in Zoya's eyes. "Your face and behavior never showed this before."

Ramsha snapped, "Why would I reveal it? Your constant laughter, cheerfulness, and being everyone's favorite used to destroy my peace.

You were the college's golden girl. Outwardly, I complimented you, but it was all lies."

Sir Rehan Explains the True Meaning of Envy

Blinded by hatred, Ramsha didn't realize that their conversation was being overheard by their teacher, Sir Rehan. He interjected, "Ramsha, the pity isn't about today being ruined - it's about your petty mindset.

You're suffering from a disease called envy. A disease of the soul, the heart, and the conscience."

Just as cancer is a deadly disease, envy is also a festering wound. This poison eats away at one’s faith. This fire doesn’t just burn the envier; it reduces the envied to ashes as well.

Envy and the Leeches: A Symbolic Example

"Envy is symbolically compared to a leech."

Have you ever seen a leech? It silently clings to the skin of an animal or human. It makes no noise, leaves no obvious wound. It just slowly sucks the blood.

Malice quietly takes root in the heart. Outwardly, a person may smile, but inside, another’s success eats away at them. The longer it stays, the more the soul suffers.

Ramsha’s head bowed in shame; Sir Rehan noticed the look on her face and said with a gentle smile:

The Science of Resentment

1. Modern research shows that resentment or ill-will activates a small part of the brain called the amygdala, which governs fear, stress, anxiety, and panic (Takahashi et al., 2009; Xiang et al., 2016).

   
   

2. Just as a sudden loud noise startles us, repeated negative thoughts about others trigger the amygdala, causing mental tension and emotional strain.

   
   

3. This harmful mindset affects not only the person harboring it but can also harm those they resent, like an arrow hitting its target.

   
   

4. Resentment boosts stress hormones and overthinking, and a lack of gratitude makes it worse. Grateful individuals have 25% lower cortisol than those driven by this sickness.

And if you’re struggling with envy, 👉 read this blog to discover how to heal your inner side.

References:

• Takahashi, H., Kato, M., Matsuura, M., Mobbs, D., Suhara, T., & Okubo, Y. (2009). When your gain is my pain and your pain is my gain: neural correlates of envy and schadenfreude. Science, 323(5916), 937–939. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1165604

• Xiang, Y., Kong, F., Wen, X., Wu, Q., & Mo, L. (2016). Neural correlates of envy: regional homogeneity of resting-state brain activity predicts dispositional envy. NeuroImage, 142, 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.08.004

That’s why the Prophet (ﷺ) clearly stated:

"The secret to success lies in wishing well for others. So, avoid envy at all costs."

The Cure to Envy: The Prophetic Warning About Envy

The cure for the disease of envy was given to us by our beloved Prophet (PBUH) 1,500 years ago.

Hazrat Abu Huraira (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

"People will continue to live in goodness and blessings as long as they do not envy one another. But when envy arises among them, Allah removes His blessings from them. They then neither oppress one another nor conspire in sin."

References:

- Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Heart-Softening Traditions, Hadith 6068)

- Sahih Muslim (Book of Virtue, Good Manners, and Ties of Kinship, Hadith 2564)

Let Allah’s light shine in your heart 👉Explore 4 powerful 2026 Ramadan duas for divine light and inner peace.

5 Ways to Purify the Heart

✔ Rejoice in others' success.

✔ If hostility stirs, seek Allah’s help through prayer immediately:

"O Allah, bless my brother/sister’s blessings, and grant me too through lawful means."

This du‘a is based on the authentic Hadith:

Abu Dharr reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: "There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother in his absence, except that the Angels say: ‘And for you the same.”

Sahih Muslim 2732

✔ Repent sincerely and recite this prayer:

    "O Allah, purify my heart from envy."

✔ Spread love, prayers, and goodwill to strengthen society.

✔ Acknowledge your insecurities and accept yourself as you are.

✔ Be grateful for what you have.

Letting Go of Envy and Jealousy

Sir Rehan said, See how envy poisoned your hearts? Where love once thrived, hidden grudges and insecurities had settled.

Make du‘a and practice regularly to restore your qalbun Salim (sound hearts) and keep them safe from spiritual corruption.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Have you felt envy creep into your life as Zoya did? How did you overcome it?

Share your journey in the comments and inspire others!