Envy
The grief at another's good — the green sin that bites the believer worse than the unbeliever, because faith should drown it.
"A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones."
"But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,"
"And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
See this theme as a comparative study.
- Cain and Abel
Two brothers offer sacrifices, but only one is accepted by God. Jealousy leads to the first murder in human history.
- Joseph and Yusuf
A favored son is sold into slavery by jealous brothers but rises to power in Egypt. He eventually forgives his family during a famine.
- Joseph's Coat
The motif of a distinctive garment signifying paternal favor, which is subsequently stripped and used as false evidence of death, appears in the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an. While the Genesis narrative details the fabrication of bloodied evidence to deceive the father, the Qur'anic account emphasizes the shirt's later restorative function, where it serves as a physical sign to restore the father's sight. Scholars note that the Islamic tradition expands the garment's theological utility from a token of betrayal to an instrument of divine healing, whereas the biblical text focuses on the garment as the catalyst for fraternal estrangement.
Discussion
No one has written anything here yet. Some places to begin:
- Which verse landed hardest for you?
- What's a counter-text — a verse that complicates this theme?
- How does this theme show up in a tradition not represented here?
Sign in to join the discussion.