Life Supreme — Page 61
64. LIFE SUPREME microphone; nevertheless, what counts most is the tone of the voice which should ring with earnest and sincere vibrations free of any streak of veneer. . JEALOUSY 'O people, guard against jealousy, for jealousy eats up virtues as fire burns the fuel. (Holy Prophet). Uninvited, jealousy steals its way into the heart and who is there in the whole wide world who has not been a victim of this curse? It descends upon the individual when least expected; and the best of men are not immune from its fiery fever which sets aflame the brain and destroys all peace of mind. The Holy Bible says:. Jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. ' (Song of Solomon 8:6). A poet has aptly described the consequences of this devilish virus:. Thou ugliest fiend of hell Thy deadly venom. Preys on my vitals, turns the healthful hue. Of my fresh cheeks to haggard sallowness,. And drinks my spirit up (H. More). Jealousy undermines brotherhood which is one of the basic ideals of Islam. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace be on him) has said: 'Do not be jealous of each other, nor envious, nor do sever mutual connection, but all be servants of one God like brothers. ". Jealousy has led men and women to acts of hatred, infamy and murder. The sons of Jacob were so possessed by jealousy that they contemplated killing their younger brother Joseph: 'When they said 'Verily, Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, although we are a strong party. Surely our father is in manifest error. Kill Joseph or caste him out to some distant land, so that our father's favour may become exclusively yours and you may thereafter become a righteous People'. ' (12:9,10). More often than not where there is love there is also jealousy. It seems paradoxical but is nevertheless true. Love rarely runs smooth and the intrusion of jealousy is one of the major causes. . Like a snake in the grass, jealousy raises its venomous head in