Jealousy for honor is a divinely ordained, natural, and religious duty that is being weakened in modern times by digital media and ideological influences and therefore must be urgently renewed in order to protect the identity and customs of the Muslim community.
The text is an Islamic sermon that presents jealousy for honor as a religious duty and natural disposition. It relies on Quranic verses and hadiths that identify the protection of the family and lowering the gaze as divine order. Jealousy is described as an instinct also found in animals in order to demonstrate its innate nature. The text refers to the present, in which digital media, social platforms, and ideological influences weaken moral sensitivity. It warns against the normalization of celibacy and immodest behavior under the guise of modernity and progress. Praiseworthy jealousy is distinguished from pathological jealousy and presented as a protection of the identity and customs of the Ummah. The Prophet Muhammad and other prophets are cited as role models of noble jealousy.
Koran 66:6 · Koran 4:34 · Koran 24:30 · Koran 17:70 · Koran 12:23 · Hadith: Allah ist eifersüchtig · Hadith: Niemand ist eifersüchtiger als Allah · Hadith: Aischa über die Rache des Propheten
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The same standards apply to every tradition, see Values.
Full text in English
Jealousy for the honor of women is among the morals of the people of Islam
Introduction:
Allah, the Most High, said: “O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones” [At-Tahrim: 6]. The indication from this verse is that protecting one’s family and preventing them from falling into that which angers Allah is among the greatest forms of faith-based jealousy. And He, the Exalted and Glorious, said: “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women” [An-Nisa: 34]. The indication from this verse is that the role of protection and maintenance includes care, safeguarding, and jealousy for honor and dignity. And He, the Majestic in His Glory, said: “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them” [An-Nur: 30]. The indication from this verse is that Islamic legislation came to safeguard the inviolable rights, and lowering the gaze is the divine means to block the doors of temptation.
And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Indeed, Allah is jealous, and indeed, the believer is jealous. The jealousy of Allah is when a believer commits that which Allah has forbidden” (Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim). And from al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah, he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “No one is more jealous than Allah, and for that reason, He has forbidden all obscenities, whether apparent or hidden” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
O Muslims: Indeed, chivalry is an innate trait in noble souls, and jealousy is an instinct in living hearts. And the honor of women has not been better protected than by a wall of sincere jealousy, nor have values collapsed except on the day when the lamp of ardor weakened in souls.
O servants of Allah: Indeed, we live in a time in which the waves of trials have surged, and the means of degradation have seeped into us through screens, until the scales have become unbalanced for some, and they have become heedless of limits that were yesterday protection and reverence. Whereby the praiseworthy jealousy has become, for some people of desires and lusts, rigidity; modesty has become mere shyness; and the disregard for inviolable rights has become openness and progress.
O people: If jealousy is lost in a nation regarding its honor and inviolable rights, then it loses its dignity and its structure. Indeed, jealousy is not stinginess or tyranny, but rather it is the fortress of honor, the fence of virtue, and a proof of faith.
O people: Jealousy is not merely a human trait or a religious obligation, but rather it is an instinct and a drive that Allah has placed in many creatures and animals to preserve the lineage, protect females, and defend the territory of the habitat or the group. Scholars and others with an interest in the animal world have recorded strange images of animal jealousy, including the loyalty and protective jealousy of birds. Among this is the jealousy of the rooster, which does not allow another rooster to approach the group of hens it follows, and it engages in fierce battles to defend them. And among this is the jealousy of the hoopoe and the falcons, as some birds, such as the hoopoe and eagles, are known to be monogamous, where the male is content with one female. And if a strange male attempts to approach his female or her nest, the male becomes agitated and enters into a violent confrontation to drive him away, in order to protect his nest and his female.
And likewise, the jealousy of predatory animals, such as the jealousy of the lion, where the lion’s den and its group of female lions are considered a red line. The lion dedicates its daily roar to marking its boundaries, and if a strange lion attempts to enter or approach the lionesses, fierce battles break out. And so is the jealousy of the purebred Arabian horse, known for its intense jealousy for its female mare, and so is the jealousy of camels. Glory be to Him who has made this praiseworthy jealousy even in some mute creatures and animals.
O Muslims: Indeed, the human being whom Allah has honored with religion and honored with intellect, and distinguished above all other creatures, as He, the Most High, said: “And We have certainly honored the children of Adam” [Al-Isra: 70]. This human being whom Allah has honored with religion and honored with intellect is more deserving and more entitled to not have this instinct and this noble jealousy stripped from him.
O people: Indeed, speaking about jealousy for the honor of women in this era is not merely a retrieval of a historical concept or a repetition of a traditional sermon, but rather it is an urgent faith-based, societal, and psychological necessity imposed by the nature of the rapid transformations that the world is living through today.
O Muslims: A tremendous change has occurred in means of communication, where the home was previously, before the communications revolution, protected by a private wall, shielding it from what might happen outside the sanctuary of the home. But today, the entire world has entered the closed rooms through screens and smart devices. And likewise, what is happening with digital seclusion, where there is unconditional communication through platforms, and leniency in publishing images, and perhaps private matters are published through these means. And this weakens the heat of jealousy little by little, and Allah is the Helper.
And likewise, what is happening with the ideological invasion, and the attempt to distort concepts, such as describing jealousy as backwardness, or that it is a type of suspicion, or control and suppression, or an encroachment on personal freedom. And this distortion grows day after day, and perhaps it has become the practice of many sectors of the deceived. Indeed, speaking about jealousy and its regulations curbs the normalization of effeminacy, where manifestations of decadence, immodesty, and licentiousness are promoted under glittering labels such as civilization, modernity, keeping up with the times, and openness. This leads to the weakening, and even the burning, of jealousy gradually, and the weakening of moral sensitivity in many of us. And Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.
O Muslims: Jealousy is not merely a religious obligation, but rather a characteristic of the sound human nature and the chivalry with which free people have been endowed throughout history, even before Islam. The pre-Islamic poet Antarah ibn Shaddad says: "I lower my gaze when my neighbor appears to me, until her dwelling conceals her."
O people: The reminder about jealousy today is a reminder of the value and dignity of the human being, and an affirmation that the woman in Islam is a jewel whose modesty is protected and whose dignity is safeguarded, and is not a commodity to be debased for public view or exploited in advertisements and commerce.
The reminder about jealousy regarding modesty in these later times is the first line of defense to preserve the identity and morals of the Ummah in the face of the sweeping floods of moral dissolution; it is a discourse on chastity, dignity, the protection of honor, the stability of homes, and the preservation of societies.
O people: The weakening of jealousy in souls does not happen suddenly, but rather it is a disease that gradually infiltrates hearts and homes, as a result of becoming accustomed to sins and the influence of the environment and unregulated modern means.
O people: In our era, clear images and manifestations of the weakness of this noble character have appeared in some families, and among the most prominent of those manifestations are: First: Manifestations related to clothing and modesty, such as the approval of tawarruj (immodest dress) and uncovering, and the laxity of guardians in this regard. Second: Manifestations related to social media, the weakness of religious restraint, and the rarity of supervision. Third: Laxity regarding seclusion and prohibited mixing, such as mixing in workplaces, jobs, shops, malls, and restaurants. Fourth: The phenomenon of numbness upon seeing evil, the weakness of religious restraint, the scarcity of fear, and the weakness of advice.
O Muslims: Our intention in addressing the topic of jealousy is the praiseworthy jealousy, that is, care, nobility, and piety, and not pathological jealousy or excessive suspicion and control.
O people: We have a model and example in the Prophets and Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon them, for the jealousy of the Prophets and Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon them, is the highest and purest rank of jealousy; it is a noble and righteous jealousy that combines jealousy for the sanctities of Allah and His Oneness, and jealousy for modesty and sanctities.
First: Our Prophet and our beloved Muhammad, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, is the most jealous of creation. The Messenger of Allah, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, was the most jealous of people regarding the religion of Allah and the modesty of Muslims, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, testified to this. From our Mother of the Believers, the truthful daughter of the truthful one, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, she said: "The Messenger of Allah, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, never took revenge for himself in anything, except when the sanctity of Allah was violated, then he took revenge for Allah thereby" (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Second: When the Companions were astonished by the statement of Sa'd ibn Ubadah, may Allah be pleased with him, where he said: "If I saw a man with my wife, I would strike him with the sword," the Messenger of Allah, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: "Are you astonished by the jealousy of Sa'd? By Allah, we are more jealous than Sa'd, and By Allah, He is more jealous than me" (Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Third: And this is the one who spoke to Allah, Musa, may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him and upon our Prophet, for when he arrived at the water of Madyan, he watered the two daughters of Shu'ayb, then withdrew to the shade.
Fourth: The jealousy of Yusuf, peace be upon him, where the jealousy of Yusuf manifested in its most beautiful chaste form during the two trials; the first is jealousy for chastity and the sanctity of the home when the wife of the Minister said to him, "Come, here I am," and he said: "He said: 'I seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, he is my Lord and has treated me well. Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed'" [Yusuf: 23]. Yusuf, peace be upon him, was jealous for the honor of the man who sheltered him, and was jealous for the sanctities of Allah not to be violated, where he preferred imprisonment over defilement and hardship over compromising his jealousy and chastity, peace be upon him, as Allah Almighty said: "He said: 'My Lord, prison is more beloved to me than that to which they invite me'" [Yusuf: 33].
Fifth: The jealousy of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, for Tawheed (Oneness of God) and for his family, when he passed through the land of the tyrannical king, and that king used to take every foreign woman, so Ibrahim, peace be upon him, stood for prayer and called upon Allah Almighty to protect his wife, and likewise Sarah resorted to prayer, so Allah protected her from that tyrant.
O Muslims: The jealousy of the Prophets and Messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, was not merely psychological anger, but rather it was a pure faith-based jealousy, combining the preservation of the religion, the protection of modesty, the care for trust, and the fulfillment of guardianship and responsibility as Allah Almighty commanded.
O people: Among the directives of the Rightly Guided Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, to men was his saying: "Seek help in dealing with women by reducing their clothing, for if one of them has much clothing and beautifies herself well, she will love to go out," and that is nothing but compassion for the awrah (private parts) not to be debased, and for the sanctities not to be tarnished. O Muslims: And this Rightly Guided Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, saw signs of laxity regarding jealousy in the alleys of Kufa, so he called out to the men advising and reminding: "Do you not feel jealousy? For it reaches me that your women go out in the markets and compete with the non-Arabs."
O Muslims: The praiseworthy jealousy is that which protects the sanctities, establishes the safeguards, and prevents the causes of fitna (discord), public display of beauty, and immodesty, without exceeding into ill suspicion or the blameworthy act of spying. O people: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah is jealous, and indeed, the believer is jealous. The jealousy of Allah is that a believer commits what Allah has forbidden upon him” (Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
May Allah bless me and you in the Great Quran, and may Allah benefit me and you with what is contained therein of verses and wise remembrance. I have said what you have heard, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
Praise be to Allah, and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and upon his family, his companions, and his wives, all of them. As for what follows:
O Muslims: Indeed, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has inscribed the noble souls and the believing hearts with the trait of jealousy, for He, the Exalted and Glorious, has made jealousy a fence that protects the sanctities, a fortress that safeguards honor, and a badge by which people of chivalry and manliness are known. Jealousy is the guardian of virtue and the gate of chastity. Whenever it is present in the hearts of men, societies are safe, and families live in the shadows of safeguarding, care, and dignity. But the great danger and the incurable disease begin when this trait weakens in souls, or is uprooted from hearts, so concepts are altered, sanctities are diminished, and no one condemns what is wrong.
O Muslims: We conclude this khutbah with several matters by which we revive the praiseworthy jealousy in our souls and our homes. Indeed, treating the weakness of jealousy requires practical steps that each one of us must begin with.
First: Realizing the trust and responsibility. Each one of us must remember his standing before Allah, and that Allah will question him about his family and his children; for His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): “Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock” (Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Second: Magnifying the sanctities of Allah in the hearts. This is done by filling the homes with the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of the Word of Allah, listening to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) from the people of the household, educating for modesty, and instilling the magnification of the command and prohibition of Allah in the hearts of the family, the sons, and the daughters.
Third: Blocking the avenues of fitna (discord) by being cautious of screens, mobile phones, and devices, by providing guidance, advice, and reminders, and by ensuring modesty in clothing when going outside the house, and by preventing the mixing of men and women who are not mahram (non-marriageable relatives).
Fourth: Balance and wisdom. That the jealousy be a mature jealousy based on the Sharia (Islamic law) and the consideration of reason, that it reforms and does not corrupt, that it covers and does not expose, and that it educates and does not destroy. And among the fruits of jealousy is the prevalence of chastity and modesty, the protection of society from the spread of evil, the safeguarding of the family from suspicions and disintegration, and this jealousy is activated by the piety of Allah, the Exalted, and the realization of responsibility before Allah, the Exalted.
O Muslims: You can imagine how the trait of jealousy has weakened among some of the young Muslims, so that you hear cursing and insulting, which makes the forehead sweat with shame, cursing mothers and sisters with the foulest expressions. And you hear some of them uttering words from which even Iblis (Satan) would be ashamed to speak, refuge in Allah. Cursing and insulting among the young, among the youth, among the elderly, among relatives, among brothers, and among neighbors with the foulest expressions. How did this happen? Where is the fear of Allah? Where is the awareness of Allah’s surveillance? Where is the trait of jealousy? Where is the mutual advice? Where is the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil?
Where is the role of the scholars, the preachers, the educators, and the teachers? And where is the role of the media? And where is the role of upbringing and education? Where is the role of the fathers and mothers? Where is the role of the mosques in advising, reminding, opening circles for memorization, and raising the awareness of the society? To Allah we complain. He, the Exalted, said: “O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones” [At-Tahrim: 6].
So send prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).