Ibn Daud - A Handbook of Spiritual Medicine

CHAPTER 14
البُغْض [Bughd] Hatred
Allāh permits certain types of hatred: indeed, through revelation
and the actions of the Noble Prophet , we see that there are
certain conditions whereby hatred can be deserving of merit.
However, the hatred that is misguided and falls outside of the
bounds of religion has no justification. Here, we are concerned
with the hatred for other than that which Allāh has decreed
despicable.
HATRED
Something similar to hatred is malice (hiqd), which asserts itself as
repressed and frustrated anger when one lacks the power to take
revenge or retribution. A more extreme form of anger is rancour
(ghill), a despicable emotion that is rooted in being extremely angry
at a person to the point that one wishes harm upon him.
The Prophet once said to his Companions, “Do you want to see
a man of Paradise?” A man then passed by and the Prophet said,
“That man is one of the people of Paradise.” One Companion of
the Prophet took it upon himself to learn what it was about this
man that earned him such a commendation from the Messenger
of Allāh . He spent time with this man and observed him closely:
He noticed that he did not perform the night prayer vigil (tahajjud)
or anything extraordinary; he appeared to be an average man of
Madinah. The Companion finally confronted the man and told him
what the Prophet had said about him and asked if he did anything
special. The man gave it some thought, and eventually replied, “The
only thing that I can think of, other than what you have seen, is that
I make sure that I never sleep with any rancour in my heart towards
any believer, nor do I envy anyone for any goodness that Allāh has
given them.” That was his secret. [Musnad A#mad 12697]
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