Malice and spitefulness are among the major diseases of the heart and prevent a person from achieving moral and spiritual perfection. Malice is a feeling of enmity that someone harbors toward another, often resulting from anger or resentment that the spiteful person cannot express.
Therefore, a person consumed by malice waits for opportunities to act on their anger and take revenge. In this article, we explore the nature of malice, its harmful consequences, and the responsibilities humans have in relation to it.
Harms and Consequences of Spitefulness
Spitefulness has numerous harmful effects, including envy, severing relationships, harming others through insults, gossip, lies, slander, and ridicule.
Even if none of these outward behaviors appear, the mere fact that a spiteful person cannot be generous, kind, humble, cheerful, or helpful to those in need is sufficient to consider malice one of the most destructive diseases of the heart.
For a believer in a merciful and forgiving God and a noble Prophet (PBUHH), it is inappropriate to make the heart a home for malice and to cause suffering to oneself and others.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUHH) said: “The believer is not spiteful”.[1] This indicates that a heart full of malice is incompatible with faith. In a narration, malice is linked to envy.
Imam Ali (AS) said: “Malice is the trait of the envious”.[2] He also warned: “Purify your hearts from malice, for it is a deadly disease”.[3]
According to Nahj al-Balagha, one should avoid all forms of enmity and malice, as they stir the soul and mind and lay the groundwork for various evils.
Imam Ali (AS) states: “Whoever persists in obstinacy and malice is the breaker upon whom God has placed a veil over his heart”.[4] In another guidance, he warns: “Obstinacy weakens the mind”.[5]
Sometimes, disputes arise over trivial matters among family members or close friends, leading to lasting enmity. Such hostility may continue for years, with each party justifying themselves while fueling the conflict. The result is often the estrangement of those involved.
Following Imam Ali’s (AS) advice to avoid prolonged malice can greatly improve interpersonal relationships. He also said: “Blessed is the one whose chest is free from malice and whose heart is free from ill intent”.[6]
If hostility intensifies to the point of affecting a person’s psychological state and other mental processes, enmity transforms into deep-seated malice, depriving a person of clarity, fairness, and sound judgment.
The Malice of Quraysh Toward Imam Ali (AS)
After the passing of the Prophet (PBUHH), Imam Ali (AS), who had lost his greatest supporter, faced the malice and enmity of the Quraysh. He said: “What concern do we have with Quraysh! They devoured the world in our name and trod upon our necks in the way of God. Astonishing, such a noble name humbled to such degradation”.[7]
He also remarked: “Whatever grudge the Quraysh had against the Messenger of God (PBUHH) (and did not have the courage or opportunity to express it) after the death of the Prophet (PBUHH), they revealed it all to me and oppressed me as much as they could… What do the Quraysh want from me? (If I have shed their blood) it was by the command of God and His Messenger (PBUHH). If they are Muslims (and understand and are fair), should the reward of someone who has been obedient to God and His Messenger (PBUHH) be given like this?!”.[8]
Malice Leads to Conflict
The malice and hostility present in individuals with base intentions will inevitably surface. They cannot hide their inner corruption forever, nor can they conceal the stench of their moral decay from perceptive observers.
Imam Ali (AS) warns against enmity and hostility in Nahj al-Balagha: “do not hold grudges against each other, for they destroy goodness and blessings”.[9]
The expression “do not hold grudges against each other” refers to the fact that enmity and hostility are usually mutual and the response to enmity is enmity.
The expression “halaqah”, which comes from the root “halaq” meaning to shave, shows that enmity uproots all good and happiness, because the root of all good and happiness is cooperation, empathy, and collaboration between members of society, and this is not possible without love and friendship.[10]
Love as the Antidote for Malice
The opposite of malice is love, which can transform even deep-rooted hostility into friendship and affection. The purifying effect of love on the heart is undeniable. Anyone wishing for malice to disappear from others must first cleanse their own heart of this destructive impurity. Imam Ali (AS) said: “Reap the evil from others’ hearts by purifying your own”.[11]
Responsibility of Leaders
Malice has both personal and social consequences. Islamic rulers, according to Imam Ali (AS), are responsible for removing malice from people’s hearts, ensuring that both individual conduct and social relations remain on the right path. In his famous letter to Malik al-Ashtar, he instructed: “Release from the people every knot of malice”.[12]
Conclusion
Malice is the feeling of enmity one holds toward another, causing numerous harms. The Quraysh’s mistreatment of Imam Ali (AS) after the Prophet’s passing was a result of their malice. Malice leads to conflict, while love and kindness are the cures. Considering the personal and social consequences of malice, Islamic leaders and believers alike have a duty to remove it from hearts and cultivate harmony and peace.
Notes
[1] . Fayz Kashani, Al-Mahajja al-Bayda, vol.5, p.317.
[2] . Amidi, Tasnif Gurar al-Hikam, Hadith 6787.
[3] . Amidi, Tasnif Gurar al-Hikam, Hadith 6773.
[4] . Sharif al-Radi, Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 6.
[5] . Sharif al-Radi, Nahj al-Balagha, Wisdom 179.
[6] . Amidi, Tasnif Gurar al-Hikam, Hadith 904
[7] . Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol.20, p.308.
[8] . Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol.20, p.328.
[9] . Sharif al-Radi, Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 86.
[10] . Makarem Shirazi et al., Payam Imam (AS), vol.3, p.533.
[11] . Sharif al-Radi, Nahj al-Balagha, Wisdom 178.
[12] . Sharif al-Radi, Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53.
References
- Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Abd al-Hamid ibn Hibat Allah, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, Qom, Ayatollah Marashi Najafi Public Library, 1377 SH.
- Amidi, Abd al-Wahid ibn Muhammad, Tasnif Gurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim, Qom, Maktab al-Ilam al-Islami, First Edition, 1366 SH.
- Sharif al-Radi, Muhammad ibn Husayn, Nahj al-Balagha, edited by Subhi Saleh, Qom, Dar al-Hijrah, 1414 AH.
- Fayz Kashani, Mulla Muhammad Mohsen, Al-Mahajja al-Bayda fi Tahdhib al-Ahya, edited and annotated by Ali Akbar Ghafari, Qom, Islamic Publications Office, Second Edition, 1383 SH.
- Makarem Shirazi, Naser et al., Payam Imam Amir al-Muminin (AS), A fresh and comprehensive commentary on Nahj al-Balagha, Qom, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib School, 1390 SH.
Source of the article | adapted from:
Esfandiari, Abedin, Applied Ethics with Emphasis on Nahj al-Balagha, Qom, Qassim Publications, 1395 SH.
