If I were to see a man with my wife, I would have struck him with the sword, and not with the flat part (side) of it. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard of that, he said: Are you surprised at Sa'd's jealousy of his honour? By Allah, I am more jealous of my honour than he, and Allah is more jealous than I. Because of His jealousy Allah has prohibited abomination, both open and secret And no person is more jealous of his honour than Allah, and no persons, is more fond of accepting an excuse than Allah, on account of which He has sent messengers, announcers of glad tidings and warners; and no one is more fond of praise than Allah on account of which Allah has promised Paradise.
The Book of Invoking Curses - Sahih Muslim 1499a
This narration from Sahih Muslim reveals profound insights into the divine attribute of jealousy (ghayrah) and its proper manifestation in human conduct.
Commentary on Sa'd's Statement
Sa'd's declaration demonstrates the natural protective jealousy a righteous Muslim man should feel for his honor and family. His intention to strike with the sharp edge rather than the flat side indicates the seriousness with which he views violations of marital sanctity.
The Prophet's response validates this natural jealousy while situating it within a hierarchy: human jealousy reflects divine jealousy, but must always operate within Islamic legal boundaries.
Divine Jealousy (Ghayratullah)
Allah's jealousy is perfect and absolute - He becomes jealous when His boundaries are transgressed. This divine attribute manifests in the prohibition of all shameful acts, both public and private.
The scholars explain that Allah's jealousy is not like human emotion but rather His absolute perfection that cannot tolerate violation of His sanctities or association of partners with Him.
Divine Mercy and Acceptance of Repentance
Despite His perfect jealousy, Allah is also the Most Merciful and Most Accepting of excuses. This balance is crucial - while He prohibits evil out of jealousy for His honor, He simultaneously opens endless doors to repentance.
The sending of messengers with glad tidings and warnings demonstrates this perfect balance between divine justice and mercy.
Practical Implications
Muslims must cultivate protective jealousy for what Allah has made sacred while avoiding extremism. The legal punishments for adultery require specific evidence and procedure - individuals cannot take matters into their own hands.
This hadith teaches that our human emotions should be refined to reflect divine attributes - jealous for Allah's sake, merciful like His mercy, and always operating within revealed guidelines.