The Crab Mentality Phenomenon from the Eyes of Religion

It cannot be denied that in everyday life, we definitely come across someone who feels disturbed when they see other people succeed. Instead of being happy, he instead belittles, hinders, or even brings down. This attitude is known as crab mentality.

Term crab mentality comes from the behavior of crabs in buckets. When one crab was about to come out, the other crabs pulled it back in, so that no one made it up. That is the picture of a person who is not happy to see other people progressing and being superior to him. If he doesn’t succeed, then other people shouldn’t succeed either. Phenomenon crab mentality can appear in various places, including schools, campuses, offices, organizations, and even homes.

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Crab mentality usually grows due to several factors, including: Jealousy when we see someone getting something that we don’t, feeling less than ourselves so that other people’s success is considered a threat, fear of being rivaled so we want other people to stay below us. The characteristics are clear, such as blocking other people’s progress, not wanting to support or celebrate other people’s successes, focusing on other people’s shortcomings or failures and liking to belittle other people’s achievements.

Crab Mentality in Islamic Views

In Islam, this characteristic is part of disgraceful morals which is strictly prohibited because it contains elements of envy and passion towards other people. Rasulullah saw. warns of the dangers of hasad in a hadith:

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Uthman bin Saleh Al-Baghdadi told us, Abu Amer, meaning Abd al-Malik bin Amr, told us, Sulaiman bin Bilal told us, on the authority of Ibrahim Ibn Abi Asid, on the authority of his grandfather, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that the Prophet SAW said: “Beware of envy, because envy consumes good deeds as fire consumes Firewood – or he said: grass –

“From Abi Hurairah, the Messenger of Allah said: be careful of envy, because envy can consume good things like fire consumes firewood.” (Imam Abi Dawud, Sunan Abi Dawud, Maktabah Al Isriyyah, Beirut, Juz 4, p. 276)

In the Syarah, this hadith is categorized as mubham because it is not clear who the person is, but there are several other supporting hadiths from other books, such as the book Adabul Mufrod:

The grandfather is unknown, meaning: he is unknown, and here he is vague and unnamed. Al-Bukhari included it in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad and Abu Dawud.

(Abdul Muhsin bin Hamad Al-abbad, Syarah sunnan Abi Dawud, turoth.io application, page 558)

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Imam Abdul Muhsin Al Abbad In Syarah Sunan Abi Dawud explains that hasad is divided into two types: ghibṭah and despicable hasad.

1. Ghibṭah: Commendable Jealousy

Ghibṭah is a feeling of joy when seeing other people getting blessings, but still hoping to have something similar without reducing that person’s blessings. For example, someone sees his neighbor getting abundant fortune, then hopes that he too will get the same fortune, without wanting his neighbor’s blessings to disappear. This is a commendable form of hasad because it does not harm other people. The Prophet Muhammad stated that there are only two types of hasad that can be considered “impeccable”, and ghibṭah is one of them.

2. Despicable Malice (Madmum Malice)

Despicable hasad occurs when someone hopes that someone else’s favor will disappear. This kind of person is not happy to see goodness remaining in other people and hopes that the blessing will disappear, whether the blessing comes to him or not. This form of hasad is clearly reprehensible and haram, because it creates negative feelings and can damage social relations. (Abdul Muhsin bin Hamad Al-abbad, Syarah sunnan Abi Dawud, turoth.io application, page 558)

It has been explained above that crab mentality is an attitude of displeasure and envy and not wanting other people to succeed, automatically crab mentality falls into the category of madzmum hasad which is haram.

Apart from that, envy is the first sin in the universe as stated by Imam Ash-Shan’ani who quoted the opinion of scholars that hasad is the first sin committed by Allah’s creatures, namely when Satan was jealous of Adam:

The first sin that made him disobey God was envy, because he ordered Satan to bow down to Adam, but he was jealous of him, so he refused, so he disobeyed God and cast him out.

“The first sin committed against God was envy. Satan was commanded to bow down to Adam, but he was jealous of him, then rejected him, until he disobeyed God and was cast out.” (Imam as-son’ani, Subul as-Salām, Darul hadith Al qohiroh mesir, juz 4, p. 655)

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Imam al-Ghazali described that people who are envious get nothing but loss, both in this world and the hereafter:

“Indeed, the envious person finds nothing but regret in the midst of company, nor does he receive anything from the angels except curses and hatred, and in solitude he receives only disappointment.” And sadness, and he will feel nothing in the afterlife except sorrow and burning, and he will receive nothing from Allah except distance and hatred.”

“The envious person finds nothing in the crowd except regret; he finds nothing before the angels except curses; in solitude he finds only anxiety; and in the afterlife he finds sorrow and torment. From Allah he finds nothing except far from His mercy and wrath.” (Al-Masu’ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, turoth.io application, page. 274)

How to avoid crab mentality behavior

To avoid this bad behavior, there are several steps we can take:

1. Focus on your own development

Instead of paying too much attention to other people’s achievements, direct your energy and attention to personal growth. Set goals, develop skills, and celebrate progress.

2. Stop the habit of comparing yourself excessively

Everyone has their own path. Constantly comparing yourself only creates feelings of envy and is unhealthy. Learning to accept your own life journey is key.

3. Build relationships with a positive environment

Being around supportive and inspiring people will make it easier for us to feel happy about other people’s successes and at the same time be motivated to develop.

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4. Practice gratitude and appreciation

Focusing on the things you already have and the achievements you have achieved helps reduce feelings of envy. Writing a daily gratitude journal could be one way.

5. Use other people’s successes as motivation, not threats

Instead of feeling threatened, use other people’s achievements as inspiration to improve your own quality.

6. Strengthen empathy and the ability to praise others

Learning to sincerely appreciate other people’s success will help eradicate jealousy and create healthier social relationships.

7. Set personal standards and goals

Having a clear vision and goals for ourselves makes us focus more on personal growth rather than being busy seeing other people’s progress.

Writer: Muhammad Fatkhun Ni’am
Editor: Rara Zarary