‘Atā’ b. Yasār reported from Abdullah b. ‘Abbas that:

“A man came to Ibn ‘Abbās and said, ‘I asked a woman to marry me and she refused to marry me.

Another man asked her and she agreed to marry him. I became jealous and killed her.

Is there a way for me to repent?’

He asked, ‘Is your mother alive?’

The man replied, ‘No.’

Ibn ‘Abbās said, ‘Repent to Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, and try to draw near to Him as much as you can.’

‘Atā’ said: “I went and asked Ibn ‘Abbās, ‘Why did you ask him whether his mother was alive?’

He replied, ‘I do not know of any action better for bringing a person near to Allah than dutifulness to his mother.’ ” (Authentic)

COMMENTARY: The people of knowledge should guide the rest of the people towards the things that benefit them such as how to repent from sins, no matter their gravity.

Also, being obedient and kind to the mother is mentioned in this hadeeth as an atonement for the sin of taking a soul unlawfully.

Jealousy could lead to backbiting, slander, hatred and worse sins such as killing.

Source : Hadith 4, Imam Al-Bukhari's Adab Al Mufrad translated by Abu Naasir Shaykh Ibrahim Abdur-Rauf