Kindness to Neighbors

"Choose your neighbor before choosing your residence," is a widespread
Arabic proverb that means that it is according to the value and merit
of the neighbor that the price of the residence should be estimated. A
good neighbor is a source of happiness.
The Virtue of Being Kind to one's Neighbor in Islam
Islam considers the rightsof the neighbor to be extremely important.
Theangel Jibreel (Gabriel) continued to urge the Prophet, , to treat
neighbors with kindness until he thought that the Sharee'ah would
assign him a share of his neighbor's inheritance. The Prophet, , said:
"Jibreel kept on recommending me to treat neighbors kindly and
politely so that I thought that Allaah would order [me] to make them
[my] heirs." The Quran recommends treating neighbors kindly. Allaah
The Almighty Says (what means): } Worship Allaah and associate nothing
with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives,orphans, the needy,
the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your
side… { [Quran 4:36] Look how the Prophet, , exhorted Muslims to be
good to their neighbors and to honor them when he said: "… and whoever
believes in Allaah and theLast Day, should serve his neighbor
generously." The narration of Muslim states: "Should be good to his
neighbor."
The matter reached the degree that loving goodness for one's neighbor
is considered a part of faith under the Sharee'ah . The Prophet, ,
said: "By the One in whose Hands [1] my soul is, no slave of Allaah
has true faith unless he likes for his neighbor what he likes for
himself." A person who is good to his neighbor is the best of people
in the sight of Allaah The Almighty, as the Prophet said: "The best
companion in the sight of Allaah is the one who is best to his
companion, and the best neighbor in the sight of Allaah is the one who
is the best to his neighbor."
Who is the Neighbor?
The neighbor is the person who lives near one, regardless of whether
he is a Muslim ora non-Muslim. Scholars have different opinions
regarding the boundaries to which one is considered a neighbor.The
closest opinion to thetruth is that they are determined according to
what people are accustomed to regarding such a limit, and Allaah Knows
best. The degrees of neighbors vary: there is the Muslim neighbor who
is a relative, the Muslim neighbor who is not, the disbeliever who is
a relative, and a disbelieving neighbor who is not. All these typesof
neighbors share many rights while some of them are distinguished with
additional rights according to their state and degree.
Some Forms of Neighborliness
Some people think that the neighbor is only the one who lives near
your residence. Undoubtedly, this is one of the commonest forms;
however, there are otherforms that are included in the concept of
neighborliness. There is the neighbor at work, in the market, on the
farm, in the classroom, and many others.
Some Rights of the Neighbor
There is no doubt that the neighbor has many rights of which we will
mention some, the most important of which, are:
1- Returning his greetings and accepting his invitations: although
this is a general right for all Muslims, it is even more important
with regards to neighbors, as it has a good effect in spreading
amiability and affection.
2- Refraining from harming him: in fact, this is one of the greatest
rights of neighbors. Harming anyone, in general, is unlawful; however,
this ruling is intensified if the harm befalls the neighbor. The
Prophet, , strictly warned, in various ways, about harming the
neighbor. The Prophet, , said: "By Allaah, he is not a believer! By
Allaah, he is not a believer! By Allaah, he is not a believer." It was
asked, "Who, O Messenger of Allaah?" He said: "One whose neighbor does
notfeel safe from his evil." When it was said to him: "O Messenger of
Allaah, awoman performs voluntary prayers at night and fasts during
the day, but she offends her neighbors with her tongue." He said:
"There is no good in her; she is in Hell." The Prophet, , also said:
"He does not enter Paradise whose neighboris not secure from his
evil."
A man came to the Prophet, , complainingabout the harm of his
neighbor. The Prophet, , said to him : "Put your belongings in the
road." The man did so, and whenever people passed by him and asked him
why he had done so, and came to know about how his neighbor was
harming him, they cursedthis neighbor. Then, the bad neighbor came to
the Messenger of Allaah, , complaining about the people cursing him.
The Messenger of Allaah, , said: "Allaah has cursed you before the
people did."
3- Bearing the harm of the neighbor, which is a trait of noble,
chivalrous people and those of high aspiration. This is because many
people canrefrain from harming others, but bearing their harm with
patience while seeking the rewardof Allaah is of a higher degree, as
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
· } Repel, by [means of] what is best, [their] evil. { [Quran 23:96]
· } And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the
matters [requiring] determination. { [Quran 42:43]
Al-Hasan said: "Being a good neighbor is not by refraining from
harming; rather, being a good neighbor is to bear harm."
4- Pursuing and accomplishing his needs: the Messenger, , said: "He
who spends the night satiated while knowing that his next door
neighbor is hungry does not truly believe in me." The righteous
predecessors would check upon their neighbors and make efforts to
fulfill their needs. Sometimes a Companion of the Prophet, , would
receive a gift and then send it to his neighbor, who would send it to
another neighbor, who would send it to another neighbor, and it would
circulate around more than ten houses until it finally reached the
first one again. When 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar slaughtered a sheep, he
said to his servant, "Whenyou skin it, begin [distributing it] by
going to our Jewish neighbor." 'Aa'ishah asked the messenger of
Allaah, , "I have two neighbors, to which of them should Ioffer a
gift?'' He replied: "To the one whose door is nearer to you."
5- Concealing his secrets and guarding his honor: this is one of the
most sacred of rights. Due to living in the same neighborhood, the
neighbor may know some secret matters of his neighbor; he should
accustom himself to concealing these secrets with the intention that
if he does so Allaah The Almighty would conceal his secrets in the
worldly life and the Hereafter. However, if he reveals such matters,
then, he is subjecting himself to be repaid with the same kind of
treatment. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } And your Lord
isnot ever unjust to [His] servants .} [Quran 41:46] In the
pre-Islamic era, theArabs would boast about guarding their neighbors'
honor. 'Antarah said: "I lower mygaze if my [female] neighbor comes
out untilshe returns into her dwelling." There was a Muslim poet who
said, "My [female]neighbor is not harmed if I am her neighbor and her
house has no curtains, as I behave as if I am blind when she comes out
untilthe shelter conceals her."
Finally, we should be aware that happiness, unity and the spread of
love among the membersof a society cannot be accomplished without
observing these rights and others which are brought by the Sharee'ah .
The reality of many people proves that these rights are being
neglected, to the extent that they may not know the name of their next
door neighbor. Some people usurp the rights of their neighbors and may
even betray their neighbors and trifle with their honor and the honor
of their women. This is surely the gravest of the grave major sins.
The Prophet, , was asked: "What is the greatest sin?" In his answer he
mentioned: "To commit adultery withyour neighbor's wife."
We supplicate to Allaah The Almighty to help us and all Muslims to
observe the rights of our neighbors.
[1] We believe in and affirm the attributes of Allaah that occur in
the Quran and authentic Hadeeths of the Prophet, , without distorting
their wordings or meanings, nor denying them, nor asking how they are,
nor drawing resemblance between Allaah and any of His creation. - -
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