KINDNESS TO NEIGHBOUR 2

Some Rights of the Neighbour

There is no doubt that neighbour has many rights of which we will mention some, the most important of which, are;

1.       Returning his greetings and accepting his invitations:

This a general right for all Muslims, but it is even more important with regards to neighbours, as it has a good effect in spreading amiability and affection.

2.       Refraining from harming him:

Infact, this is one of the greatest rights of neighbours. Harming anyone, in general, is unlawful; however, this ruling is intensified if the harm befalls the neighbor. The Prophet (peace nd blessings of Allaah be upon him) strictly warned in various way, about harming the neighbor. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a beliver! By Allah, he is not a believer!” it was asked, “who, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “ One whose neighbor is not free safe from his evil.” (Bukhari)

When it was said to him: “O Messenger of Allah, a woman performs voluntary prayers at night, and fasts during the day, but she offends her neighbor with her tongue.” He said: “There is no good in her, she is in hell, she is in hell.” (Tirmidhi). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), also said: “He will not enter paradise, whose neighbor is not secure from his evil.” (Bukhari)

A man came to the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), complaining about the harm of his neighbor. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him: “put your belonging in the road.” The man did so, and whenever people passed by him and ask him why he had done so, and came to know about how is neighbor was harming him, they cursed this neighbor. Then, the bad neighbour came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), complaining about the people cursing him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has cursed you before the people did.”

3.       Bearing the harm of the neighbor:

This is a trait of noble, chilvrous people and those of igh aspiration. This is because many people can refrain from harming others, but bearing theoir harm with patience while seeking the reward of Allah is of a higher degree, as Allah The Almighty says: “Repel, by (means of) what is best, (their) evil.” (Q23: 96). Also Allah says: “And whoever is patient and forgives, indeed, that is of the matters (requiring) determination.” (Q42:43). Al-Hasan (RA) 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 (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “He who spends the night satiated while knowing that is next door neighbor is hungry does not truly believe in him.” The Righteous predeccessors would check upon their neighbours and make efforts to fulfil their needs. Sometimes, a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) , would receive a gift and then send it to his 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 ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) slaughtered a sheep, he said to his servant, “when you skin it, begin (distributing it) by going to our Jewish neighbor.” ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Messener of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “I have two neighbours, to which of them should I offer a gift?” He replied: “To the one whose door is closer to you.”

5.       Concealing his secrets and guiding his honour:

Tis 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 Allah The Almighty would conceal his secrets in the worldly lfe and the hereafter. However, if he reveals such matters, then, he is subjecting himself to be repaid with the same kind of treatment. Allah The Almighty says: “And your Lord is not ever unjust to (His) servants.” (Q41:46). In the pre-Islamic era, the Arab would boast about guarding their neighbours’ honour. ‘Antarah said: “I lower my gaze if my (female) neighbor comes out until she returns into her dwelling. “there was a Muslim poet who said: “My (female) neighbor is not harmed if I am her neigbour and her house has no curtains, as I behave as if I am blind when she comes out until the shelter conceals her.”

6.       Finally, we should be aware that happiness, unity and spread of love among the members of a society cannot be accomplished without observing this 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 neighbor and may even betray their neighours and trifle with their honor and the honor of their women. This is surely the gravest one of the great major sins. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked; “What is the greatest sin?” in his answered he mentioned: “To commit adultery with your neighbour’s wife.” (Bukhari)

We supplicate to Allah, The Almighty, to help us and all Muslims to observe the rights of our neighbous.