Neighbours

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8 Ahadith on Neighbours

 

 

1) Prohibition of Harming Neighbour:

The Prophet, (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer.''

 

It was asked, "Who is that, O Messenger of Allah?''

He said, "One whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil"
(Sahih Bukhari).

 

 

2) Recommendation to treat neighbour well

 

The Messenger of Allah, (Peace and blessings be upon him), said: "Jibril kept recommending me to treat my neighbour well until I thought that he would tell me to make him one of my heirs"    (Bukhari:6014)

 

 

3) Caring for your neighbours

Abu Dharr, May Allah be pleased with him, reported: The Messenger of Allah, (Peace and blessings be upon him), commanded me thus, "O Abu Dharr! Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and give some of it to your neighbours".( Sahih Muslim)

 

 

4) Co-operation with your neighbors

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the messenger of Allah, (Peace and blessings be upon him), said: "No-one should prevent his neighbour from fixing a wooden peg in his wall." Abu Huraira said (to his companions), "Why do I find you averse to it? By Allah, I certainly will narrate it to you."
(Sahih Bukhari)

 

 

5) Do not eat your full while your neighbor is hungry

The Messenger of Allah say:" He is not a believer who eats his fill whilst his neighbor beside him goes hungry" (Bukhari)

 

 

6) Never scorn your neighbor's gift

Sahih Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet, (Peace and blessings be upon him), used to say: "O Muslim women! No one should scorn the gift of a neighbor, even if it is (only) a sheep's foot"
(Bukhari: 6017)

 

 

7) Harming a neighbor may lead to hell-fire

Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him reported: A man asked, "O Messenger of Allah! There is a woman who prays, gives charity and fasts a great deal, but she harms her neighbors with her speech (by insulting them)"
He said: "She will go to hell"

 

The man said: "O messenger of Allah! There is (another) woman who is well-known for how little she fasts and prays, but she gives charity from the dried yoghurt she makes and she does not harm her neighbors"

He said: "She will go to paradise"
(Ahmad, vol. 4, p. 166, Ibn Hibban, hadith no. 2054)

 

 

8) Tolerance when treating neighbors

Mutarrif said: "I heard that you (he means Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him) have said that the Prophet, (Peace and blessings be upon him), said: "Allah loves three and hates three.'"

 

Abu Dharr said, "I do not think that I would tell lies about the Messenger of Allah."

 

Mutarrif said, "Then who are the three whom Allah loves?"

 

Abu Dharr (quoting the Prophet, (Peace and blessings be upon him)) said: "A man who fights for the sake of Allah, with perseverance and hoping for reward from Him, and fights until he is killed, and you find this in the Book of Allah.' Then he recited: "Truly Allah loves those who fight in His cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure." [al-Saff 61:4] Mutarrif asked, "Then who?"

 

He said, "A man who has a bad neighbor who annoys and disturbs him, but he bears it with patience and forbearance until Allah ends the matter either during his lifetime or upon the death of either of them."
( Reported with a sahih isnad by Ahmad and al-Tabarani. See Majma' al-Zawa'id, 8/171.)

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Rights of Neighbours

 

Apart from a man's parents, children and near relatives, there also exists a permanent association and contact between him and his neighbors. The state of his association - be it good or otherwise has a great influence on his life and morals. The Prophet (PBUH) had attached great importance to this and has constantly urged the Ummah to pay due regard to the rights of neighbors to the extent that he had declared good neighborliness to be part of Iman (Faith) and an essential requisite for salvation.

 

Three Categories Of Neighbors

In a Hadith, related by Jabir (R.A.), the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said

 

This Hadith clearly explains that the obligation to live in peace and harmony with neighbors, as demanded in the Holy Quran and the Traditions, also includes the non-Muslim neighbors. They too have a claim to our kindness and sympathy. We treat the animals with kindness and we have been warned against ill treating them, then what of our fellow humans - more so our neighbors. It will be significant to note that in all Ahadith Traditions mentioned, with regards to the basic rights of neighbors, no distinction had been made between Muslims and non-Muslims.

 

"Neighbors are of three kinds. Firstly, the neighbor who enjoys only one right (and as far as rights are concerned) he is of the lowest grade. Secondly, the one who enjoys two rights and thirdly the neighbor who enjoys three rights.
 

The neighbor with only one right is the Polytheist (i.e. a non-Muslim neighbor with whom there are no family ties). The neighbor with two rights is the neighbor who is also a Muslim (as such he has a claim as a neighbor as well as a fellow Muslim) and the one with three rights is the neighbor who is a Muslim and a Relative - he has a claim as a neighbor, as a fellow Muslim and as a relative".

 

 

 

Emphasis On The Rights Of Neighbors

It is reported, on the authority of Ayesha (R.A.) and Ibn Umar (R.A.) that the messenger of Allah (PBUH) said "The Angel Jibra'il (A.S.) counseled me so frequently regarding the rights of the neighbor that I feared, he too would be declared an heir."

 

This Hadith shows that Angel Jibra'il (A.S.) brought commandments from Allah, concerning the rights of the neighbor so frequently and stressed the need to be kind and courteous to him with such force and regularity that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) thought that the neighbor also will be made an heir i.e. just as parents, children and near relatives inherit the property left by the deceased, he thought that the neighbor, too, will be given a share in it.

 

Note:- The purpose of this Hadith is not merely to state a fact, but rather it is most effective way of highlighting the importance of the neighbor to the Muslims.

 

Importance Of Good Treatment To Neighbors (It is an essential condition of Iman (faith))

 

It is narrated by Abu Shurayh (R.A.) that the Prophet (S.A.W.) said

 

 

 

"Whoever believes in Allah and the final day (Day of Judgment) it is essential that he does not harm his neighbors and whoever believes in Allah and the final Day it is essential for him to entertain his guest with kindness and generosity and whoever believes in Allah and the Final Day it is essential that he speak what is good or otherwise remain silent."

Amongst other points this Hadith explains that it is essential for the true believer to be mindful of his neighbors at all times so that he does not harm him in any way. It also gives us an idea of the value placed on the rights of neighbors by the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH).

 

In another Hadith related by Abu Hurairah (R.A.) the Prophet (PBUH) said,

 

 

"By Allah, he is not a true believer, By Allah, he is not a true believer, By Allah, he is not a true believer (three times). He was asked 'Who?" Upon which he replied, "The one whose neighbors do not feel secure from his mischief and evil.

 

 

The construction and manner of the Hadith shows how agitated the Prophet (PBUH) must have been when he said this. The essence contained in this Hadith is that the Muslim whose character is such that his neighbors expect nothing but evil from him and they live in fear of being hurt or harmed by him, cannot be regarded as a true and faithful believer - he doesn't deserve the title of Muslim or Mu'min. On another occasion the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said that such a person (whose neighbors do not feel safe on his account) shall not go to Heaven.

 

Note:- In the language of Prophet hood, when special emphasis is laid on a deed, the customary way of putting it is to say that whoever neglects it etc. is not a true believer, and he shall not go to Heaven. It should be understood that this does not imply that he has actually been thrown out of the fold of Islam and now the laws of Infidelity (Kufr) will apply to him, and that in the hereafter he will be treated as an infidel, but rather this is an emphatic way of explaining that such a person does not possess the true spirit of Iman which is the glory of a Muslim and is pleasing to Allah. The particular phrasing is used to lend greater force to the matter.

 

In yet another Hadith, related by Anas (R.A.), the Prophet (PBUH) said

 

 

"He has not affirmed faith in me (i.e. he is not a true follower) who eats to his satisfaction and sleeps comfortably at night while his neighbor goes hungry - and he is aware of it."

 

How astonishing that such a wide gap has occurred between these teachings and traditions and the actual conduct of the Muslims as a whole! It is extremely difficult for an unknowing person to believe that such, really, were the teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH).

 

Nevertheless, these traditions and teachings explain clearly the importance of good and kind treatment to neighbors and they are a clear admonition to those who remain indifferent to the needs and difficulties of their neighbors and care nothing for them.

 

Article Contributed by: itsIslam Staff

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Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiallahu Anhu) and his Jewish Neighbour

On one occasion, a goat was slaughtered in the house of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiallahu Anhu). Upon arriving home Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiallahu Anhu) immediately enquired, “Did you send anything (from the slaughtered goat) for the Jewish neighbour?” I heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) say: ‘Hadhrat Jibra’eel (Alayhis Salaam) continued bringing commands from Allah Ta’ala to me regarding the rights of the neighbour, to such an extent that I thought (on account of the esteemed position of the neighbour in the sight of Allah Ta’ala), that Allah Ta’ala will include him among the heirs (of a person’s estate).’” (Tirmizi)

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Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) and his Tolerance of his Neighbour’s Dirt

Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) lived in the bottom storey of a building. The sewage of the neighbour living at the upper storey used to leak into his home. Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) ordered that a container be placed beneath that area so that the drops fall therein. At night, when there was no one to observe what was happening, he would take the container and dispose of the dirt. In this way, twenty years passed without him informing his neighbour. One day while he was ill, his neighbour from the upper storey who was a Christian came to visit him. When he saw the container filled with dirt and realized that the dirt was falling from his house, in embarrassment and shame he asked: “How long have you been enduring all this?” Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) replied:  “For the last twenty years.” Upon hearing this, he removed his traditional Christian garment and immediately accepted Islam.

(Pearls from the Path)

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Showing Regard to the Neighbour

 

عن أبي هريرة قال كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول يا نساء المسلمات لا تحقرن جارة لجارتها ولو فرسن شاة (بخاري 6017)

Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “O muslim women, a neighbour should never regard insignificant the small favours and kindness she can show to her, even if she sends trotters to her.

 

Concern for the Neighbour

Abdullah bin Ukht Muslim bin Sa’d (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) says: “I decided to proceed for Hajj, and my uncle handed me ten thousand dirhams with the instruction that they should be distributed to the poorest household in Madinah Munawwarah. When I arrived, I made enquiries, and was directed to a particular home. I knocked at the door and a woman opened. Upon enquiry of who I was, I replied: “I am from Baghdad and have ten thousand dirhams in my possession. I have been instructed to hand these over to the poorest household in Madinah Munawwarah, and I was directed to your home. Please take them.”

She replied: “The person who sent you with this money specified that it should be given to the poorest household. The family next door is more deserving than us.”

I thus proceeded to the family next door. I knocked and a woman answered. I explained the reason for my coming and she replied, “Our neighbour and us are equally poor. You should distribute the money equally between us.”