Assalam-o-Alaikum brothers and sisters!
Today we are going to discuss rights of neighbors in the light of Islamic education. Islam use to pay lots of emphasis on the human rights and among them neighbors rights are of most importance. Our Prophet SAW life has many examples to portray the importance of neighbor’s life as it is shown by the following incident
Our noble Prophet, SAW, had a Jewish neighbor. This neighbor would always throw rubbish at the Prophet’s doorstep every day. Instead of treating his neighbor the same way or reacting to him harshly, the Prophet, (SAW), would instead patiently dispose of the rubbish, and this same thing would happen daily.
Until one day when the Prophet, peace and (SAW), stepped out of his home and saw that there was no rubbish at his doorstep. Out of concern for his neighbor, he went to the neighbor’s home to check up on them. Upon seeing his neighbor ill and in bed, the Prophet (SAW), began take caring of him.
Islam has numerous rights of neighbors which are as follows:
Emphasis on the rights of neighbor’s rights:
It is reported, on the authority of Ayesha (R.A.) and Ibn Umar (R.A.) that the messenger of Allah (SAW) 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.”
Caring behavior towards neighbors:
Abu Dharr, reported: Messenger of Allah, (SAW), commanded me thus, “O Abu Dharr! Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and give some of it to your neighbors”.
Never ridicule your neighbor:
Never ridicule your neighbor and the gift given by them as Prophet (SAW) said: “O Muslim women! No one should scorn the gift of a neighbor, even if it is (only) a sheep’s foot”
Never harm your neighbors:
It’s a mandatory part of our faith that refrains ourselves from harming our neighbors As the messenger of Allah, (SAW), said:
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last day should not harm his neighbor”
The Prophet, (SAW), counted the bad neighbors as being one of three bad types of people:
“There are three worst types of people: a ruler who, if you do well, does not appreciate it, and if do wrong, he does not forgive you for it; a bad neighbor who, if he sees something good, he conceals it, and if he sees something bad he broadcasts it; and a wife who, when you are present she annoys you and if you go away, she betrays you.”
The best neighbor:
Messenger of Allah, (SAW) said, “The best of friends, in the sight of Allah, is the one who is best to his friend, and the best of neighbors, in the sight of Allah, is the one who is best to his neighbor”.
Right of our neighbors on oneself:
Abdullah Ibn Musawir narrated: “I heard Ibn Abbas mention Ibn Az-Zubair saying that he was a miser, then he said: I heard the messenger of Allah (SAW) say: He is not a believer who eats his fill whilst his neighbor beside him goes hungry”
Caring for your neighbors: Messenger of Allah, (SAW), said,
“O Abu Dharr! Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and give some of it to your neighbors”.
