Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Islam has afforded special rights to neighbours and commanded Muslims to uphold these rights. In the Quraan Majeed and Mubaarak Ahaadith, great emphasis has been laid on fulfilling the rights of neighbours.
On account of the neighbour enjoying a special position in deen, the Mubaarak Ahaadith have explained the various sunnats and aadaab (etiquettes) which a believer should adhere to when interacting and dealing with his neighbour.
Hazrat Mu’aawiya bin Haydah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that he once asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), what are the rights of my neighbour?”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “You should visit him when he falls ill, attend his funeral when he passes away, assist him with a loan if he seeks it from you, and if he falls into difficulty through poverty, then you should conceal his poverty (i.e. through helping him in such a way that no one else comes to know of his condition). If some good comes his way, then you should congratulate him, and if a calamity befalls him, then you should sympathise with him. Furthermore, you should not raise your building higher than his, thus becoming the means for obstructing the ventilation of his house. Do not cause inconvenience to him through the aroma which emanates from your utensils (while cooking i.e. on account of him not being able to afford this type of meal, do not cause him pain over his poverty through allowing the smell to reach him e.g. having a braai) unless you intend dishing out some of the food for him and sharing it with him.” (Majma’uz Zawaaid #13545)
Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “A true believer is not one who eats to his fill while his neighbour living next to him remains in the state of hunger.” (Shu’abul Imaan #3117)
In one Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “The best neighbours in the sight of Allah Ta’ala are those who treat their neighbours the best.” (Musnad Ahmad #6566)
In another Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Hazrat Jibra’eel (‘alaihis salaam) continued to emphasize the rights of the neighbour to me to such an extent that I thought (that on account of the great rights which the neighbour enjoys in deen), perhaps he (Hazrat Jibra’eel (‘alaihis salaam) will include him among a person’s heirs (i.e. Hazrat Jibra’eel (‘alaihis salaam) will bring a law from the side of Allah Ta’ala declaring the neighbour to be among one’s heirs) .” (Tirmizi #1943)
In the Qur’aan Majeed, Allah Ta’ala says, “Show kindness to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, the close neighbour, the distant neighbour and the companion at your side.” (Surah Nisaa v. 36)
Generally, the commentators of the Qur’aan Majeed explain that the “close neighbour” mentioned in this verse refers to the neighbour who lives close to your house, and the “distant neighbour” refers to the neighbour who lives at some distance from your house.
However, some commentators of the Qur’aan Majeed explain that the “close neighbour” refers to the neighbour who is a Muslim, and the “distant neighbour” refers to the neighbour who is a non-Muslim.
Other commentators mention that a “close neighbour” refers to the neighbour who is both a neighbour and a Muslim relative, and the “distant neighbour” refers to the neighbour who is only a neighbour and is not related to one in kinship. (Tafseer Ibnu Katheer 1/478)
The truth of the matter is that the words of the Qur’aan Majeed can include all these meanings. The reason is that Shariah has explained that both neighbours, whether close or distant, have a right upon one, even though there is a difference of the degree of right which they enjoy over one.
In essence, the command of Shariah is that one upholds the rights of his neighbours, whether they are living in close proximity or at a distance from one’s home, whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim, or whether they are related to one in kinship or not.
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) himself clearly explained this in his Mubaarak Hadith when he said, “Some neighbours have one right, some neighbours have two rights, and some neighbours have three rights. The neighbour with one right is a non-Muslim who does not have any bond of kinship with one; the neighbour with two rights is a neighbour who is also a Muslim, and the neighbour with three rights is a neighbour who is a Muslim and is also one’s relative.” (Ma’aariful Qur’aan 2/412)
