Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
8. If your Muslim neighbour is hosting an unislamic function that is not recognized and condemned in shariah (e.g. a birthday party, new year’s lunch/dinner, forty day gathering after the demise of the deceased, or any gathering that is based on innovation (bidah), or a gathering where there is intermingling of the sexes or there is music or photography etc.), then one should not accept the invitation and one should not attend.
If one is able to advise his neighbour and guide him towards leaving out the wrong and towards following that which shariah has commanded then he should do so. Otherwise, he should make dua for him and ask someone who is close to him to advise him in these matters.
عن عمرو بن الحارث ، أن رجلا دعا عبد الله بن مسعود إلى وليمة ، فلما جاء ليدخل سمع لهوا ، فلم يدخل ، فقال : ما لك رجعت ؟ قال : إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : من كثر سواد قوم فهو منهم (إتحاف الخيرة المهرة، الرقم: 3297)
Hazrat Amr bin Haarith (rahimahullah) reports that a person once invited Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to a waleemah. As he drew close to the gathering, he heard the sound of music being played at the waleemah, and immediately turned away and refrained from attending.
When he was later asked as to why he had returned and did not attend, he said, “I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying, ‘The one who adds to the numbers of a people (involved in sin) will be counted from among them (in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala).’”
عن ابن عمر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم. (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 4033)
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (radhiyallahu anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “The one who emulates a people will be counted from amongst them (in the sight of Allah Ta’ala).”
Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentioned:
إنا كنا أذل قوم فأعزنا الله بالإسلام فمهما نطلب العز بغير ما أعزنا الله به أذلنا الله
“We were the most disgraced of people. Allah Ta’ala then gave us honour through Islam. If we ever seek honour in something besides that through which Allah Ta’ala has honoured us (Islam), Allah Ta’ala will disgrace us.”
9. If any happy occasion takes place in one’s muslim neighbour’s home (e.g. there is a nikaah or walimah taking place at his home), then one should congratulate him and make dua for him. One may also send a gift to him in order to share in his happiness.
عن أبي هريرة، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: تهادوا تحابوا (الأدب المفرد، الرقم: 594)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Exchange gifts among yourselves, as this will engender mutual love among yourselves.”
10. If one receives a gift from his muslim neighbour, then he should thank him and express his appreciation over it.
Even if the gift is something of little value, one should not disregard the gift he receives from his neighbour or express any dissatisfaction over it. Rather, he should look at the goodheartedness of the person who is offering the gift.
This is among the mubaarak sunnah and mubaarak teachings of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: يا نساء المسلمات، لا تحقرن جارة لجارتها، ولو فرسن شاة (صحيح البخاري، الرقم: 2566)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “O Muslim women, a neighbour should not regard any gift that she receives from her neighbour to be insignificant, even if the gift be the trotters of a sheep.”
