Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
11. One should exercise patience over the difficulties experienced from his neighbour, whether he is a muslim or a non-muslim. If one wishes to address any such issue with his neighbour, then he should do so with respect and dignity.
عن أبي ذر أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إن الله عز وجل يحب ثلاثة ويبغض ثلاثة…قال: رجل كان له جار سوء يؤذيه فصبر على أذاه، حتى يكفيه الله إياه بحياة أو موت… رواه أحمد والطبراني، واللفظ له، وإسناد الطبراني وأحد إسنادي أحمد رجاله رجال الصحيح. (مجمع الزوائد، الرقم: 13573)
Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu anhua) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Allah Ta’ala loves three people and dislikes three people. (Among the people whom Allah Ta’ala loves is) a person who has an evil neighbour who causes harm to him, and he patiently endures his harm until Allah Ta’ala suffices him against him, either through life or death (i.e. through Allah Ta’ala giving that person a chance to change his ways in his lifetime or through that person passing away).”
It is reported regarding Hazrat Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) that he had a neighbour who was a Christian. Hazrat Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) lived in the lower storey of the building, while his Christian neighbour lived above him in the upper level. The sewage of his Christian neighbour from the upper level used to leak into his home. However, Hazrat Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) never complained to his neighbour nor informed him of this.
Hazrat Hasan (rahimahullah) instructed that a container be placed beneath the leak so that the sewage would fall into it and would not mess his home. At night, when there was no one to observe what was happening, he would take the container out of his home and dispose of the sewage.
One day, when Hazrat Hasan (rahimahullah) was ill, his Christian neighbour came to visit him. When he entered the home of Hazrat Hasan (rahimahullah) and saw the container filled with sewage, he realized that it was coming from his home. In embarrassment, he asked, “How long has this sewage been leaking for?” Hazrat Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) replied, “For the last twenty years.” Upon hearing this, the neighbour was so overcome and affected by the patient and tolerant conduct of Hazrat Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) that he immediately removed his traditional Christian garment and accepted Islam. (Al-Imtaa’ wal-Mu’aanasah 2/129)
