In Islam, the status of a neighbour is very great. People living near one’s house are called neighbours. People living in the surroundings, whether at a distance, are also called neighbours. Even if they follow another religion, their complexion is different, and their citizenship is different, they are your neighbours on the basis of living in your mohalla. A mohalla is part of a town or city and consists of a few houses; every house is the neighbour of the adjoining house. When all the persons in a mohalla or colony live together in harmony and every neighbour fulfils the rights of other neighbours, everyone lives with happiness and satisfaction and becomes the source of fulfilment for one another. All come to live like a family. Thus, such a mohalla becomes an active part of the society and plays a considerable role in constructive activities. Conversely, if the dealings among neighbours are not cordial, life turns chaotic, and peace becomes elusive. Such a mohalla falls prey to difficulties and tribulations and becomes a source of destruction rather than progress and development. Owing to these reasons, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would pay special attention to maintaining good relations with neighbours.
The Qur’an deems the maintenance of good relations with neighbours symbol of progress and development of society, and the rights and obligations of neighbours are so great that without fulfilling them a true Muslim’s faith in Islam does not hold water. Many verses of the Quran’s Chapter, Surah An-Nisa have been revealed to underline the rights of neighbours. For example:
“Serve Allah and ascribe no partner to Him. Do good to your parents, to near of kin, to orphans, and to the needy, and to the neighbour who is of kin and to the neighbour who is a stranger, and to the companion by your side, and to the wayfarer, and to those whom your right hands possess. Allah does not love the arrogant and the boastful.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ enjoined his followers about neighbours so emphatically that it seemed he would grant them the status of the relation who fall under the category of heirs. The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid: “Jibrael (Gabriel) kept on commending the neighbour to me so repeatedly that I thought he would declare the share of the neighbour even in inheritance.”
The importance of neighbourhood in Islam can be gauged by the fact that even a person who harms a neighbour cannot be saved from punishment despite his religiousness and abundance of worship. A person came and said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: There is a woman who is known for her long prayers, a great deal of fast, giving wealth in charity and, but she harms her neighbours with her speech (by insulting them). He said: She will go to hell. The man again asked: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! There is (another) woman who is well-known for how little she fasts and prays, but she gives charity from the dried yogurt she makes but does not harm her neighbours. He said: She will go to Paradise.
In many of his Ahadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has taught us about the rights of neighbours. Of them, some particular rights of neighbours are:
- Greeting and complementing neighbours, honouring them;
- Meeting with them cheerfully;
- Visiting them when they are sick;
- Standing with them in happiness and sadness;
- Tolerating their shortcomings;
- Maintaining Purdah with Mehrem women of neighbours;
- Helping them in need;
- Expressing good wishes for them, giving them good advice; and
- Meeting with them, knowing their well-being.