In recent years, India has witnessed an alarming rise in Islamophobia, an unfortunate trend that threatens our centuries-old civilizational values of coexistence, compassion and mutual respect. This phenomenon today finds not only political endorsement in many quarters but also the uncritical amplification of sections of mainstream media. Such a climate has enabled prejudice to pass as opinion, misinformation to pass as news, and hostility to masquerade as patriotism.
In confronting this challenge, political will is undoubtedly essential. Yet political will alone cannot heal the fractures that are forming within communities. A deeper and more meaningful effort must also unfold in society – within mohallas, housing colonies, workplaces, and day-to-day civic spaces. At the heart of this social effort lies a powerful but often underappreciated resource: the Islamic ethic of neighbourliness.
For the Muslim community, which currently bears the brunt of growing hostility, the rights of neighbours represent a profound soft power. This is a value embedded so deeply in the Islamic tradition that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once remarked that he feared neighbours might soon be included among inheritors because of the emphasis placed upon their rights. From the Companions to classical jurists, the rights of neighbours were treated as indispensable obligations – equal in weight to acts of devotion.
This moral framework, rooted in empathy, sharing, and responsibility, can serve as a transformative tool in the present national context. In a world increasingly driven by material pursuits, where individualism often overshadows community life, the Islamic principle of neighbourliness stands out as a gentle but powerful corrective. It reminds us that civilization is not built merely by infrastructure and technology, but through human bonds.
Across India, in apartment complexes, residential societies, marketplaces, transport systems, workplaces, parks, and public spaces, small acts of compassion can significantly soften hardened attitudes. Kind gestures, everyday assistance, shared meals, checking on an elderly neighbour, supporting someone in distress, or simply greeting people with warmth – all these actions carry an influence greater than any public argument or television debate. Prejudices melt not when confronted with retaliation, but when touched by humanity.
This is where social media can also play a positive role. Muslims, particularly the youth, can use digital platforms to highlight stories of goodwill, communal harmony, and neighbourhood solidarity. In an age where hate travels fast, kindness must travel faster. The counter-narrative to Islamophobia cannot rely solely on political statements; it must be built organically, through lived examples of Islam’s ethical beauty.
In this context, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s national campaign, “Ideal Neighbourhood Ideal Society” (21-30 Nov. 2025), arrives at an important moment. The campaign aims to educate both Muslims and non-Muslims about the central place that neighbourliness occupies in the Islamic value system. More importantly, it encourages Muslims to actively practise these teachings in daily life, thereby illuminating the moral strength of a tradition that has contributed richly to the subcontinent’s civilization.
If implemented sincerely and widely, this initiative can rekindle mutual trust, reduce social tensions, and strengthen the moral fabric of India. At a time when polarisation threatens our collective future, the rights of neighbours offer a message of unity, healing and shared destiny. This soft power is not only a gift of our faith but also a gift to our nation – one that can help India grow into a more compassionate, inclusive and truly great society.