Public campaigns often measure success through numbers – how many meetings were held, how many pamphlets were distributed, how many people attended. Yet the most meaningful impact of a campaign is sometimes revealed not on a stage or in a report, but in a quiet, deeply personal moment.
Such a moment unfolded during a tour to Kushtagi in north Karnataka, organised to explain the spirit and objectives of the Rights of Neighbours national level Campaign launched by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. As discussions progressed, a woman volunteer raised a question that shifted the room’s attention inward.
“Our relationship with our neighbours is broken,” she said. “They are our relatives too. We tried many times to mend things, but failed. During this campaign, my first priority is to fix that relationship. What should I do?”
The question carried quiet honesty. It reminded everyone present that speaking about neighbourly rights is easy, but living them is far more demanding. The Ameer-e-Halqua listened to her attentively and replied with calm clarity: make consistent efforts, act sincerely, and begin with yourself.
That simple guidance captured the soul of the campaign in Karnataka. The initiative was never meant to remain limited to organised programmes. Its deeper purpose was to restore relationships, encourage self-reflection, and heal social wounds that had quietly hardened over time.
When the Campaign Began at the Doorstep
The following day marked the formal start of the campaign. For the woman volunteer, however, it marked something more personal. With humility and courage, she approached the neighbouring couple with whom years of silence and bitterness had settled. No old accusations were raised. No past grievances were reopened. She listened, spoke gently, and chose patience over pride.
What followed felt nothing short of a blessing. With the grace of the Almighty, years of hostility dissolved in a single, sincere conversation. Two households long divided began speaking again. Relatives who had avoided each other became friends. The campaign’s first success did not occur in a hall or on a banner; it unfolded within a fractured relationship.
This experience was not unique. Across Karnataka, many activists discovered that before explaining the rights of neighbours to others, they needed to examine their own conduct. The campaign became a mirror, urging self-correction before social reform.
One Friday Sermon That Changed the Atmosphere
Karnataka has nearly 15,000 JumaMasajid. During the campaign, focused efforts ensured that around 5,000 of these mosques dedicated a single, carefully prepared Friday sermon to the rights of neighbours. Though delivered only once, the sermon carried unusual moral force.
The message was simple and humane – kindness, patience, forgiveness, and responsibility towards those living nearby. That one khutba proved enough to create an environment of reflection. It lingered beyond the mosque walls, finding its way into homes and conversations. Many listeners later shared that they began rethinking old disputes – over boundaries, misunderstandings, or long-standing silence – and felt encouraged to take the first step towards reconciliation.
The strength of that sermon lay not in repetition, but in sincerity and timing.
Preparation That Gave Confidence to Action
Behind this visible impact was careful preparation. Activists were not sent into neighbourhoods with slogans alone. They were equipped with clearly written concept papers, thoughtfully prepared pamphlets, and content rooted in the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺand relevant verses from the Qur’an.
This groundwork educated the activists firmly before they reached out to others. It gave them clarity, confidence, and a shared moral language. As a result, they could communicate easily – without arguments or pressure – presenting neighbourly responsibility not as a lecture, but as a shared ethical value. This preparation ensured that conversations were calm, respectful, and grounded in wisdom.
Women at the Heart of Quiet Reconciliation
If any group carried the campaign into the most sensitive corners of society, it was the women activists. Without seeking attention, they entered homes where silence had replaced dialogue. They listened patiently and asked questions without judgement.
In several neighbourhoods, women volunteers learned that two neighbouring families had not spoken for years over minor issues. Instead of confronting both sides together, they formed two small teams and met each family separately. They listened carefully to understand the real causes, which often turned out to be misunderstandings, wounded pride, or unverified assumptions.
Through calm counselling and steady encouragement, both sides were gently guided towards dialogue. In many cases, relationships that had remained frozen for years began to melt.
When a Condolence Visit Healed Families
One of the most moving stories emerged through a woman activist named Nazia. She attended a condolence gathering in her locality. During conversations there, she learned that the deceased had long-standing differences with his in-laws, leaving families divided even in grief.
Nazia chose not to remain silent. Beginning with a simple dua, she spoke about forgiveness, the shortness of life, and the burden of unresolved anger. Her words were neither dramatic nor rehearsed; they were sincere.
What followed was unexpected. Tears were shed. Families began talking. Old grievances were acknowledged. By the end of the gathering, families that had avoided each other for years embraced. A moment of mourning turned into a moment of healing.
Charity Truly Began at Home
A guiding principle of the campaign was clear: charity must begin at home. Activists were encouraged to first correct their own relationships – with neighbours, relatives, and colleagues – before advising others.
This approach gave the campaign moral credibility. When activists spoke about neighbourly rights, they did so as practitioners, not preachers. People listened because they sensed sincerity. In a time when public trust in organised initiatives is fragile, this authenticity mattered.
Meetings, discussions, and community interactions were held across Karnataka. Yet the campaign’s real success lay not in the number of events, but in the relationships it repaired.
Neighbourhoods marked by long silence witnessed conversation again. Disputes that had lingered quietly for years were resolved through dialogue. Simple acts like sharing food, attending family functions, offering help during illnessreturned to daily life.
Importantly, these changes crossed religious and social lines. Many non-Muslim neighbours acknowledged the positive shift and expressed appreciation. The campaign reminded people that good neighbourly conduct is a shared human responsibility.
What made the campaign effective was its simplicity. It relied on no complex theories. Its message was straightforward: treat your neighbour well, resolve differences early, speak kindly, and forgive generously.
In a society often overwhelmed by noise and division, this simplicity proved powerful.
Karnataka’s Message to the Nation
As Radiance Viewsweekly documents the nationwide impact of the Rights of Neighbours Campaign, Karnataka offers an important lesson. Social change does not always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it arrives quietlythrough a conversation across a wall, a single sermon that touches the heart, or a woman who listens when others walk away.
In Karnataka, the campaign moved beyond awareness. It became action. Beyond speeches, it became practice. Its true success lies not on paper, but in the restored relationships that continue to shape everyday life.