Rights of neighbours
Allah Almighty has described the importance of the rights of neighbors in the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) in the hadiths, so much so that they have reached the relatives in terms of paying their rights, which it is for every man and woman to pay. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) considered paying the dues of one’s neighbor to be a part of faith.
By God, he is not a believer. By God, he is not a believer. By God, he is not a believer.
The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said: Jibraeel (عليه السلام) always conveyed to me orders regarding the neighbor until I began to think that the neighbor should not be made a sharer in the inheritance. But it is necessary.
وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًۭا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًۭا فَخُورًا
Worship Allah, and do not associate with Him anything, and be good to parents and to kinsmen and orphans and the needy and the close neighbor and the distant neighbor and the companion at your side and the wayfarer and to those (slaves who are) owned by you. Surely, Allah does not like those who are arrogant, proud, (4:36)
The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered to respect the self-respect of the neighbor and the sanctity of his house. While describing the rights of the neighbor, the Prophet (ﷺ) also explained who the neighbor is and which neighbor’s rights have priority over the rights of others.
In Sahih Bukhari, Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (رضي الله عنها) says that I am a supplicant or the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is my two neighbours. So which of them should I send a gift to? He said, “The one who is closest to you in terms of the door.” Al-Bukhari
While there is a very famous hadith that (المسلم من سلم المسلمون من لسانہ ویدہ) “A true Muslim is one whose tongue and hands protect other Muslims.”
Because usually, someone is hurt by two things. One of them is the tongue, and the other is the hand. So both of them should be used correctly, and your neighbor is the most entitled to their correct use because there has been a great emphasis on good behavior with the neighbor.
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، – قَالَ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، – عَنْ عَمْرٍو، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ نَافِعَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ، يُخْبِرُ عَنْ أَبِي شُرَيْحٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُحْسِنْ إِلَى جَارِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَسْكُتْ ” .
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Shuraih al-Khuzai’ that the Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) observed: He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should do good to his neighbour and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to the guest and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day should either speak good or better remain silent. (Sahih Muslim)
The Bad Neighbor Cure
Sometimes, a man wants to treat his neighbor well, but the neighbor always abuses him. It never lets you breathe easily. The man is harassed and disturbed by it. But in spite of this, treating him kindly is not good for the believers. It is not wise to forsake one’s favor by his misbehavior; Rather, to continue his mission is to die young. Through your constant kindness and good behavior, he will come to the right path; this is an excellent success for you, and he will always be kind to you.
But on the contrary, if your neighbor does not stop his actions. And you have become helpless. Still, you have to pay him his due, and as for his constant harassment, you should find a suitable solution for him and a cure for this disease.
A similar incident happened in the era of the Prophet (ﷺ). This hadith is found in Sunan Abu Dawud:
حَدَّثَنَا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ أَبُو تَوْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَيَّانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَشْكُو جَارَهُ فَقَالَ ” اذْهَبْ فَاصْبِرْ ” . فَأَتَاهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا فَقَالَ ” اذْهَبْ فَاطْرَحْ مَتَاعَكَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ ” . فَطَرَحَ مَتَاعَهُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَسْأَلُونَهُ فَيُخْبِرُهُمْ خَبَرَهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَلْعَنُونَهُ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَفَعَلَ وَفَعَلَ فَجَاءَ إِلَيْهِ جَارُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ ارْجِعْ لاَ تَرَى مِنِّي شَيْئًا تَكْرَهُهُ .
Abu Hurairah said: A man came to the prophet (May peace be upon him) complaining against his neighbor. He said: go and have patience. He again came to him twice or thrice. He then said: Go and throw your property in the way. So he threw his property in the way and the people began to ask him and he would tell them about him. The people then began to curse him; may Allah do with him so and so! Then his neighbor came to him and said: Return, you will not see from me anything which you dislike. (Sunan Abi Dawud)
