What Is the Importance of Being Kind to Neighbors, and How Can It Be Practiced in Modern Societies?
Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
What is the importance of being kind to neighbors and how can it be practiced in modern societies?
Answer
Islam has paid significant attention to organizing the relationships among members of the Muslim community, commanding everything that strengthens these bonds and prohibiting anything that corrupts or weakens them. So, Islam emphasizes neighborliness, setting forth rights for neighbors that must be observed and maintained to keep the relationship strong and firm. Among these rights is kindness to neighbors.
Neighborly Rights in Islam
Islam teaches us the importance of our neighbors and grants them high esteem. In our religion, neighbors have a sanctified status and recognized rights. Allah (Most High) has associated kindness to neighbors with His worship and monotheism, as He says, “Worship Allah ˹alone˺ and associate none with Him. And be kind to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, near and distant neighbors, close friends, ˹needy˺ travelers, and those ˹bondspeople˺ in your possession. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful.” [Quran, 4:36]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) advised regarding neighbors, saying, “Jibril kept advising me about the neighbor until I thought he would give him inheritance rights.” [Bukhari, Muslim] This means he thought that revelation would come down by legislating special inheritance rights [for the neighbor]. The Prophet(Allah bless him and give him peace) would not have thought this had he not been frequently commanded to take care of neighbors.
The Types of Neighbors and their Rights
There are three types of neighbors: a neighbor who has three rights, a neighbor with two rights, and a neighbor with one right.
- The neighbor with three rights is the Muslim relative, who has the rights of Islam, kinship, and neighborliness.
- The neighbor with two rights is the Muslim neighbor, who has the rights of Islam and neighborliness.
- The neighbor with one right is the non-Muslim neighbor, who has only the right of neighborliness.
Models of Neighborliness in Islam
The righteous predecessors and honorable people recognized the value of neighborliness and did not prefer wealth or worldly gain over a good neighbor.
For instance, Muhammad ibn al-Jahm, when offering his house for sale, asked the buyers, “We agreed on the price of the house, but how much will you pay for the neighborliness of Sa’id ibn al-‘As?” When asked if neighborliness could be sold, he replied, “How can it not be sold, the neighborliness of someone who inquires about you when you sit, welcomes you when he sees you, Looks out for you when you are absent, assists you when you are present, fulfills your needs if you ask, initiates help if you don’t, and relieves you in adversity?” Sa’id ibn al-‘As, hearing this, sent him money, asking him to keep his house.
Prioritizing Those who are Closest in Proximity
The closest neighbors deserve the most care and kindness; Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), “I have two neighbors. To whom should I send gifts?” He replied, “To the one whose door is nearest to you.” [Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Hakim]
Kindness to Our Neighbors is Part and Parcel of Iman
The right of the neighbor is significant. Our Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) linked it with Iman in Allah and the Last Day, saying, “Whoever has Iman in Allah and the Last Day, should honor his neighbor” [Bukhari, Muslim].
He also said, “The best companion in the sight of Allah is he who is best to his companions, and the best neighbor in the sight of Allah is he who is best to his neighbors” [Tirmidhi, Ibn Khuzayma, Ibn Hibban].
What are the Neighbor’s Rights?
The rights of a neighbor in Islam are to:
– Respect them and treat them well
– Avoid envy towards the blessings Allah has given them, and instead pray for their prosperity
– Keep their secrets, which strengthens relationships and fosters bonds
– Avoid looking at their forbidden things, respecting their privacy, and observing moral boundaries
– Refrain from any form of harm
– Provide assistance in times of need and stand by them when help is requested
– Show kindness by checking in regularly, especially if they are poor or elderly
– Participate in their joys and sorrows to strengthen bonds and relationships
– Offer gifts that demonstrate affection and kindness
Kindness to neighbors is not a fixed practice but includes kind words and good deeds. Gifting neighbors is encouraged, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Exchange gifts; you will love one another.” [Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Bayhaqi] Even if the gift seems small, it carries a significant positive impact.
Dealing with Harmful Neighbors
If a neighbor is harmful, be patient and do not retaliate with harm. Kindness to neighbors has many virtues. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) informed that good neighborliness is a sign of Islam, as he said, “Who will take these words and act upon them or teach someone who will act upon them?” Abu Hurayra said, “I will.” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) took his hand and listed five things:
- Avoid the forbidden things, and you will be the best of worshippers;
- Be content with what Allah has allotted to you, and you will be the richest of people;
- Be kind to your neighbor, and you will be a mu’min;
- Love for others what you love for yourself, and you will be a Muslim;
- and do not laugh too much, for excessive laughter deadens the heart [Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, Ahmad].
Kindness to Neighbors Leads to Prosperity and Longevity
Aisha narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to her, “Whoever is given his portion of kindness has been given his portion of goodness in this world and the hereafter. Whoever is deprived of his portion of kindness is deprived of his portion of goodness in this world and the hereafter. Kinship, good character, and good neighborliness establish homes and increase life spans.” [Ahmad, Abu Ya‘la, ‘Abd ibn Humayd]
Good Neighborliness is a Cause for Entering Paradise
Abu Hurayra reported that a man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said, “Messenger of Allah, guide me to a deed by which I may be admitted to Paradise.” He said, “Be kind.” The man asked, “How will I know if I am kind?” He replied, “Ask your neighbors. If they say you are kind, then you are kind, and if they say you are unkind, then you are unkind.” [Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Hakim]
Protecting Your Neighbor from Harm
One way to uphold your neighbor’s rights is to protect his honor, cover his faults, fulfill his needs, and refrain from invading his privacy out of respect for him and as a religious commitment to Allah.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) forbade Muslims from harming their neighbors. Harm, in general, is forbidden by default, as is harming any Muslim. Allah says, “As for those who abuse believing men and women unjustifiably, they will definitely bear the guilt of slander and blatant sin.” [Quran, 33:58]
Harming one’s neighbor, however, is even more severe and contemptible. It carries harsh consequences, among which is the diminishment of Iman. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever has Iman in Allah and the final day does not harm his neighbor,” meaning in any way.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) also taught us that the sin of harming one’s neighbor is more intense than other sins. When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked the companions about fornication, they said, “Fornication is forbidden; Allah and His Messenger forbade it.” He responded, “For a man to fornicate with ten women would be better than to fornicate with his neighbor’s wife.” He asked, “What do you say about stealing?” They said, “It is forbidden; Allah and His Messenger forbade it.” He said, “For a man to steal from ten houses would be easier on him than to steal from his neighbor’s house.” [Ahmad, Bazzar, Tabarani]
Abu Wa’il narrates from Ibn Mas‘ud, “I asked (or: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was asked), ‘Which sin is greatest with Allah?’ He said, ‘To set a partner for Allah while He created you.’ I asked, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘Then to kill your child out of fear that he will eat with you.’ I asked, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘To commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.’ This aya came down in concurrence with what the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘˹They are˺ those who do not invoke any other god besides Allah, nor take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allah—except with ˹legal˺ right…’” [Bukhari, Muslim]
Furthermore, harming neighbors can lead to Hellfire. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was told about a woman who prayed at night and fasted during the day but harmed her neighbors with her tongue. He said, ”There is no good in her; she is in Hellfire.” When told about another woman who only performed the obligatory prayers, fasted Ramadan, and gave small charities, but she did not harm anyone, he said, “She is in Paradise.” [Ahmad, Ibn Hibban, Hakim, Bazzar]
Harming a neighbor can also be a reason for being deprived of Paradise and falling short in iman. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) declared, “By Allah, he does not have Iman! By Allah, he does not have Iman! By Allah, he does not have Iman!” He was asked, “Who, Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “One whose neighbor is not safe from his harm.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Hakim]
Forms of Harming One’s Neighbors
Harming neighbors can take many forms, such as saying bad things, such as slander and disrespectful speech, or such as undue suspicion, spying, inconveniencing them, littering near their doors, making loud and offensive noises, or keeping something in your house that will bother your neighbor. Muslims are commanded to avoid all such behaviors.
Being a Good Neighbor is a Foundational Value in Islam
These are the morals of Islam. It is a call to virtues and noble character. Islam has greatly honored neighborliness, and pre-Islamic Arabs esteemed neighbors and proudly upheld their praise. Islam embraced this noble character, offering great virtues for those who honor neighbors and severe warnings for those who harm them. This is because Islamic morals aim to create a cohesive and tightly-knit society built upon kinship, neighborliness, and virtuous behavior. This is the Muslim society Allah wants for us.
Let us confidently adhere to our religion and the morals of our Islam, representing Islam in words and deeds.
“Worship Allah ˹alone˺ and associate none with Him. And be kind to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, near and distant neighbors, close friends, ˹needy˺ travelers, and those ˹bondspeople˺ in your possession. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful.” [Quran, 4:36]
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad.
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.
