In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The Rights of Neighbours (for 10 years old and more)

 

Neighbours are those who live in homes besides us. They are like extended family because they affect our lives directly. When we have a troublesome neighbour who is dirty, noisy or rude, it directly affects our happiness and our homes. On the contrary, when we have a good neighbour, it greatly enhances the quality of our life and often we find we have a trustworthy friend who can look out for us in emergencies and in time of need.

We may ask our neighbour for a favour or they may ask us. It may be to collect a parcel or check the mail while we are away or simply keep an eye out for our home when we are on vacation. Sometimes children of the same age live next door and therefore they play together and build a friendship.

   

   

Nowadays the properties in a particular neighbourhood are usually of similar values and therefore neighbours are usually of a similar financial status. In the days of Rasulullah [PBUH] this was not the case. Families would live in a particular neighbourhood for generations and often it was quite possible for a very rich person to own a large mansion next to a very humble house owned by a very poor person. This is why Islam emphasized the right of the neighbour. For example, a person had to ensure that his or her neighbour was not sleeping hungry while he or she had plenty to eat or that the neighbour was not without clothes or firewood, while they were comfortable.

Keeping relations with neighbours is very important but needs to be done within the limits of shari'ah. Islam does not favour one extreme where a person lives next to a neighbour for many years but has never spoken to them. Nor does it favour the other extreme where a Muslim or his children interact so much with the non-Muslim neighbours that issues like tahárah and naja’sah, eating hala’l food, passing on of unisla’mic values and culture like dressing, music, etc. are all compromised.

The middle ground is to ensure our neighbour knows we are Muslims and what we can or cannot do (such as eating halal, observing hijab, etc.). Therefore, we should keep the following rights of neighbours in mind:

• When you see your neighbour outside the house e.g. gardening or in the garage, always greet them with a smile and wish them.
• When your neighbour is celebrating e.g. the birth of a child or the graduation of a child, congratulate them and take them a gift.
• If your neighbour shares gifts with you on Christmas for example, ensure you do the same on Eyd.
• If your neighbour looks worried or stressed or you see a police car outside, do go over and ask if they are OK and if they need any help.
• When you are cutting your grass in the summer, blowing leaves in fall or shovelling snow in winter, do some of your neighbour's area that shares a border with you. And you may even come up with a plan where you can help each other with such matters.
• Be a good neighbour yourself by not being noisy (or nosy!), being careful not to damage your neighbour’s property, looking out for them and not revealing their secrets or anything embarrassing about them that you may see accidentally.

          

Good neighbours are a blessing of Allah and we should thank Allah if we have a neighbour who is not noisy and who is respectful and trustworthy.

Islam asks us to respect the rights of neighbours even if they are not Muslims. The only matter we need to be cautious of is not to compromise on the laws of Shari’ah.

Rasululla’h [PBUH] said that the archangel Jibra’il emphasized the rights of neighbours to him so much that he thought they might even end up having a share in a person’s inheritance!