Adab al-Mufrad

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Among the Arabs, the phrase “the neighbor before the house” is very well known. A good neighbor is a great blessing from Allah, because a person most often interacts with neighbors. In fact, one interacts with neighbors even more than with close relatives. In times of hardship and pain, relatives arrive later, whereas neighbors are already present. Due to this importance, the Shari‘ah has outlined many rights of neighbors and has commanded good conduct towards them.

➋ “Would make him an heir”—that is, Allah would send down this command that the neighbor, like relatives, is also an heir and has a share in inheritance. Otherwise, Jibril (alayhis salam) never had the authority to issue commands on his own. This is a figurative attribution. Similarly, if the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) declared something lawful or unlawful, he did so by Allah’s command, not by his own authority, as is clear from the context of Surah al-Tahrim’s revelation, when he made honey unlawful for himself and Allah said:
﴿یَاأیُّهَا النَّبِيُ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أحَلَّ اللّٰهُ لَكَ﴾
“O Prophet! Why do you forbid what Allah has made lawful for you?”

➌ “Kept advising”—that is, to do good to the neighbor, to look after him, to fulfill his needs, to safeguard his honor and dignity. If he is a sinner (fasiq), then advise him in a good manner; if he is a disbeliever (kafir), then invite him to Islam with gentleness; conceal his faults; send gifts to his house; pray for him; do not harm him; he should not feel estranged, and he should be safe from your harm. But alas, today Muslims have completely turned away from these teachings, especially in urban life where this concept has almost vanished. Let alone caring for the neighbor, people do not even know for years who is living next door—whether he is hungry or thirsty! Such self-centeredness and indifference are certainly pushing us towards destruction. The situation is so dangerous that even if there is acquaintance, the neighbor is not safe from harm. There is no respect for his daughter-in-law or daughter; it is difficult for a decent person to maintain his decency. Peeping and standing at street corners to harass the women of the neighborhood and neighbors has become a favorite pastime of today’s youth. When building houses, all limits of morality are crossed—no consideration for the neighbor’s poverty, no regard for his privacy; the only concern is that my mansion and house should be beautiful and the most prominent. Because many interests and harms are shared with the neighbor, the Shari‘ah has commanded to take great care of him.