In the religion of Islam, neighbours have great rights. Allah the Exalted says:
“Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him. Be good to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbour, the distant neighbour, the companion at your side (i.e., the wife), the traveller, and those whom your right hands possess.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مازال جبريل يوصيني بالجبار حتي ظننت أنه سيورثه
“Jibril (peace be upon him) kept on instructing me regarding the neighbour, until I thought that he would make him an heir.”
In a hadith it has come that the Prophet ﷺ said:
والله لا يؤمن. . . الذى لا يأمن جاره بواءقه
“By Allah, that person cannot be a (complete) believer… whose neighbour is not safe from his harm.”
In another hadith it has come that:
“A person whose neighbour is not safe from his harassment and evil will not enter Paradise.”
Narrated Sayyiduna Abu Shurayh al-Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
من كان يؤمن بالله وليوم الآخر فليكرم جاره
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honour his neighbour (and treat him well).”
Narrated Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فلا يؤذ جاره
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not cause harm to his neighbour.”
The Prophet ﷺ instructed the women:
يا نساء المسلمات، لاتحقرن جارة لجارتها ولو فرسن شاة
“O Muslim women! No neighbour should look down upon giving a small gift to her neighbour, even if it is the hoof of a sheep.”
Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): It was said to the Prophet ﷺ that a certain woman prays Tahajjud every night and fasts every day, does good deeds and gives charity, but she harms her neighbours with her tongue. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: لا خير فيها، هي من أهل النار “There is no good in her… she is among the people of Hell.” It was said that a certain woman offers the obligatory prayers and (occasionally) gives away pieces of cheese in charity and does not harm anyone, so the Prophet ﷺ said: هي من أهل الجنة “She is among the people of Paradise.”
A man said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that his neighbour harms him. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Go and take your household goods out and place them on the road.” He went and took his goods out and placed them there. People gathered and asked him: What has happened to you? He said: My neighbour harms me, so I mentioned it to the Prophet ﷺ, and he said: Go and take your goods out and place them on the road. People began to curse that neighbour: O Allah, curse him; O Allah, humiliate him. When that man found out, he came and said to his neighbour: Go back into your house. By Allah, I will never harm you again.
The Prophet ﷺ was asked about two neighbours, to which of them one should show greater kindness. He ﷺ said: إلي أقر بهما منك باباً “The one whose door is closer to your house.”
It is obligatory upon every Muslim to look after his neighbours, to treat them well, and not to cause them any harm of any kind.
The beloved Prophet ﷺ said to his companion Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him):
يا أبا ذر! إذا طبخت مرقة فأكثر ماء ها و تعاهد جيرانك
“O Abu Dharr! When you cook a broth, add more water to it to make the broth abundant, and look after your neighbour.”
