Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 36

36. Worship Allah and do not associate anything [63] with Him. Be good to parents [64], relatives, orphans [65], the needy, near neighbors, distant neighbors [66], your companions, the traveler [67], and those whom your right hands possess (slaves) [68]. Surely, Allah does not like the arrogant [69] and boastful.

[63] For shirk, see the footnote number 80 of this surah, and footnote number 154.
[64] For good treatment of parents, see footnotes 25 to 28 of Surah Bani Isra'il. And for good treatment of relatives, see footnote number 3 of Surah Nisa.
[65] For good treatment of orphans, see the footnotes of verses 2 to 6 of Surah Nisa.
[66]
Better Treatment of Neighbors:

For better treatment of neighbors, consider the following hadiths:
1. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor."
[بخاری، کتاب النکاح، باب الوصاۃ بالنساء۔۔ مسلم، کتاب الایمان، باب الحث علیٰ اکرام الجار]
2. Once, the Prophet ﷺ repeated three times, "By Allah! He is not a believer." The companions asked, "Who, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He said, "The one whose neighbor is not safe from his harm."
[بخاری، کتاب الادب، باب اثم من لا یامن جارہ بوائقہ]
3. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The one whose neighbor is not safe from his harm will not enter Paradise."
[مسلم کتاب الایمان۔ باب بیان تحریم ایذاء الجار]
4. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his neighbor."
[مسلم۔ کتاب الایمان، باب الحث علی اکرام الجار]
5. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Jibril kept advising me about the neighbor so much that I thought he would make him an heir."
[بخاری، کتاب الادب، باب الوصایہ بالجار مسلم، کتاب البر والصلۃ باب الوصیۃ بالجار]
6. The Prophet ﷺ said to Sayyiduna Abu Dharr ؓ: "Abu Dharr, when you cook broth, increase its water and take care of your neighbors." [مسلم۔ ايضاً]
7. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The neighbor, due to his proximity, has more right (to purchase property being sold)."
[بخاری کتاب السلم باب عرض الشفعۃ علی صاحبہا قبل البیع]
8. Sayyida Aisha ؓ says that she asked, "O Messenger of Allah! I have two neighbors, so to whom should I send a gift?" He said, "To the one whose door is closer."
[بخاری، کتاب المسلم باب ای الجوار اقرب]
9. The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Muslim women! Let not a neighbor look down upon the gift of her neighbor, even if it is a hoof of a goat."
[بخاری، کتاب الہبتہ، و التحریض علیہا مسلم، کتاب الزکوٰۃ، باب الحث علی الصدقۃ]
10. The Prophet ﷺ said, "No neighbor should prevent his neighbor from placing a wooden beam (or the like) in his wall."
[بخاری، کتاب المظالم۔ باب لایمنع جار جارہ ان یغرز خشبہ فی جدارہ]
11. The Prophet ﷺ said, "When you hear your neighbors say that you have done good, then indeed you have done good, and when you hear that you have done bad, then indeed you have done bad."
[ابن ماجہ، ابواب الزھد فی الدنیا، باب الثناء الحسن]
12. The Prophet ﷺ said, "He is not a Muslim who eats his fill while his neighbor is hungry."
[شعب الایمان للبیہقی]
In this verse, three types of neighbors are mentioned. First, those who are both neighbors and relatives. Second, those who live beside you or near your house but are not your relatives. Third, those who are related to your society, for example, friends who gather together in one place, or colleagues who work together in an office or elsewhere and often meet. Good treatment should be shown to all of them. However, the order of priority should be maintained as per proximity; the closest relatives who are neighbors have the most right, then those who live around your house. And according to one narration, the limit of such neighbors is up to forty houses, then after them come those neighbors who are your companions, classmates, or colleagues. And the most important thing that comes to mind from the above hadiths is that Islam is a strong supporter of social life and living together. In today's era, people live in mansions and bungalows where even the neighbor next door is unaware of their happiness or sorrow; this is contrary to the Islamic concept of society. Then, the high values that Islam teaches have been completely changed by the transformation of civilization and culture. For example, Islam teaches that no neighbor should prevent his neighbor from placing a beam on his wall, but here, even if neighbors are brothers, each wants to build his wall completely separate from his brother's wall. Although this is better in the sense that it may prevent disputes later, the Shariah did not teach to create disputes but to end them and to live as brothers even if not related by blood. Then, the rights mentioned in these hadiths are very clear and need no further explanation, and after reading them, it seems as if neighbors are members of one's own household. Also, consider that if these Prophetic instructions are acted upon, how pleasant an environment could be created in society.
[67]
Better Treatment of Travelers:

For better treatment of travelers, consider the following hadiths:
1. Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri ؓ says that we were on a journey. During the journey, the Prophet ﷺ said to us, "Whoever has an extra mount should give it to the one who has none, and whoever has extra food should give it to the one who has none." He mentioned each type of wealth separately, until we thought that we had no right to any surplus wealth.
[مسلم، کتاب اللقطۃ، باب استحباب المواسات بفضول المال]
2. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ said to a person who was setting out on a journey, "Come to me. I will bid you farewell as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to bid us farewell." Then he said:
«اَسْتَوْدِعُ اللهَ دِيْنَكَ وَاَمَانَتَكَ وَخَوَاتِيْمَ عَمَلِكَ»
[I entrust your religion, your trusts, and your final deeds to Allah.]
[ترمذی، ابواب الدعوات، باب مایقول اذا ودع انسانا]
3. The Prophet ﷺ said, "There are three people to whom Allah will not look on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful punishment. One is the person who has surplus water on the road but does not give it to a traveler."
[بخاری، کتاب المساقات۔ باب اثم من منع ابن السبیل من الماء]
4. Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir ؓ says that we asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "You send us out, and then we come to people (on the way) who do not host us. What do you command us?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "If they host you according to custom, then fine, but if not, then take your right of hospitality from them according to custom."
[بخاری۔ کتاب الادب باب اکرام الضیف و خدمتہ ایاہ بنفسہ۔۔ الخ]
The conclusions drawn from the above hadiths are:
1. It is necessary for fellow travelers to cooperate with each other. If a traveler has any item of food, drink, or necessity in excess of his own need, it is necessary for him to give it to his fellow traveler who does not have it. Water is especially mentioned because it is a very important basic necessity of life. Therefore, not giving surplus water is considered a major sin. The jurists say that if the Qur'an or Hadith mentions that Allah will not look at someone on the Day of Resurrection, or will not purify him, then such an act is a major sin.
2. In the Prophetic era, there was a shortage of water and settlements throughout Arabia. Therefore, in that era, the refusal of the people of a settlement to host travelers was tantamount to killing them, so in case of refusal, it was permitted to take the right of hospitality from them. But nowadays, especially in Pakistan, this is not the case; water is common, settlements are close together, and there are plenty of shops and hotels for food and drink. Therefore, in these circumstances, it is not permissible to take hospitality by any unlawful means, and now it is only permissible when the traveler runs out of provisions and no one is willing to feed or host him. Such a traveler can be given charity, even zakat, even if he is very wealthy at home.
[68]
Better Treatment of Male and Female Slaves:

For better treatment of male and female slaves, consider the following hadiths:
1. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr ؓ says that there was a harsh exchange of words between me and so-and-so (Sayyiduna Bilal ؓ, the freed Abyssinian slave), and I taunted him about his mother (I said, "O son of a black woman!"). He (Bilal ؓ) told this to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "Abu Dharr! You are a man in whom there is still ignorance." I said, "Even at this old age?" He said, "Yes! These servants of yours are your brothers whom Allah has placed under your authority. So, whoever has his brother under him, let him feed him what he eats himself and clothe him with what he wears himself. Do not burden him with work beyond his capacity, and if you do, then help him."
[بخاری کتاب الادب۔ باب ماینھی من السباب واللعن۔ نیز کتاب الایمان۔ باب المعاصی من امر الجاھلیۃ]
2. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever accuses his slave of something of which he is innocent, he will be flogged on the Day of Resurrection."
[بخاری۔ کتاب المحاربین، باب قذف العبید]
3. The Prophet ﷺ said, "When your servant brings food to you, let him sit with you and eat, and if the food is little, then give him one or two morsels, for he has endured the heat and smoke of cooking."
[بخاری، کتاب العتق، باب اذا اتاہ خادمۃ بطعامہ]
4. Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "If someone has a slave girl and he teaches her well and disciplines her well, then frees her and marries her, he will have a double reward."
[بخاری، کتاب النکاح، باب اتخاذ السراری۔ نیز کتاب العلم۔ باب تعلیم الرجل امتہ واھلہ]
5. The Prophet ﷺ said, "No one should call (his male or female slave) 'abd (slave) or 'amah (female slave), for you are all Allah's slaves and all women are Allah's female slaves. Rather, say: my servant, my maid, my boy, and my girl."
[مسلم۔ کتاب الالفاظ من الادب، باب حکم اطلاق لفظۃ العبد والامۃ و المولی والسید]
6.
Steps to Elevate the Status of Slaves:

Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud ؓ says, "I was beating my slave with a whip. Suddenly, a voice came from behind, 'Abu Mas'ud! Know this.' In my anger, I did not recognize the voice. When the speaker came near, it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who kept saying, 'Abu Mas'ud! Know this! Abu Mas'ud! Know this!' Out of awe, the whip fell from my hand. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Abu Mas'ud! Know well that as much power as you have over this slave, Allah has more power over you.' So I said, 'From today, I will never beat a slave.' And in another narration, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I free this slave for the sake of Allah.' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'If you had not done so, the fire of Hell would have scorched you.'"
[مسلم۔ کتاب الایمان، باب صحبۃ الممالیک]
7. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever punishes his slave with a hadd (legal punishment) or slaps him without fault, his expiation is to free him." [مسلم۔ حواله ايضاً]
8. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ says that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, "How many times should I forgive my slave?" The Prophet ﷺ remained silent. He repeated his question, but the Prophet ﷺ remained silent. When he asked a third time, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Forgive your servant seventy times a day."
[ابو داؤد، کتاب الادب باب فی حق المملوک]
9. Sayyiduna Abu Darda ؓ says that a pregnant woman was brought to the door of the Prophet's ﷺ tent. The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Perhaps the person (in whose share she came) wanted to have intercourse with her?" The companions said, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I wish to invoke such a curse upon him that it would enter the grave with him. How can he be the heir of this child when it is not lawful for him, and how can he make this child a slave when it is not lawful for him?"
[مسلم، کتاب النکاح۔ باب تحریم وطی الحامل المسبیۃ]
10. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever makes a free man a slave, on the Day of Resurrection I myself will be the prosecutor against him."
[بخاری بحوالہ مشکوٰۃ۔ کتاب البیوع۔ باب الاجارۃ۔ فصل اول]
After the Battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ distributed the prisoners of war among various companions and also emphasized: «استَوْصُوْا بِالْاُسَاريٰ خَيْرًا» that is, to treat these prisoners well. Among these prisoners was Abu Aziz, who said, "The Ansari in whose house I was kept would eat dates himself but would give me bread morning and evening."
11.
Testimonies of Faith:

Mu'awiyah bin Hakam Aslami narrates that I had a slave girl who used to graze sheep towards Uhud and Jawaniyah (a place). One day I went there and saw that a wolf had taken away a sheep. After all, I am a human being, and I get angry as others do. I slapped the slave girl. Then I came to the Prophet ﷺ, and he considered my action a great crime. I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Should I not free this slave girl?" He said, "Bring her to me." I brought her to him, and he asked her, "Where is Allah?" She said, "In the sky." Then he asked, "Who am I?" She replied, "You are the Messenger of Allah." Then the Prophet ﷺ said to me, "Free her, for she is a believer."
[مسلم کتاب المساجد۔ باب تحریم الکلام فی الصلٰوۃ]
The extremely degraded condition of slaves before Islam is well known. Islam granted slaves so many rights that they became honored members of society. The emphasis Islam placed on good treatment of them had such an effect that, apart from the name, there remained little difference between slave and free. It is historically proven that slaves became jurists and hadith scholars, which is a great honor. The Prophet ﷺ adopted Zayd bin Harithah ؓ as his son, then married him to his cousin. Both Zayd bin Harithah ؓ and his son Usamah bin Zayd ؓ were appointed as commanders of the army several times, under whom senior companions participated in battle. Sayyiduna Bilal ؓ, who was a black-skinned, thick-lipped Abyssinian slave, was addressed by Sayyiduna Umar ؓ as "Sayyiduna Bilal." At the time of his death, Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said regarding Sayyiduna Salim ؓ, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah ؓ, "If he were alive today, I would have appointed him as caliph." And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ also said, "If even a mutilated slave is appointed as your leader, then as long as he governs you according to Allah's commands, listen to him and obey him."
[مسلم، کتاب الامارۃ باب وجوب طاعۃ الامراء فی غیر معصیۃ۔۔]
Thus, history records countless Muslim kings who were slaves. The famous conqueror of India, Mahmud of Ghazni, was also a freed slave. In India and Egypt, dynasties of slaves ruled for centuries. Long before the arrival of the Mughals in India, several rulers of the Slave Dynasty governed India. Now, what honor remains that is exclusive to the free and from which the slave is deprived? And some people have included in ﴿اَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ اَيْمَانُكُمْ﴾ those animals and livestock that a person keeps at home for his needs, such as a horse or camel for riding, sheep, goat, cow, or buffalo for milk, and chickens for eggs and meat, etc. These animals are also deserving of their owner's good treatment, and this interpretation is very appropriate because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ greatly emphasized mercy and good treatment towards animals.
[69] That is, those people who remain absorbed and arrogant in their egos, boast, and do not care about Allah's commands.