By: Abu al-Abbas Hafiz Sher Muhammad
In Islam, neighbors have great rights. Allah Almighty commands:
"Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess."
[Surah An-Nisa 36]
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Jibril kept advising me to be good to neighbors until I thought he would make them heirs."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2015, Sahih Muslim 2625, narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them)]
In another Hadith, he said:
"By Allah, he is not a believer...whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2012]
Another Hadith states:
"He will not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not safe from his harm."
[Muslim 46]
Sayyiduna Abu Shurayh Al-Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his neighbor."
[Bukhari 2019, Muslim 48]
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor."
[Bukhari 2018, Muslim 47]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed women:
"O Muslim women, none of you should belittle the gift she gives to her neighbor, even if it is a hoof of a sheep."
[Bukhari 2017, Muslim 1030]
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was told about a woman who prays Tahajjud every night and fasts every day, does good deeds, and gives charity but harms her neighbors with her tongue. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"There is no good in her, she is among the people of Hell."
Then he was told about another woman who prays only the obligatory prayers and gives small pieces of cheese in charity but does not harm anyone. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"She is among the people of Paradise."
[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad by Bukhari: 119, its chain is authentic; Sahih Ibn Hibban 13/77, 76, Hadith 5734]
A man complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about his neighbor who was harming him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Go and put your belongings out on the street."
The man did so, and people started gathering and asking him what happened. He said: "My neighbor is harming me, so I mentioned it to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he told me to take my belongings out to the street." People began cursing the neighbor, saying: "O Allah, disgrace him. O Allah, curse him." When the neighbor heard this, he came to the man and said: "Return to your home, by Allah, I will never harm you again."
[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad by Bukhari: 24, its chain is authentic; Abu Dawud: 5153, authenticated by Al-Hakim on the condition of Muslim 4/122, 125]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about two neighbors to whom one should be kind. He said:
"To the one whose door is closer to yours."
[Bukhari 2020]
Every Muslim must take care of their neighbors, treat them well, and not cause them any harm.
The beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) advised his companion Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him):
"O Abu Dharr! When you cook a broth, add more water to it and take care of your neighbors."
[Muslim 146/2625, Islamic Lifestyle p. 204]
In Islam, neighbors have great rights. Allah Almighty commands:
"Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess."
[Surah An-Nisa 36]
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Jibril kept advising me to be good to neighbors until I thought he would make them heirs."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2015, Sahih Muslim 2625, narrated by Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them)]
In another Hadith, he said:
"By Allah, he is not a believer...whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2012]
Another Hadith states:
"He will not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not safe from his harm."
[Muslim 46]
Sayyiduna Abu Shurayh Al-Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his neighbor."
[Bukhari 2019, Muslim 48]
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor."
[Bukhari 2018, Muslim 47]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed women:
"O Muslim women, none of you should belittle the gift she gives to her neighbor, even if it is a hoof of a sheep."
[Bukhari 2017, Muslim 1030]
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was told about a woman who prays Tahajjud every night and fasts every day, does good deeds, and gives charity but harms her neighbors with her tongue. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"There is no good in her, she is among the people of Hell."
Then he was told about another woman who prays only the obligatory prayers and gives small pieces of cheese in charity but does not harm anyone. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"She is among the people of Paradise."
[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad by Bukhari: 119, its chain is authentic; Sahih Ibn Hibban 13/77, 76, Hadith 5734]
A man complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about his neighbor who was harming him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Go and put your belongings out on the street."
The man did so, and people started gathering and asking him what happened. He said: "My neighbor is harming me, so I mentioned it to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he told me to take my belongings out to the street." People began cursing the neighbor, saying: "O Allah, disgrace him. O Allah, curse him." When the neighbor heard this, he came to the man and said: "Return to your home, by Allah, I will never harm you again."
[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad by Bukhari: 24, its chain is authentic; Abu Dawud: 5153, authenticated by Al-Hakim on the condition of Muslim 4/122, 125]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about two neighbors to whom one should be kind. He said:
"To the one whose door is closer to yours."
[Bukhari 2020]
Every Muslim must take care of their neighbors, treat them well, and not cause them any harm.
The beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) advised his companion Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him):
"O Abu Dharr! When you cook a broth, add more water to it and take care of your neighbors."
[Muslim 146/2625, Islamic Lifestyle p. 204]