Concept of Islam about Neighbourhood (Neighborhood)

Islam is a loving religion that teaches love and care for humanity and spread justice in all across the world. There is no difference of geography, religion, caste, beliefs and society, all are equal. No one is superior to another, but only those who fear Allah.

Allah has advised us that neighbors in society are significant sections. People will have a hard and miserable life without getting good neighbors.Accordingly Allah informed us to look after the neighbours, to take care of them , to keep good relations and to make sure that we have good neighbours. Allah has connected them with groups of families, friends, orphans, poor and needy in caring for neighbors.

In Surah An-Nisa' (The Women) Allah says:

"Serve God and enter with Him no partners; and do good to families, family, children, neighbors in need, strangers, companions.. by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and what your right hands have: God doesn't love the greedy, the selfish."  [4:36]

In this Ayah, Allah (swt) classified three kinds of neighbors for us to care for. They are:

1.    A relative neighbor 
2.    A strange fellow neighbor 
3.    A friend Neighbor

It is important to look after all these neighbors and any Muslim or non-Muslim neighbor in the best and best way. 

Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) outlined how to look after our neighbors. He also insisted on satisfying and satisfying our neighbors with all possible means.

In one Hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) says:

Narrated by Ibn Umar and Aisha (May Allah be pleased with them) saying that the Messenger of Allah said:

Angel Jibril instructed me to take care of the neighbor on an ongoing basis until I believed Allah would make him an inheritor.

The Prophet (pbuh) told us in another Hadith that the one who is nice to his neighbors is the best individual. The Hadith is as follows:

Ibn Umar (May God be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) was saying:

Allah's best friend is the one who is nice to his companions, and Allah's best neighbor is the one is good to his neighbors.   [Tarmizi]

There's even more Ahadith about the best way to treat neighbors. It is noted in one Hadith that we should be kind to our neighbors: narrated by Abi Shuraih Al-Khuza'i (May Allah be happy with him) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:

Whoever believes in Allah and Judgment Day, let him do his neighbor good ... [ Muslim ]

In another Hadith, the following reported that we should let them enjoy the food that we cook:

Narrated by Abu Zarr Al-Ghaffari (May Allah be pleased with him) saying that the Prophet (pbuh) said:

O Abu Zarr! Whenever you cook meals, boost their content and take care of them

your neighbours.   [Muslim]

Patience, tolerance, and kindness are some of the primary aspects of Islam religion. Islam teaches us to be extra careful with other people’s religious views and not impose our own on them. It teaches us to be kind towards them, help them if they are in distress, even if they do not share the religious faith. if you have a neighbor who is a non-Muslim, you need to be even more respectful of them.

Because Islam has rights and duties for neighbours as well, regardless of what religion they belong to. Even if your neighbour is unkind towards you, misbehaves with you or creates mischief for you, you are not to reply to that behaviour in the same way. You need to be the bigger person and let Allah deal with it. The life of your beloved Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) is full of such incidents where he was treated badly by people and he chose to take the higher road and forgive them. He did not get even with them.

Kindness is a language that everyone understands, even the deaf. If one is kind to your non-Muslim neighbor, you are telling a lot about yourself as a person. Not only this, but you are also telling a lot about your religion, which these days were so harshly for being a religion of violence. In a way, you are helping in building up the image of Islam, even if it is just a handful of non-Muslims, who live next door to you.

Be Respectful of their Religious Views and Events:

Just because your neighbor does not celebrate Eid and celebrates Christmas; instead, it does not mean they are different from you. Islam teaches us that no man is superior to another on the basis of religion, race, color or creed. Hence, be respectful of your neighbor’s religious views, no matter what religion they belong to. Do not mock them or their religious events. What they do, what they believe in and what they practice, has nothing to do with you.

We are living in a rat race society. We live in a community where there are very few individuals who care about others. We live in a community where, without due regard, individuals kill each other. We are living in a society where neighbors don't know one another. Neighbors of the same building even may not know one another. People are scared of one another. The rate of crime has increased tremendously. People might see see each other hurt and killed, and their answer would be, "It's not my job to get engaged." They might see someone screaming, "Help! Help!" Very few of the watchers or pedestrians can come to the aid. A neighbour may scream, "Help! Help!". Very few, if any, might be interested in helping, though. Each one is looking after himself.

If you want to lower the crime rate in society, Muslims need to set up their own neighborhood ; otherwise they should understand their neighbors. Together with their neighbors, they should plan policies to safeguard their community, their families, and their assets. They are designed to safeguard their kids against drugs, alcohols, rape, adultery, and other social vices. There are enough Silent Majority individuals who would be prepared to assist and work together to safeguard society against the wrongdoers.