Being a Bad Neighbour

[aljawaad]

Being a Bad Neighbor

Allah has enjoined kind treatment of neighbors in the
Qur'aan:

"Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship,
and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the
neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a
stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you
meet), and those slaves whom your right hands possess.
Verily. Allah does not like such as a re proud and
boastful." (Surah an-Nisaa'(4):36)

Harming a neighbor is haraam because of the greatness of
his rights. Abu Shurayh (ra) reported that the Prophet
(saas) said: "By Allah, he does not believe, by Allah, he
does not believe, by Allah, he does not believe." He was
asked, "Who, O Messenger of Allah? He said: "The one from
whose harm his neighbor is not safe." 1

The Prophet (saas) regarded the praise of criticism of a
neighbor as a measure of a person's goodness or badness.
Ibn Ma'sood (ra) reported that a man said to the Prophet
(saas): "O Messenger of Allah, how may I know if I am
doing well or not? " The Prophet (saas) said : "If you
hear your neighbor say that you are good, then you are
doing well, and if you hear him saying that you are bad,
you are not doing well." 2

Harming a neighbor may take many forms, including: not
allowing him to fix a piece of wood to a shared wall or
fence; expanding one's dwelling in such a way as to
deprive him of sun or air without his permission; opening
windows overlooking his house and looking out of them to
invade his privacy; disturbing him with loud sounds such
as hammering or shouting, especially when he is asleep or
resting; or throwing trash in front of his door. The sin
of such deeds is increased when they are done to a
neighbor, as the Prophet (saas) said: "If a man were to
commit adultery with ten women, it would be better for him
than committing adultery with the wife of his neighbor,
and if a man were to steal from ten houses, it would be
better for him than sealing from the house of his
neighbor. 3

Some treacherous people take advantage of a neighbor's
absence during his night shift to enter his and commit
immoral acts. Woe to them of the punishment of a painful
Day!

1) Reported by al-Bukhaar, see Fath al-Baari, 10/443
2) Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 1/402, see also Saheeh
al-Jaami', 623.
3) Reported by al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, no. 103;
see al-Silsilah al-Saheehah,65.


Taken from the Book of;
"Muharramaat .. Prohibitions Taken Too Lightly"
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