6. Neighbours

6. Neighbours

Chapter 55. The recommendation to be kind to neighbours

102. Abu Shurayh al-Khuza’i reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be good to his neighbours. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be generous to his guest. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be say what is good or be silent.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, whoever believes in Allah, his Creator and that He will reward him based on his actions should perform these good deeds. The hadeeth shows that to be silent is better than saying things that lack benefit, and that causing harm to one’s neighbour contradicts perfect Eemaan (faith). It also shows that actions are from the aspects of Eemaan (faith), and since people are certainly in categories in the performance of these deeds, their levels of Eemaan (faith) definitely vary. When they improve, the level of Eemaan (faith) increases; thus asserting the fact that Eemaan (faith) increases with good deeds and reduces with sins

Chapter 56. The neighbour’s due

103. Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked his Companions about fornication and they said, “It is unlawful. Allah and His Messenger have made it unlawful.” He said, “It is less serious for a man to fornicate with ten women than for him to fornicate with his neighbour’s wife.” Then he asked them about stealing. They replied, “It is unlawful. Allah and His Messenger have made it unlawful.” He said, “It is less serious for a man to steal from ten houses than it is for him to steal from his neighbour’s house.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The teacher could ask a question regarding a matter he intends to discuss to show the importance of the matter and draw the attention of the student. Because a person should be basically safe in the hands of the neighbour, it is more serious for the neighbour to betray this trust and fornicate with his neighbour’s wife or steal from his house. The transgression is worse when it is directed at relatives.

Chapter 57. Begin with the neighbour

104. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Jibril kept on recommending that I treat my neighbours well until I thought that he would order me to treat them as my heirs.”
Grade:Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The rights of the neighbour is here emphasized. Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (said, “the word, neighbour encompasses the Muslim, the non-Muslim, the pious, the sinful, the friend, the enemy, the stranger, the resident, the helpful, the harmful, the near, the strange; the one whose residence is nearer and the one whose residence is more distant.” So, one must treat them well; desiring good for them, admonishing them towards goodness, supplicating for their guidance and refraining from causing harm to them by speech or action.

105. Mujahid reported that a sheep was slaughtered for ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr. He asked his slave, ‘Have you given any to our Jewish neighbour? Have you given any to our Jewish neighbour? I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Jibril kept on recommending that I treat my neighbours well until I thought that he would order me to treat them as my heirs.'”
Grade:Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Good treatment of neighbours is not restricted to those among them who are Muslims; the non-Muslim neighbour should also be kindly treated except when such persons show hatred for Islam or when doing so strengthens such persons upon their disbelief

106. Same as 101.
Commentary:As No. I04, from ‘Ā’isha, with a different isnād.

Chapter 58. You give to the neighbour whose door is the nearest to you

107. ‘A’isha said, “I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have two neighbours. To whom should I give my gifts?’ He replied, ‘To the one whose door is nearer to you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches the following: 1. The importance of knowing the rulings regarding an action before doing it. 2. It is better to do that which is more rewarding of good deeds. 3. The neighbour who lives nearer has a greater right to be treated kindly

Chapter 59. The nearest and then next nearest neighbour

109. Al-Hasan was asked about the neighbour and said, “The term ‘neighbour’ includes the forty houses in front a person, the forty houses behind him, the forty houses on his right and the forty houses on his left.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Acting upon this narration: being generous and caring to neighbours in this range will certainly engender peaceful coexistence in the community. However, as mentioned earlier, the nearer the neighbour’s door, the greater his right to be treated kindly.

110. Abu Hurayra said, “Do not begin with your more distant neighbours before the closer ones. Rather begin with your nearest neighbours before the most distant ones.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:

Chapter 60. The person who shuts his door against his neighbour

111. Ibn ‘Umar said, “There was a time when no one was more entitled to a person’s money than his Muslim brother. Now people love their dirhams and dinars more than their Muslim brother. I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘How many a neighbour will be brought together with his neighbour on the Day of Rising! He will say, “Lord, this man closed his door to me and refused to show me common kindness!”‘”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: his hadeeth shows the greatness of the rights of the neighbour, and warns against inhumane treatment of the neighbour. One wonders what the companion, Abdullah b. ‘Umar (عنهام الله ريض (will say if he were to witness the attitude of the people towards their neighbours today?!

Chapter 61. A person should not eat his fill without seeing to his neighbour

112. Ibn ‘Abbas told Ibn az-Zubayr, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘A man is not a believer who fills his stomach while his neighbour is hungry.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So, knowing the condition of the neighbour and providing him food and other things of basic need when he is in need according one’s ability is from the aspects of Eemaan (faith). As such, the extent of a person’s laxity in this indicates the weakness of his Eemaan (faith).

Chapter 62. When there is a lot of stew, it is divided between the neighbours

113. It is reported that Abu Dharr said, “My dear friend, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, enjoined three things on me: ‘Hear and obey, even if the ruler is a slave with his limbs amputated. When you cook a stew, put a lot of water in it and then go and see the people of a neighbouring house and give them a reasonable amount of it. Pray the prayers at their proper prayers. Then if you find that the imam has already prayed, you have guarded your prayer (by already having performed it). If not, it is a supererogatory prayer (since you have done it again).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains evidence for the use of words that foster love and friendly relations as employed by Abu Dharr . It also emphasizes the obligation of obedience to the leaders, encourages giving charity, having concerns for our neighbours and actually taking steps to improve their conditions. That the Prayers should be observed at their proper times and in congregation with the Muslims are also pointed to here.

114. Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Abu Dharr! If you cook some stew, make a lot of it and fulfil your duty to your neighbours (or divide it among your neighbours).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

Chapter 63. The best neighbour

Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Al-Munawee (الله رحمه (said, “A companion would come across those who are lower or higher or even on a par with him in his religion or worldly affairs as he deals with people whether during a journey or while at home. The best of them in the sight of Allah in rank and reward in his dealings is the one who is most beneficial to his companion…” A similar thing applies to the neighbours.

Chapter 64. The righteous neighbour

116. Nafi’ ibn ‘Abdu’l-Harith reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Part of the happiness of the Muslim man includes a spacious dwelling, righteous neighbour and a good mount”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While the spacious home basically provides cover and shelter, enables one to appriopriately segregate the household and accommodate visitors, the good ride helps its owner to fulfill the obligations that require him to move to distant locations. The good neighbour would aid one towards obedience to Allah and His Messengerﷺ; encouraging him upon what is good and forbidding him evil, and so he is happy and successful. In some wordings of the same hadeeth, it includes: “the pious wife”

Chapter 65. The bad neighbour

117. Abu Hurayra said, “Part of the supplication of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was, “Oh Allah, I seek refuge with you from an evil neighbour in the Eternal World. A neighbour in this world can be changed.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The bad neighbour is carefree about the rulings of the Sharee’ah regarding himself and the people around him; thus, his neighbours are not safe from his evil actions. However, for the one whose neighbour is as described, he should supplicate for him, encourage him upon goodness and forbid him evil with good words and nice character such that he would have fulfilled his own duties towards him. This hadeeth encourages us to seek refuge with Allah from having bad neighbours.

118. Abu Musa reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The Final Hour will not come until a man kills his neighbour, his brother and his father.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Many narrations indicate that the Last Hour will be established when the worst sins spread among the people. So, from such evils is that near relatives and neighbours who should be treated with kindness will be maltreated and even killed!

Chapter 66. A person should not injure his neighbour

119. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Messenger of Allah! A certain woman prays in the night, fasts in the day, acts and gives sadaqa, but injures her neighbours with her tongue.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘There is no good in her. She is one of the people of the Fire.’ They said, ‘Another woman prays the prescribed prayers and gives bits of curd as sadaqa and does not injure anyone.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘She is one of the people of the Garden.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the importance of guarding the tongue, and that observing the late-night prayers, fasting regularly and giving charity may not outweigh the evil of badly treating the neighbor.

120.‘Umara ibn Ghurab reported that an aunt of his told him that she asked ‘A’isha, Umm al- Mu’minin, “If a woman’s husband desires her and she refuses to give herself to him either because she is angry or not eager, is there anything wrong in that?” “Yes,” she replied. “Part of his right over you is that if he desires you when you are on a saddle, you must not refuse him.” She said, “I also asked her, ‘If one of us is menstruating and she and her husband only have a single cover, what should she do?’ She replied, ‘She should wrap her wrapper around her and sleep with him. He can have what is above it. I will tell you what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did on one of his nights with me. I had cooked some barley and made loaf for him. He came in, stopped at the door, and then went into the mosque. When he wanted to sleep, he closed the door, tied up the waterskin, turned the cup over and put out the light. I waited for him and he ate the loaf. He did not go until I fell asleep. Later he felt the cold and came and got me up. “Warm me! Warm me!” he said. I said, “I am menstruating.” He said, “Then uncover your thighs,” so I uncovered my thighs and he put his cheek and head on my thighs until he was warm. Then a pet sheep belonging to our neighbour came in. I went and took the load away. I disturbed the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he woke up, so I chased the sheep to the door. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Take what you got of your loaf and do not injure your neighbour’s sheep.”‘”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

121. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A person whose neighbours are not safe from his evil will not enter the Garden.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This could refer to the one who despite knowing the prohibition of harming the neighbour considers it lawful; such is a disbeliever who will basically not enter the Garden. It could also refer to the one whose entrance will be delayed because despite being well aware of its prohibition, he causes evil to his neighbours.

Chapter 67. A woman should not disdain anything which her female neighbour gives her, even if it is only the hooves of a sheep

122.‘Amr ibn Mu’adh al-Ashhali reported that his grandmother said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Believing women! Do not let any of you women disdain her female neighbour’s gift, even if it is only a burnt sheep’s hoof.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

123. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Muslim women! Muslim women! A woman should not disdain her female neighbour’s gift, even if it is only a sheep’s hoof.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps the women were specifically mentioned in the narration because they are usually in charge of food preparation and distribution; they determined the shares of members of the household and visitors. The hadeeth shows that one should not despise whatever is given n charity or as gift no matter its size or value, and that illustrations aid the understanding of a matter

Chapter 68. The neighbour’s complaint

124. Abu Hurayra said, “A man said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have a neighbour who does me harm.’ He said, ‘Go and take your things out into the road.’ He took his things out into the road. People gathered around him and asked, ‘What’s the matter?’ He replied, ‘A neighbour of mine injures me and I mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He told me, “Take your things out into the road.”‘ They began to say, ‘O Allah, curse him! O Allah, disgrace him!’ When the man heard that, he came out to him and said, ‘Go back to your home. By Allah, I will not harm you.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Hasan (good) hadeeth is as the Saheeh (authentic) hadeeth except that the narrators of the Hasan hadeeth follow those of the Saheeh hadeeth in rank in terms of Dabt (retention) of narrations. Both terms are used together as in this case, when the hadeeth has chain(s) that basically grade Saheeh and chain(s) that essentially also grade Hasan.

125. Abu Juhayfa said, “A man complained to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about his neighbour. The Prophet said, ‘Take your bags and put them in the road and whoever passes them will curse him.’ Everyone who passed him began to curse that neighbour. Then he went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘How many people I met!’ He said, ‘The curse of Allah is on top of their curse!’ Then he told the one who had complained, ‘You have enough,’ or words to that effect.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches the following: 1. The legitimacy of backbiting in some circumstances such as while complaining about particular harm one suffered from a person. 2. The student could seek guidance from the teacher about how to get out of difficult situations. 3. Muslims should be concerned about the welfare of one another; guiding themselves towards what is right and cooperating upon goodness, and forbidding evil, even in strong terms when the situation demands for that. 4. It is permissible to curse a person who is clearly due for such as a way of reproaching him and as deterrent to others. 5. Perhaps the action of the rest of the companions (RA)was to make the one who was cursed to realize the gravity of causing harm to one’s neighbour so that he would refrain which he actually did.

126. Jabir said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to complain to him about the enmity of his neighbour. While he was sitting between the Corner and the Maqam, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, approached with a man who was wearing a white garment. They went to the Maqam where they were praying for the dead. He went up to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘May my mother and my father be your ransom, Messenger of Allah! Who is this man I see with you wearing the white garment?’ ‘You saw him?’ he asked. ‘Yes,’ the man replied. He said, ‘Then you have seen much good. That was Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the Messenger of my Lord. He kept on recommending that I treat my neighbours well until I thought that he would order me to make them my heirs.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 69. Someone who harms his neighbour until he forces him to leave

127. Thawban said, “When two men cut each other off for more than three days and one of them dies, then they both die while relations between them are severed and both of them are destroyed. There is no man who wrongs his neighbour to the extent that he forces him until he makes him leave his home who is not destroyed.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration exhorts anyone who has broken up relations with another Muslim to hasten towards reconciling with him since the death of any one among them spells doom for them both. The prohibition of cutting off relations with a Muslim for more than three days is also authentically reported from the statements of the Prophetﷺ. They would both be turning away from the Truth if they had cut off from each other merely for a worldly reason or Hawa (desire). However, if they had cut off for the sake of Allah, then it may be permissible or even encouraged or obligatory based on the condition. The death of any one of them both while they are still cut off (for worldly reasons or mere desire) from each other indicates that they will be meeting Allah the Mighty and Exalted, not having repented from that failing, thereby exposing themselves to nonentrance of the Paradise. The hadeeth is evidence that to extend the greeting of salam and responding to it is sufficient to end such break in relations.

Chapter 70. A Jewish neighbour

128. Mujahid said, “I was with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr while his slave was skinning a sheep. He said, ‘Boy! When you finish, start with the Jewish neighbour.’ A man there exclaimed, ‘Jewish? May Allah correct you!’ He replied, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recommend that we treat our neighbours well until we feared (or we thought) that he would order us to make them our heirs.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth stresses the fact that we must be generous and compassionate towards our neighbours even when they are non-Muslims particularly when we do not fear being harmed by them. It also indicates that we could supplicate for a person to be rectified when he is considered to be upon error. Good treatment of neighbours is not restricted to those among them who are Muslims; the non-Muslim neighbour should also be kindly treated except when such persons show hatred for Islam or when doing so strengthens such persons upon their disbelief.