Love Thee Neighbour

Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) commanded me thus, "O Abu Dharr! Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and and give some of it to your neighbours".
[Muslim].
This Hadith makes it clear that Islam does not like a Muslim to ignore his poor neighbour and eat up everything himself. It stresses that one must take care of his poor neighbours. If a person is not in a position to do more, he should at least add some water in the broth he cooks for his own food and send a portion of it to his deserving neighbour. It leads us to the conclusion that a Muslim should in no case be unmindful of his neighbour and if he is well-to-do, he should be all the more charitable to his neighbours.

The neighbour holds a special status in Islam. Islam encourages Muslims to treat their neighbours in a gentle way that reflects the true and genuine spirit of Islam as exemplified in its tolerant aspect especially with people of other faiths. It makes no difference whether the neighbours are Muslim or non-Muslim. Ayesha, the Mother of the Believers, stated that she once asked Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah! I have two neighbours. To whom shall I send my gifts?" Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "To the one whose gate is nearer to you."

It is clear from the above Prophetic Hadith that Muslims are encouraged to not only treat our neighbours kindly, but also to exchange gifts with them. The wording of the Hadith does not indicate whether the one with whom we exchange gifts is a Muslim or not.

Below are ten tips on how to approach your non-Muslim neighbours in a kind way that exemplifies Islamic manners:

1. Being good to neighbours is not only restricted to those who share the same building with you. Your roommate at the dorm is your neighbour; the person sitting behind you or next to you in a bus or at a bus stop is your neighbour; the one sharing your office at work is your neighbour; the person enjoying fresh air next to you in a public garden is also a neighbour. You ought to treat all of those people kindly and socialize with them within the permitted scope of Shariah Islamic Law.

2. Introduce yourself and your family to your neighbours when you move into a new place or when new neighbours move in. This will also help to relieve any fears or tensions they may have about Muslims. Also, don't forget to say good-bye when you or they move away.

3. Care for them continually, especially at times of need and distress, as "the neighbour in need is a neighbour indeed." If a neighbour is elderly or chronically ill, offer to run errands or shop for him or her.

4. In dealing with neighbours, it is safer to deal with those of the same sex as yourself. This does not mean that you should stop socializing at work or school with your non-Muslim workmates or classmates of the opposite sex, but be aware of satanic snares. After-hours socializing should be with your same sex.

5. While socializing with non-Muslims, be cautious of becoming too lenient at the expense of your creed and principles. For example, don't go out drinking with them. They will respect you more for sticking to your principles than for breaking the rules.

6. In addition to sharing ideas, you can share meals with them by inviting them to dinner on the weekend or accepting their invitation to the same, provided that you let them know about your dietary restrictions (Halal and Haram) as a Muslim.

7. Conduct mutual visits so that the families can interact in a constructive way. If the discussion does turn to religion, focus on areas of common ground. For example, if your neighbours are Christian, then you should not enter into a futile argument with them about whether Jesus is God incarnate or not. Rather, tell them to what extent Islam honors all God's Prophets and Messengers as a whole, and that Jesus is granted a special status among God's Prophets and Messengers.

8. While socializing with neighbours, present your religion (Islam) in the best way. If you are faced with a difficult question or a distortion about Islam, do not be ashamed to stop for a while and tell them that you will try to contact a more knowledgeable person to seek the guidance regarding the issue raised. Thus, common grounds should be enhanced, and areas of dissension should never be raised.

9. If your neighbours show an interest in Islam, invite them to attend Islamic events, and even to accompany you to the mosque to see what it is like. It may be that their hearts become softened to Islam, and if they remain non-Muslim, at least you have succeeded in breaking the barrier. You can also visit the church where your neighbours pray if they invite you to do that, but here you should be cautious not to perform any act that your religion prohibits. In brief, be only a watchful monitor.

10. Always keep in mind the mighty reward that is in store for you in the Hereafter when you show kindness to a neighbour.