Neighbours are our nearest companions. After family members, it is neighbours one comes in contact with. Developing good relations with neighbours is therefore an important aspect of a God-oriented life.

A neighbour, be he a co-religionist or an adherent of another religion, be he of one’s own community or of another, must always be taken good care of. He must be given his dues at all events, according to the demands of the shariah and of humanity.

According to a hadith, the Prophet of Islam observed, “By God, anyone who is a threat to his neighbour is no believer.”

According to this hadith, if a Muslim becomes a source of trouble to his neighbours, his faith itself will become suspect.

The humanity of a person and the first criterion of his religiosity and spirituality are tested by the way he behaves towards his neighbours. The relationship with a neighbour serves as a test of whether a person has human feelings or not, and whether he is sensitive to Islamic teachings or not.

If a person’s neighbours are happy with him, that is a proof of his being a good man, but if his neighbours are unhappy with him, that is a proof that his behaviour leaves much to be desired.

The commands in the shariah regarding neighbours indicate that a believer must make concessions to his neighbours unilaterally. That is, by doing good to them even if they are ill-behaved towards him.

Being a good neighbour is the first step towards becoming a good human being. It is the good neighbour who will find a share in God’s blessings in the Hereafter.

According to a hadith, “To God the best companion is one who is best for his companion and the best neighbour is one who is best for his neighbour.” (At-Tirmizi)

The Qur’an goes further with the more specific injunction to “show kindness to near and distant neighbours, to fellow travellers and to the wayfarers” (4:36).

This means that it is incumbent upon us to behave well towards all kinds of neighbours, whether they are permanent residents of the neighbourhood, or are only living there temporarily for the purposes of education, business or travel, etc. Wherever one is living in close proximity to others, one must feel obliged to observe their rights as human being. No one should be the cause of trouble to his neighbour. On separate occasion, the Prophet observed, “One who believes in God should not give trouble to his neighbour” and “one who believes in God should accord due respect to his neighbours” (Al-Bukhari). As an individual, therefore, a Muslim must be a good neighbour, while, on the larger scale of the community, Muslims should prove to be good neighbours at the national level as well.

The Prophet, again on two separate occasions, thus defined the essence of good neighbourliness: “By God, a person cannot be a believer (that is, a Muslim) until and unless he likes for his neighbours and for his brother what he likes for himself.” “A person from whose evils his neighbour is not safe will not go to heaven.” (Sahih Muslim)