7 Manners of Neighbors in Islam and Its Verses

As social beings, we can not live without other people’s help. Since we were born even until we die, of course we need other people’s help. Therefore, we must keep good relationships with others, especially with neighbors. The following are 7 manners of neighbors in Islam and its verses that we need to apply in our daily lives.

1. Be kind

To the neighbors, we should always be kind so that the relationship is warmer and closer. This has also been directly ordered by Allah in the Qur’an,

وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ

“Worship Allah and do not associate Him with anything. And be kind to parents, close relatives, orphans, poor people, near neighbors and far neighbors.” (QS. An-Nisa: 36)

2. Do not block the neighbors’ building

In neighbors, of course we will have houses that are side by side. Even some houses are also close together. As good neighbors, we should not block neighbors to build a house or block the air and sunlight to their houses.

From Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu,

لاَ يَمْنَعْ أَحَدُكُمْ جَارَهُ أَنْ يَغْرِزَ خَشَبَةً فِى جِدَارِهِ

“Let no one of you forbid his neighbor from sticking a wood against his wall.” (Hadith Bukhari (no. 1609); Muslim (no. 2463); and this hadith lafaz is according to his narration; Ahmad (no. 7236); at-Tirmidzi (no. 1353); Abu Dawud (no. 3634); Ibn Majah (no. 2335); and Malik (no. 1462))

3. Maintaining the neighbors’ rights

One of the things that we must prioritize is maintaining the neighbors’ rights. The neighbors’ rights that we need to maintain is protecting their wealth from bad people, and give some gifts.

From ‘Aisyah radhiyallahu ‘anha, she said, “I asked, ‘O Rasulullah, I have two neighbors, which one do I give a gift?’ The Prophet answered,

إِلَى أَقْرَبِهِمَا مِنْكَ باَباً

‘The one whose the door is closest with your house.'” (Hadith Bukhari (no. 6020); Ahmad (no. 24895); and Abu Dawud (no. 5155))

4. Do not disturb the neighbors

The next manner of neighbors is not disturbing the neighbors. For example, do not turn up the television sound so that it disturbs the neighbors’ rest, or the activity that might make them uncomfortable. Likewise, when we will hold an event in the house, we should ask for the nearest neighbors’ permission first so that they do not feel disturbed with the event that we hold.

From Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu said, “The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلَا يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ

“Whoever believes in Allah and the doomsday, then do not disturb his neighbor.”” (Hadith Bukhari (no. 1609); Muslim (no. 2463); and this hadith lafaz is according to his narration, Ahmad (no. 7236); at-Tirmidzi (no. 1353); Abu Dawud (no. 3634); Ibn Majah (no. 2335); and Malik (no. 1462))

From Abu Syuraih radhiyallahu ‘anhu narrated that the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,

وَاللَّه لَا يُؤْمِنُ وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ قِيلَ وَمَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ الَّذِي لَا يَأْمَنُ جَارُهُ بَوَايِقَهُ

“By Allah, he does not believe. By Allah, he does not believe. By Allah, he does not believe.” A companion asked, “Who is that, O Rasulullah?” He answered, “The one whose neighbor is not safe from his badness.” (Hadith Bukhari (no. 6016))

5. Giving food

To the neighbors whose houses are nearest to us, we should often share food. In this way, our relationship with the neighbors will be better and more harmonious. This was exemplified by the Prophet to the neighbors.

The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said to Abu Dzar radhiyallahu ‘anhu,

يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِذَا طَبَخْتَ مَرَقَةً فَأَكْثِرْ مَاءَهَا وَتَعَاهَدْ جِيرَانَكَ

“O Abu Dzar, if you cook vegetables (broth) then add more water and give to your neighbors.” (Hadith Muslim)

6. Be patient if disturbed

Another manner of neighbors is always be patient if we are disturbed by the mischievous neighbors. Indeed, there are some neighbors who like to make a trouble, however as Muslims, we should be able to hold our anger and respond it with patience. It is also the same with what the Prophet saw was exemplified before.

The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,

“There are three groups of human that are loved by Allah, … It was mentioned, among others: “Indeed, someone who has neighbors, he is always hurt (disturbed) by his neighbors, however he is patient with the disturbance until both of them are separated by death or departure.” (Hadith Ahmad and validated by Al-Albani)

7. Visiting when he sicks

As good neighbors, we should always give a support to the neighbor. Likewise, when he sicks, then we should visit him while giving an encouragement and prayer so that he will immediately recover from his illness. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said:

إِذَا عَادَ الرَّجُلُ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ مَشَى فِيْ خِرَافَةِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى يَجْلِسَ فَإِذَا جَلَسَ غَمَرَتْهُ الرَّحْمَةُ، فَإِنْ كَانَ غُدْوَةً صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ سَبْعُوْنَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ حَتَّى يُمْسِيَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَسَاءً صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ سَبْعُوْنَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ

“If someone visits his Muslim relative (who is sick), then (as if) he walks while he picks the Heaven fruits so that he sits, if he has sat then it is passed down to him a heavy blessing. If he visits him in the morning then seventy thousand angels pray for him so that he gets a blessing until the evening arrives. If he visits him in the evening, then seventy thousand angels pray for him so that he is given a blessing until the morning arrives.” (Hadith at-Tirmidzi, Ibn Majah and Imam Ahmad with sanad shahih)

Those were the 7 manners of neighbors in Islam and its verses that we should do in the daily life. Neighbors are our closest relatives and the first people who can help us when we get a disaster, then we should keep good relationships with the neighbors.