QabasLesson 3 of 4
How should a Muslim speak and treat neighbours?
From the Quran
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا يَسۡخَرۡ قَوۡمٞ مِّن قَوۡمٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونُواْ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَلَا نِسَآءٞ مِّن نِّسَآءٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهُنَّۖ وَلَا تَلۡمِزُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَلَا تَنَابَزُواْ بِٱلۡأَلۡقَٰبِۖ بِئۡسَ ٱلِٱسۡمُ ٱلۡفُسُوقُ بَعۡدَ ٱلۡإِيمَٰنِۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَتُبۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ﴿١١﴾ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱجۡتَنِبُواْ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعۡضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثۡمٞۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُواْ وَلَا يَغۡتَب بَّعۡضُكُم بَعۡضًاۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمۡ أَن يَأۡكُلَ لَحۡمَ أَخِيهِ مَيۡتٗا فَكَرِهۡتُمُوهُۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٞ رَّحِيمٞ ﴿١٢﴾
O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name [i.e., mention] of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers. O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.
From the Sunnah
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say what is good or keep silent. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his neighbor. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest."
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that a person who believes in Allah and the Last Day, that he will be resurrected and recompensed therein for his deeds, is driven by his belief to do these things:
First: good words: Examples of good words include glorification of Allah and proclamation of His oneness, enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, and reconciling between people. If a person does not say something good, he should then keep silent, restraining his tongue and sparing people from his harm.
Second: honoring the neighbors: by being benevolent to them and not causing them any harm.
Third: honoring the guests: by speaking to them in a nice manner, presenting food to them, and so on.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand Muslims are safe, and a Muhājir (emigrant) is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden."
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that a true and perfect Muslim is the one from whose tongue Muslims are safe, so he does not insult, curse, or backbite them and does not hurt them with his tongue in any way. They are also safe from his hand, as he does not assault them or take their properties wrongfully, or the like. As for the emigrant, he is the one who abandons what Allah Almighty has prohibited.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Jibrīl kept enjoining me regarding the good treatment of the neighbor to the extent that I thought he would inherit him."
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Jibrīl continued to instruct him that the neighbor, who lives next to one's house, be he a Muslim or a disbeliever, should be taken care of, not hurt, and treated kindly, his rights should be observed, and harm from them should be endured, to the extent that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) thought, due to the great attention given to the neighbor's rights and Jibrīl's repeated instruction about this, that there will come down revelation that gives his neighbor part of his inheritance after his death.