A GOOD NEIGHBOUR
IS A GOOD HUMAN BEING
A believer must unilaterally make concessions to his neighbours. Ignoring any unpleasant behaviour, he must return good for evil.
An individual’s most immediate human contact—after family members—is his neighbours. These neighbours might just remain acquaintances, but the whole scenario is better if they become companions. It should be borne in mind that keeping the neighbours happy and establishing good relations with them are important aspects of a God-oriented life.
Whether a neighbour belongs to one’s own religion or some other religion, whether he belongs to one’s own nation or some other nation, in every way, he is to be respected. In all circumstances, he must be given his dues as is the demand of both religion and humanity.
According to a hadith, the Prophet of Islam once observed: “By God he is not a believer, by God he is not a believer, by God he is not a believer from whose evils his neighbour is not in peace.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6016) According to this hadith, if a Muslim harms his neighbour, or even if he lives in such a way that his neighbours are not happy with him, then such a person’s faith in Islam will become suspect.
For any person the first criterion for his humanity and his religiosity derives from how his neighbour regards him. From his behaviour with his neighbours, it is possible to tell whether or not he possesses human feelings, or whether or not he is sensitive to Islamic commandments.
If a person’s neighbour is happy with him, it is a proof that he lives up to the standards of religion and humanity. And if his neighbour is not happy with him, it will be a proof that he falls below this standard.
According to Islam, a believer must unilaterally make concessions to his neighbours. He should ignore any unpleasant behaviour on the part of the neighbour and try to return good behaviour for his unpleasant behaviour. He must return good for evil.
Becoming a good neighbour is the proof of being a good human being. Those who behave in this way will share in the mercy and blessings of God in this world as well as the next world.
