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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Islamic texts, namely the Qur’an and Sunnah, enjoin kind treatment of neighbours and affirm their rights. Allāh, may He be exalted, says:
“Worship Allāh and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allāh does not like such as are proud and boastful” [an-Nisa’ 4:36].
Al-Bukhari (5185) and Muslim (47) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allāh be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day, let him not annoy his neighbour.”
Al-Bukhari (6015) and Muslim (2625) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allāh be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allāh (blessings and peace of Allāh be upon him) said: “Jibreel kept urging me that neighbours should be treated well until I thought he would make them heirs.”
The scholars differed concerning the definition of a neighbour.
Some of the scholars were of the view that the definition of neighbours according to Islam is forty houses in each direction.
Others were of the view that it is defined linguistically, and that the neighbour is only the one whose house is next to your own.
It was also suggested that the people of each mosque are neighbours, or that this applies to the people of a quarter (area of a city), or the people of a city… And there were other suggestions.
May Allāh grant us good neighbours and make us good neighbours to our neighbours. Aameen.
