29. NEIGHBOURS

29. Neighbours ~ 85 ~ 29. NEIGHBOURS 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 to 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