A BELIEVER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIS NEIGHBOUR

A BELIEVER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIS NEIGHBOUR An Essential Teaching L OVE is the greatest human virtue. Where there is love, everything is in harmony, and where there is hate, all that is good remains in jeopardy. The Prophet of Islam observed: “None of you can be a believer unless you desire for your fellowmen what you desire for yourself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari). There are many sayings of the Prophet in which he has made it incumbent upon believers to treat their neighbours with utmost responsibility and concern. For a true Muslim it is part of his faith to behave well with his neighbours. The Prophet thus said: “He who believes in God and the Last Day must not put his neighbour to inconvenience.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Similarly, on another occasion he remarked: “That one will not enter Paradise whose neighbour is not secure against his mischief” (Muslim). Ignoring the plight of one’s neighbour is looked down upon in Islam. The Prophet noted: “He is not a believer who eats to his fill while his neighbour goes without food.” (Ibn Abbas, Al-Bayhaqi). This shows that a Muslim is one who is concerned with others’ hunger and thirst as he is with his own—who is concerned not only with his own person but with the whole of humanity. 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 be taken good care of. He must be given his dues at all events, according to the demands of Islam and of humanity. “Do you know what the rights of neighbours are?” asked the Prophet. And then he listed out: “Help him if he asks for your help. Give him relief if he seeks relief from you. Give him a loan if he needs one. Show him concern if he is distressed. Nurse him when he is ill. Attend his funeral if he dies. Congratulate him if he meets with any good. Sympathize with him if any calamity befalls him.” (Al-Tabarani) The humanity of a person and the first criterion of his religiosity and spirituality are tested by the way he behaves towards his neighbours.