3. Rights towards Neighbors

Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) ordained in the Glorious Qur'ân Sura Nisa (Women) 4:36 the meaning of which is translated as:“ Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet) and what your right hands possess: for Allah loves not the arrogant, the vainglorious”.

Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) illustrated the rights of a neighbor as follows:“ Do you know what are rights of a neighbor? [They are as follows], If a neighbor seeks your help, extend it to him. If a neighbor asks you for a loan, lend him [if you have it.] If your neighbor becomes poor, then help him financially and attend to his poverty if you can. If your neighbor becomes ill, then visit him [checking on his health and situation.] If your neighbor is happy on certain gain, then congratulate him. If your neighbor is suffering a calamity, then offer him condolence. If your neighbor dies, then be at his funeral [if you can.] Do not raise your building over his building causing him a lack of sun exposure, or wind passage. Do not bother your neighbor with the smell of your cooking, unless you intend to offer him some [of the cooked food.] If you buy fruits [while he does not have the means to buy, or not] then offer him a little present of the fruit. If you do not want to offer him a present of your fruit, then bring it in the house [in an unnoticeable way.] Do not permit your child, later, to carry the fruit you bought and drag his son and tease him with it”[67].

Furthermore, Islam classifies neighbors into three categories as follows:
A relative neighbor. This type of neighbor has three rights over you the right of kin, the right of neighbor and the right of Islam.

A Muslim neighbor has two rights: the right of a neighbor and the right of Islam.

A non-Muslim neighbor however enjoys only the right of being a neighbor. Abdullah bin Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) , a well-known leading Companion and scholar of Islam, came home once. He found that his family members have slaughtered a sheep. He, immediately asked, 'Did you offer some of the sheep's meat as a present to our Jew neighbor? As I heard Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying:“ Angle Gabriel (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) continued to recommend me to be kind to my neighbor until I thought that he is going to let him be a heir [of my inheritance]”[68].