“Choose your neighbor before choosing your residence,” is a widespread Arabic proverb that means that it is according to the value and merit of the neighbor that the price of the residence should be estimated. A good neighbor is a source of happiness.

　　The Virtue of Being Kind to one’s Neighbor in Islam

　　Islam considers the rights of the neighbor to be extremely important. The angel Jibreel (Gabriel), may Allah exalt his mention, continued to urge the Prophet, , to treat neighbors with kindness until he thought that the Sharee'ah would assign him a share of his neighbor's inheritance. The Prophet, , said: “Jibreel kept on recommending me to treat neighbors kindly and politely so that I thought that Allah would order [me] to make them [my] heirs.”The Quran recommends treating neighbors kindly. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side…} [Quran 4:36] Look how the Prophet, , exhorted Muslims to be good to their neighbors and to honor them when he said: “… and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his neighbor generously.” The narration of Muslim states: “Should be good to his neighbor.”

　　The matter reached the degree that loving goodness for one’s neighbor is considered a part of faith under the Sharee'ah. The Prophet, , said: “By the One in whose Hands[1] my soul is, no slave of Allah has true faith unless he likes for his neighbor what he likes for himself.” A person who is good to his neighbor is the best of people in the sight of Allah The Almighty, as the Prophet said: “The best companion in the sight of Allah is the one who is best to his companion, and the best neighbor in the sight of Allah is the one who is the best to his neighbor.”

　　Who is the Neighbor?

　　The neighbor is the person who lives near one, regardless of whether he is a Muslim or a non-Muslim. Scholars have different opinions regarding the boundaries to which one is considered a neighbor. The closest opinion to the truth is that they are determined according to what people are accustomed to regarding such a limit, and Allah Knows best. The degrees of neighbors vary: there is the Muslim neighbor who is a relative, the Muslim neighbor who is not, the disbeliever who is a relative, and a disbelieving neighbor who is not. All these types of neighbors share many rights while some of them are distinguished with additional rights according to their state and degree.

　　Some Forms of Neighborliness

　　Some people think that the neighbor is only the one who lives near your residence. Undoubtedly, this is one of the commonest forms; however, there are other forms that are included in the concept of neighborliness. There is the neighbor at work, in the market, on the farm, in the classroom, and many others.

　　Some Rights of the Neighbor

　　There is no doubt that the neighbor has many rights of which we will mention some, the most important of which, are:

　　1- Bearing the harm of the neighbor, which is a trait of noble, chivalrous people and those of high aspiration. This is because many people can refrain from harming others, but bearing their harm with patience while seeking the reward of Allah is of a higher degree, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

　　· Pursuing and accomplishing his needs: the Messenger, , said: “He who spends the night satiated while knowing that his next door neighbor is hungry does not truly believe in me.” The righteous predecessors would check upon their neighbors and make efforts to fulfill their needs. Sometimes a Companion of the Prophet, , would receive a gift and then send it to his neighbor, who would send it to another neighbor, who would send it to another neighbor, and it would circulate around more than ten houses until it finally reached the first one again. When ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, slaughtered a sheep, he said to his servant, “When you skin it, begin [distributing it] by going to our Jewish neighbor.” ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the messenger of Allah, , “I have two neighbors, to which of them should I offer a gift?''He replied:“To the one whose door is nearer to you.”

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