Reading the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) as he quoted: "The Chapter on the Rights of the Neighbor and the Exhortation Regarding Him."
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Chapter on the Rights of the Neighbor and the Exhortation Regarding Him":
A neighbor is the one adjacent to you in your house and the one close to your dwelling. Some reports have come that indicate a neighbor extends to forty houses on each side. There is no doubt that the one adjacent to the house is a neighbor. As for those beyond that, if the reports regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) are authentic, then the truth is what they brought. Otherwise, the matter is referred to custom; whatever people consider to be neighborliness is neighborliness.
Then the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the verse from Surat al-Nisa:[An-Nisa 4:36] up to the words of Allah the Exalted: [An-Nisa 4:36]:
The neighbor who is a relative: this means the close neighbor.
And the distant neighbor: this means the distant neighbor who is a stranger to you.
The scholars said: Neighbors are of three types:
A close Muslim neighbor, who has the right of neighborliness, kinship, and Islam.
A Muslim neighbor who is not a relative, who has the right of neighborliness and Islam.
And a disbelieving neighbor, who has the right of neighborliness, and if he is a relative, he also has the right of kinship.
These neighbors have rights: obligatory rights, and rights that must be left alone.
Then the author mentioned three hadiths, or rather four, or five, from Ibn 'Umar, from Abu Dharr, and from Abu Hurayrah. As for the hadith of Ibn 'Umar, it contains the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1942Sahih (Darussalam): meaning that revelation will come down regarding his inheritance. The meaning is not that Jibril legislates his inheritance, because Jibril has no right in that matter. But the meaning is that the revelation brought by Jibril will come down regarding the inheritance of the neighbor, and this is due to the intensity of Jibril's exhortation to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) regarding him.
As for the hadith of Abu Dharr, it contains that a person should, if Allah expands his provision, ensure that his neighbor gets some of it with kindness, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2625b "Add more water to it" means increase the water in it so that it is plentiful and you can distribute some of it to your neighbors.
Stew is usually made from meat or from other things eaten as food. Similarly, if you have food other than stew, or a drink such as leftover milk, leftover fresh dates, or the like, you should share it with your neighbors, because they have a right over you.
As for the hadiths of Abu Hurayrah, they contain that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) swore an oath three times and said:Sahih al-Bukhari 6016: meaning his treachery, betrayal, injustice, and aggression. The one whose neighbor does not feel safe from that is not a believer, and if he does it and commits it in action, it is more severe.
In this is evidence for the prohibition of aggression against the neighbor, whether that is by word or by deed. As for by word: it is to hear from him what disturbs and worries him, such as those who turn on the radio or television or other things that are heard and disturb the neighbors. This is not permissible for him, even if he turns it on to the Book of Allah, if it disturbs the neighbors with its sound, he is being aggressive toward them, and it is not permissible for him to do that.
And as for by deed, it is by throwing out garbage.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Chapter on the Rights of the Neighbor and the Exhortation Regarding Him":
A neighbor is the one adjacent to you in your house and the one close to your dwelling. Some reports have come that indicate a neighbor extends to forty houses on each side. There is no doubt that the one adjacent to the house is a neighbor. As for those beyond that, if the reports regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) are authentic, then the truth is what they brought. Otherwise, the matter is referred to custom; whatever people consider to be neighborliness is neighborliness.
Then the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the verse from Surat al-Nisa:
Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him
وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيئاًthe near neighbor, the neighbor farther away
وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِThe neighbor who is a relative: this means the close neighbor.
And the distant neighbor: this means the distant neighbor who is a stranger to you.
The scholars said: Neighbors are of three types:
A close Muslim neighbor, who has the right of neighborliness, kinship, and Islam.
A Muslim neighbor who is not a relative, who has the right of neighborliness and Islam.
And a disbelieving neighbor, who has the right of neighborliness, and if he is a relative, he also has the right of kinship.
These neighbors have rights: obligatory rights, and rights that must be left alone.
Then the author mentioned three hadiths, or rather four, or five, from Ibn 'Umar, from Abu Dharr, and from Abu Hurayrah. As for the hadith of Ibn 'Umar, it contains the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
Jibril – may the Salawat of Allah be upon him – continued to recommend me about (treating) the neighbors so (kindly and politely), that I thought he would order me to make them heirs.
ما زال جبريل يوصيني بالجار حتى ظننت أنه سَيورِّثهAs for the hadith of Abu Dharr, it contains that a person should, if Allah expands his provision, ensure that his neighbor gets some of it with kindness, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
when you prepare the broth, add water to that and give that (as a present) to your neighbour.
إذا طبخت مرقة فاكثر ماءها، وتعاهد جيرانكStew is usually made from meat or from other things eaten as food. Similarly, if you have food other than stew, or a drink such as leftover milk, leftover fresh dates, or the like, you should share it with your neighbors, because they have a right over you.
As for the hadiths of Abu Hurayrah, they contain that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) swore an oath three times and said:
By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!" It was said, "Who is that, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" He said, "That person whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil.
والله لا يؤمن، والله لا يؤمن، والله لا يؤمن قالوا: مَن يا رسول الله؟ قال: من لا يأمن جارُه بوائقَهIn this is evidence for the prohibition of aggression against the neighbor, whether that is by word or by deed. As for by word: it is to hear from him what disturbs and worries him, such as those who turn on the radio or television or other things that are heard and disturb the neighbors. This is not permissible for him, even if he turns it on to the Book of Allah, if it disturbs the neighbors with its sound, he is being aggressive toward them, and it is not permissible for him to do that.
And as for by deed, it is by throwing out garbage.