The Muslim's obligation toward his neighbor who openly commits sins
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Question:
His second question says: I have a neighbor who does not pray, does not fast, drinks intoxicants, and plays gambling. I have advised him repeatedly, and this has caused a misunderstanding between us. He said, "I know all your advice." What is the ruling regarding such a neighbor, and how to treat him and be kind to him as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us? Should I be kind to him as a neighbor and have no concern with his actions?
Knowing that he may borrow some money from me under the pretext of his children's needs, and then I find out later that he used it for gambling, and he may return it to me from his earnings from that gambling. Is it permissible for me to take it from him when that is his source of income?
Answer:
This neighbor is a bad neighbor, and it is obligatory to boycott him and continue to disapprove of him and advise him, perhaps Allah will guide him. Also, seek the help of his best relatives and your other neighbors so that you all come together to advise him and guide him to good and the right path, perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts. Because whoever abandons prayer is a disbeliever, we seek refuge in Allah from that. It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
This man does not pray, does not fast, drinks intoxicants, and plays gambling; he has gathered much evil, we seek refuge in Allah. He is deserving of being boycotted because of his disbelief, open sinfulness, and his much evil. But if he is poor, there is no harm in being kind to his family, not to him directly, but you give to his poor, needy family members, such as his wife, sons, and daughters, being kind to them with what is easy for you. As for him, do not give him anything, because he uses it to aid in what Allah has forbidden. But give to his family what you can, through your family or others, if they are poor and needy.
And do not harm him in any way, because he is a neighbor. Be kind to him with advice and calling to Allah, for the right of the neighbor is advice and doing good. But this man needs, along with advice, to be boycotted because of his disbelief and his open commission of sins and wickedness. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.
The presenter: Regarding his repaying the debt from the income of gambling?
The Shaykh: As for repaying the debt, do not ask. Take your debt and do not ask. If he gives you the debt, do not ask, as long as you do not know that it is from gambling, or from anything else, do not ask. Take your debt, and praise be to Allah. Yes.
The presenter: Suppose he dies and leaves money from this income or from this source?
The Shaykh: His heirs inherit it.
The presenter: They inherit this money and nothing is upon them....?
The Shaykh: Unless they know that this is so-and-so's money, or this is so-and-so's money, they return it to him. That this is so-and-so's money he took through gambling, they return it to him. That this is the price of intoxicants, they give it in charity. And if they are needy, they are the people of charity.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
His second question says: I have a neighbor who does not pray, does not fast, drinks intoxicants, and plays gambling. I have advised him repeatedly, and this has caused a misunderstanding between us. He said, "I know all your advice." What is the ruling regarding such a neighbor, and how to treat him and be kind to him as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us? Should I be kind to him as a neighbor and have no concern with his actions?
Knowing that he may borrow some money from me under the pretext of his children's needs, and then I find out later that he used it for gambling, and he may return it to me from his earnings from that gambling. Is it permissible for me to take it from him when that is his source of income?
Answer:
This neighbor is a bad neighbor, and it is obligatory to boycott him and continue to disapprove of him and advise him, perhaps Allah will guide him. Also, seek the help of his best relatives and your other neighbors so that you all come together to advise him and guide him to good and the right path, perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts. Because whoever abandons prayer is a disbeliever, we seek refuge in Allah from that. It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرBetween a man and disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the abandonment of prayer.
بين الرجل وبين الكفر والشرك ترك الصلاةThis man does not pray, does not fast, drinks intoxicants, and plays gambling; he has gathered much evil, we seek refuge in Allah. He is deserving of being boycotted because of his disbelief, open sinfulness, and his much evil. But if he is poor, there is no harm in being kind to his family, not to him directly, but you give to his poor, needy family members, such as his wife, sons, and daughters, being kind to them with what is easy for you. As for him, do not give him anything, because he uses it to aid in what Allah has forbidden. But give to his family what you can, through your family or others, if they are poor and needy.
And do not harm him in any way, because he is a neighbor. Be kind to him with advice and calling to Allah, for the right of the neighbor is advice and doing good. But this man needs, along with advice, to be boycotted because of his disbelief and his open commission of sins and wickedness. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.
The presenter: Regarding his repaying the debt from the income of gambling?
The Shaykh: As for repaying the debt, do not ask. Take your debt and do not ask. If he gives you the debt, do not ask, as long as you do not know that it is from gambling, or from anything else, do not ask. Take your debt, and praise be to Allah. Yes.
The presenter: Suppose he dies and leaves money from this income or from this source?
The Shaykh: His heirs inherit it.
The presenter: They inherit this money and nothing is upon them....?
The Shaykh: Unless they know that this is so-and-so's money, or this is so-and-so's money, they return it to him. That this is so-and-so's money he took through gambling, they return it to him. That this is the price of intoxicants, they give it in charity. And if they are needy, they are the people of charity.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.