Abdullah ibn Mubarak, a revered Islamic mystic, had a non-Muslim neighbour who was very close and endeared to him. He would always feed him before feeding his own family and relatives. He would provide clothing for his neighbour first and then for his children. Once some people asked his neighbour to sell his house. He answered, “My house is for two thousand dinars. One thousand is for the price of the house and one thousand for having Abdullah ibn Mubarak as my neighbour.”
Good-neighbourliness is an essential message of the Holy Quran. It says: “And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbour who is a stranger.” Since the Quran was revealed in the holy month of Ramadan, it is an opportune time to recall and revive the spirit of good-neighbourliness. It is a wonderful opportunity to share the universal values and virtues enshrined in our faith.
Muslims should invite their non-Muslim neighbours to their homes and serve them with generosity of spirit with an aim to create a socio-friendly environment during the holy month of Ramadan.
At a time when different religious communities are living in an atmosphere of hatred, disdain and tensions, we need to stress the core Islamic values of spirituality, generosity and kindness to others, especially during the ongoing holy month of Ramadan. Caring for, sharing with and doing good to neighbours is an integral part of fasting in Islam.
Prophet Muhammad linked good-neighbourliness to perfect belief in Allah and the Day of Judgment. He is quoted as having said in very clear and spirited words: “Anyone who believes in Allah and the last day let him be kind to his neighbour. Anyone who believes in Allah and the last day, let him be hospitable to his guest. Anyone who believes in Allah and the last day, let him say something good or be silent.” The Prophet’s beloved wife, Hazrat Aisha (Radhiyallahu-Anha), narrates that the Prophet said: “Gabriel has continued to strongly recommend me to be kind to my neighbour until I thought that he would make him among my heirs.” The Prophet not only exhorted love for neighbours but also epitomised and practically taught wonderful manners to deal with them. He said that “if you were cooking and your neighbour smells the food then send him a part (a dish)”. The Prophet would become more generous to his neighbours during Ramadan.
The exhortation of kindness, love and hospitality in the above hadith traditions is not restricted to Muslims. It covers both Muslims and non-Muslims, be they kind or unkind, friends or foes, relatives or strangers.
Once, Hazrat Hasan al-Basri, an early Islamic mystic, was asked the definition of a neighbour in Islam. He said, “The term ‘neighbour’ includes the forty houses in front of a person, the forty houses behind him, the forty houses on his right and the forty houses on his left.” Going by this, I think the Muslim tradition of exchanging dates, fruits and special foods during Ramadan should be extended to the immediate neighbours, both Muslims and non-Muslims. It will surely enhance the spirit of neighbourliness and spread the pluralistic messages of Ramadan to adherents of all faiths.
Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an alim (classical Islamic scholar) and a Delhi-based writer.
He can be contacted at: grdehlavi@gmail.com
