Prophet Muhammad, may God shower him with His praises, is a man loved by all Muslims.  He is honoured and respected by countless others and considered influential in both religious and secular matters.  Mahatma Ghandi described him as scrupulous about pledges, intense in his devotion to his friends and followers, intrepid, fearless, and with absolute trust in God and in his own mission.  Muslims all around the world consider him the example to follow in their worship of God and in their dealings with others.

The religion of Islam, as taught to us by Prophet Muhammad, urges kind and considerate treatment towards our neighbours.  They deserve our respect and good treatment regardless of their religion, race or colour.  In a saying narrated by Aisha[1], a wife of Prophet Muhammad, it is reported that the angel Gabriel insisted that Prophet Muhammad understand the importance of the good treatment of neighbours.  Prophet Muhammad said that at one stage he thought the angel Gabriel would bestow inheritance rights on neighbours; such was his insistence on their kind and fair treatment.

Prophet Muhammad’s mission was simply to convey the message of God, who clearly commanded the good treatment of neighbours in the Quran.

“Worship God and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet)...  Verily, God does not like such as are proud and boastful.” (Quran 4:36)

The men and women around Prophet Muhammad were constantly reminded of their obligations to God and to one another.  Prophet Muhammad was often heard to exhort them to do good needs and to remember their obligations.  He said, “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him not harm or annoy his neighbour…” He also reminded, not only for his companions but for all of us to follow, that a believer in God does not allow his brother or sister to go hungry or live in unfortunate conditions.  Today  in a time when old people die alone and forgotten, and when our neighbours both near and far go hungry whilst  we have food, we would do well to remember the examples set by our righteous predecessors.

Abu Dhar, one of the close companions, was told by Prophet Muhammad to add extra water to his broth in order to be able to offer some to his neighbours.[2]  Another companion, Abdullah ibn Amr once asked his servant after slaughtering a sheep, “Did you give some to our Jewish neighbour?”  A believer is encouraged to give gifts even if they are of little monetary value.  The true value of the gift is the generous spirit with which it is given.  The giving of gifts encourages friendship and mutual support.  When the Prophet’s wife Aisha asked him about what neighbours to send her gifts, he replied, “To the one whose door is closest to yours”[3].  Although the closest neighbours are the ones we should be mindful of in the first instance, Islam urges us to take care of all our neighbours.  It is a system that takes into consideration the needs and feelings of others in the greater community.

When one truly understands the teachings of Islam, he or she begins to see that if one member of a community suffers the whole community is in strife.  After family, neighbours are the people that we depend on the most in times of strife and calamity, and in times of need.  A bad relationship with neighbours can make life miserable.  It is important that people who share a neighbourhood be able to trust and rely on each other, regardless of their religion or ethnicity.  Neighbours must feel secure that both their honour and wealth are safe.  Prophet Muhammad described a good neighbour as one of the joys in a Muslim’s life, he said, “Among the things that bring happiness to a believer in this life are a righteous neighbour, a spacious house and a good steed”.[4]  A good neighbour is one who guarantees comfort, security and safety.  For this reason it is important that one who believes in obeying God does not spare any effort in being considerate of and generous to the neighbours.  Prophet Muhammad warned his companions against harming or upsetting the neighbours.

In a saying[5] that is as true today as it was 1500 years ago, Prophet Muhammad was asked about a certain woman who  prayed and fasted more than was obligatory upon her, and gave generously in charity, but unfortunately, she did not refrain from speaking harshly to her neighbours.  He described her as being one of the people of Hell who would be punished for this.  In the same saying, he was asked about another woman who fulfilled only her obligatory duties and gave very little in charity, however her neighbours were safe from her harsh tongue and she offended no one.  Prophet Muhammad described her as among the people of Paradise.  The religion of Islam places great emphasis on the solidarity of families, neighbourhoods and the wider community.

Islam continuously advises the believers to be kind and considerate of neighbours.  What happens however if one has a neighbour who behaves badly and does not show the respect inherent in the teachings of Islam?  A Muslim is patient and tolerant and does not bare a grudge.  A believer strives to mend the broken relationship through good morals and manners and a forgiving attitude in the hope that this will bring about great reward from God.  A believer patiently bares the annoyances as much as he or she is able.  If the situation becomes intolerable  to publicise the bad behaviour may be a last resort.

The Prophet Muhammad once advised a man to gather his belongings in the middle of the road as an indication that he could no longer live beside his neighbour.  The “bad neighbour” immediately apologised and begged his neighbour to return.[6]  Nobody likes their bad behaviour to be made public and this is especially true of a Muslim, whose religion requires that he have the highest moral standards.  Islam places great emphasis on the qualities of respect, tolerance and forgiveness, and these qualities shown to neighbours is a demonstration of the moral values and virtues inbuilt into the worship of the One True God.

 

The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, often spoke to his companions about the value of good companionship.  He emphasized the need to surround ourselves with good people.  People who hold the same values and beliefs that we do, make the best friends and companions.  Differences of opinion, different lifestyles and interests may make our friendships interesting and sometimes challenging but if the core value system is not the same the friendship itself probably has no solid foundation.

For the believer, the solid foundation must always be Islam; the irrefutable truth that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger.  Every believer, past, present and future is linked by this fundamental truth.  Prophet Muhammad spoke about this bond on many occasions.

The example of the believers, in their mutual love and mercy for one another is like the example of one body, if one part feels pain, then all of the body suffers in sleeplessness and fever.”[1]

The believer to the believer is like a solid building, one part supporting the other.[2]

Friendship and companionship are important in Islam.  A good friend is one who accepts your shortcomings, but at the same time guides and supports you.  A good friend is one who accommodates your faults but corrects them where possible.  A good friend is one who will love and forgive you for the sake of God.

It is important to choose your friends carefully.  Prophet Muhammad warned the believers about this too.  He said that a person would be influenced by his friends, and he warned that everyone should look carefully at those they consider to be their friends.[3]

What we can understand from this is that it is easy to be influenced by the people around us.  It is easy to take on their mannerisms and qualities without even being aware of it.  If these are good qualities then it is a good thing but what if the people you consider friends have pushed you away from the remembrance of God?  This could be a disaster, and God warns about it in the Quran.

“And (remember) the Day when the wrong-doer (oppressor, polytheist etc.) will bite on his hand, he will say: ‘Oh!  Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger.  Ah!  Woe to me!  Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a friend!  He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (the Quran) after it had come to me.’” (Quran 25:27)

Prophet Muhammad also reiterated this point when he told the story of the blacksmith and the perfume seller.

The example of a good companion (friend) in comparison with a bad one is like that of one who sells musk and the blacksmith.  From the first, you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell, while from the blacksmith you would either get burned or smell a bad scent.[4]

Once we have found good friends it is important to keep and maintain the friendship.  Believers are connected by their love of God and His messenger and this entails certain responsibilities.  A person must be prepared to overlook some of the faults of his brother or sister in Islam; he must be prepared to give them excuses for any incorrect or bad behaviour they see in them.

This does not mean however you should turn a blind eye to sin.  No, rather it means that you must maintain the ties of friendship while seeking to understand and help those who have gone astray.  Believers must never embarrass or publicly harass one another.  They must never expose each other’s faults.  Kindness and mercy must be evident in all dealings.

Whoever conceals (the fault of) a Muslim, God will conceal his fault on the Day of Judgment.”[5]

Islamic scholar, Ibn Mazin said, “The Believer seeks excuses for his brothers, whilst the hypocrite seeks out their faults.”  And Hamdun al-Qassar said, “If one of your brothers’ commits an error, then seek ninety excuses for him, and if not, then you are the blameworthy one.”

In his traditions, Prophet Muhammad said, “A person visited his brother in another town and God sent an angel to wait for him on his way.  The angel said, “Where do you intend to go?”  the man answered, “I intend to go to my brother in this town.” The angel said, “Have you done any favour to him, the repayment of which you intend to get?” He said: “No, I love him for the sake of God, the Exalted and Glorious.” Thereupon the angel said, “I am a messenger to you from God to inform you that God loves you as you love him.”[6]

Believers should never be envious of one another, they should always be happy when the blessings of God fall upon their friends and companions. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.[7]

The Muslim’s prayer for his absent brother will be answered.  There is an angel at his head who, whenever he prays for his brother, says, Ameen, and you shall have likewise.

Do not have malice against a Muslim; do not be envious of other Muslims; do not go against a Muslim and forsake him.  Oh the slaves of Allah!  Be like brothers with each other.  It is not violable for a Muslim to desert his brother for over three days.[8]

A believer loves all other believers for the sake of God.  He desires for them what he desires for himself.  A believer is tolerant of others mistakes or shortcomings and is forgiving.  There is no anger, envy, hatred or malice between believers.  Believers are kind, loyal and generous to one another and they pray for each other.

It may sound too good to be true, doesn’t it?  This however is Islam.  It is a way of life that expects every person to respect every other person.  Islam says you are part of a community and it is your right and your responsibility to be the very best person that you can be.  Seeking good companions and maintaining good relationships is a responsibility that each believer has to himself, his community and to God.  Seek companions who are seeking paradise in the hereafter.

“Content yourself with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening, seeking His approval, and do not let your eyes turn away from them out of desire for the attractions of this worldly life, and do not yield to those whose hearts We have made heedless of Our remembrance, those who follow their own low desires, those whose ways are unbridled.” (Quran 18:28)