Being Lenient with Neighbors (Hadith No. 2140)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 43, Number 643:
Narrated Al-Araj:
Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, ‘No-one should prevent his neighbor from fixing a wooden peg in his wall.” Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu) said (to his companions), “Why do I find you averse to it? By Allah, I certainly will narrate it to you.”

There are two sides to the way we can understand the rights of neighbors in Islam. One, showing kindness on your part, sharing with them and visiting them etc. Two, if you get disturbed or annoyed because of them, you be lenient and forgiving, overlook and move on. So if they’re remodeling the house next door, try ear plugs instead of cursing them r the like. :)

Islam warns against annoying one’s neighbors or treating them badly. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained that this would lead to being deprived of Paradise: “He will not enter Paradise from whose harm his neighbor is not safe.” (Agreed upon. Narrated by Muslim, 64).

Having said all that, I sometimes wonder how selfish we are. In this fast-paced world, we are so swamped with work and deadlines and our own lives that we don’t even know who lives next door! We don’t even know their names, visiting them when they’re sick is out of the question. Isn’t village life better than this, where neighbors are like family? They can walk in whenever they feel like because there are people to welcome them and treat them as guests. Now that is the cool kind of neighborhood.

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