Islam Guidance

Terrible Punishment for Annoying the Neighbours

Terrible Punishment for Annoying the Neighbours

Another group of people, hurting whom is most sinful are neighbours. Annoying them is Harām and deserving of chastisement in the world and the hereafter.

An Ansar (emigrant) came to the Holy Prophet (S) and said that he has recently purchased a house in a particular area and that his nearest person was such that he had no hope of any goodness from him and that he felt unsafe from his mischief. The Messenger of Allah (S) told ‘Ali (a.s.), Salman, Abu Zar and Miqdad to go to the Mosque and announce: “He is not a believer whose neighbour is unsafe from his mischief.” They announced it thrice and then the Messenger of Allah (S) pointed towards forty doors to his right and forty to the left indicating that forty houses in every direction constitute ones neighbourhood. One is obliged to observe their rights.

(al-Kāfi Vol. 2 page 666)

 The following tradition is mentioned in the Mushaf of Fatemah Zahra (S):

“One who believes in Allah and the last day will not hurt his neighbour, he honours the guest and either he speaks good or remains silent.”

(al-Kāfi Vol. 6 page 667)

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says,

“One who does not behave well with his neighbours is not one of us.”

(al-Kāfi Vol. 2 page 668)

 The Messenger of Allah (S) says,

“Allah will deprive from the fragrance of Paradise one who hurts his neighbour. His abode shall be Hell and what terrible abode it is! And one who fails to fulfill the rights of a neighbour is not one of us. JibrÄ«l has emphasized so often on the rights of the neighbours that I thought they shall be included among one’s inheritors.”

(Wasa’il ul-Shia vol. 8 page 488)

 The Holy Prophet (S) has also said that one who annoys his neighbour and whose neighbour is not safe from his mischief will not be able to enter Paradise. The Prophet (S) said during the expedition of Tabuk,

“Those who cause harm to their neighbours should not accompany us.”

(Wasa’il ul-Shia)

 One day the companions told the Messenger of Allah (S) that such and such woman fasts during the day and prays during the night, gives alms but hurts her neighbour by her sharp tongue. The Holy Prophet (S) said,

“There is no virtue in this woman. She is from the inmates of Hell.”

Then the people said, “Such and such woman just prays the Wajib prayers and fasts during the month of Ramadhan but she never troubles her neighbours.” The Prophet (S) said,

“She is among those who deserve Paradise.”

The Messenger of Allah (S) said,

“There are Three categories of neighbours. First: one who has Three rights upon you. This is the one who is a Muslim and also a relative. Second: One who has two rights. A Muslim neighbour and third: The Kafir neighbour who has only the rights of a neighbour.”

(Mustadrak ul-Wasa’il)

 Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says,

“Accursed! Accursed is the one who hurts his neighbour.”

(al-Kāfi)

Imam (a.s.) also says that when Benjamin went away from Hazrat Yaqūb (a.s.) he said to Allah (S.w.T.): O Allah! You have not dealt with Mercy! That you have taken away my son and rendered me visually impaired. Allah revealed to him: If I have killed him I make alive once more and unite him to you. But you also recall the sheep that you had roasted for dinner while your neighbour had fasted and was in hunger. You did not give him anything.

(Mustadrak ul-Wasa’il)

 Another tradition says that after this it was the practice of YaqÅ«b (a.s.) to announce every morning through a caller within a radius of Three miles around his house that whosoever wanted breakfast can have it from his house and similarly in the evening it was announced that whosoever wanted dinner could have it from the house of YaqÅ«b (a.s.).

There are many more traditions dealing with this topic, but traditions already mentioned clearly indicate the extreme significance of the rights that neighbours have over us.

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