Akhlaq
The people next door
The angel Jibril spoke of neighbours so often, the Prophet thought they would inherit.
3 min, Intro, Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
Part 1 of 3
The Prophet said the angel Jibril kept urging him about neighbours until he thought they would inherit. The Qur'an lists the near neighbour and the distant neighbour among those owed kindness.
Qur'an 4:36
۞ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـࣱٔاۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَٰنࣱا وَبِذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلۡجَارِ ذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡجَارِ ٱلۡجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلۡجَنۢبِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخۡتَالࣱا فَخُورًا ٣٦
36 Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with Him. Be kind to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, near and distant neighbors, close friends, wayfarers, and slaves whom you own. For Allah does not like those who are arrogant, boastful,
A long ayah: scroll within the card.
Lesson
The Qur'an names the neighbour, near or stranger, alongside parents and relatives.
Part 2 of 3
The Prophet tied belief to how people treat those near them: whoever believes in God and the Last Day should honour their neighbour, honour their guest, and speak good or stay silent.
Lesson
In this hadith, belief shows in how a person treats the neighbour and the guest, and in how they speak.
Part 3 of 3
The Prophet was himself an orphan, and the Qur'an returns to orphans again and again. Its short surah al-Ma'un says that denying religion looks like pushing away the orphan and not urging others to feed the poor.
Qur'an 107:1-3
أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ ١ فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يَدُعُّ ٱلۡيَتِيمَ ٢ وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ ٣
1 Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense? 2 Such is the one who repulses the orphan harshly, 3 and does not urge others to feed the needy.
Lesson
In surah al-Ma'un, belief that never reaches the orphan and the poor is hollow.
Reflect, just for you
Seen by lamplight. It gives more each time.
The angel Jibril spoke of neighbours so often, the Prophet thought they would inherit.