Neighbours and strangers: the cards as text

Akhlaq. Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review.

1. Card 1

   The angel Jibril spoke of neighbours so often, the Prophet thought they would inherit.

2. Card 2

   Almost an heir

   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.

3. Card 3

   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,

4. Card 4

   Lesson: The Qur'an names the neighbour, near or stranger, alongside parents and relatives.

5. Card 5

   Belief, measured next door

   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.

6. Card 6

   Lesson: In this hadith, belief shows in how a person treats the neighbour and the guest, and in how they speak.

7. Card 7

   The one who pushes the orphan away

   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.

8. Card 8

   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.

9. Card 9

   Lesson: In surah al-Ma'un, belief that never reaches the orphan and the poor is hollow.

10. Card 10

    Reflect: Who does the Qur'an list among those owed kindness?

    Answer: The near neighbour and the stranger next door. Both the near neighbour and the neighbour who is a stranger.

11. Card 11

    The end of Neighbours and strangers.

Read the full sheet or swipe the cards.