As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,
Allah, The Most High, commands us in His Quran to be good to our neighbours:
Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful. [4:36]
Whether our neighbours are Muslim or non-Muslim, they have rights over us. We must respect their privacy, refrain from gossiping about them or spying on them, and we should make sure that they are secure from both our tongues and our actions. When they are in need, we must share our food with them and shelter them from poverty. We should congratulate them on happy occasions and give them condolences on days of loss.
Yet, while we smile at our neighbours and share bowls of sugar with them, we fail to offer our non-Muslim neighbours the thing that they desperately need; Imaan in Allah.
How can we consider ourselves to be good neighbours without ever trying to save them from falling into the abyss? How can we consider ourselves to be good neighbours, if we are unwilling to share with them the joy of true belief in the oneness of Allah?
Invite your neighbours to Islam by giving them a copy of the Quran; the holy, illuminating, immutable, unmatchable and uncreated speech of the Almighty. Give others the chance to experience the contentment and delight that fills your heart when you read that sublime and glorious Kitab.
If they accept your invitation, congratulate them and welcome them into the Islamic brotherhood. If they reject your invitation, increase your kindness towards them and be content in the knowledge that you have been better than the best neighbour.
May Allah reward the pious callers to Islam, who show kindness and politeness to their neighbours.
