Transcript Neighborhood

SOCIAL
CONCEPT OF
“NEIGHBOR” IN
ISLAMIC
TEACHINGS
OVERVIEW
Islamic teachings
 Definition of Neighbors in Islam
 Importance of Neighbors
 Helping and Sharing with Neighbors
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SACRED TEXT IN ISLAM
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Two main sources
 Koran
» God’s word
» Verses revealed to prophet Muhammad
(PBUH)
 Teachings of prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
» Prophet Muhammad’s explanations of verses
ISLAM = PEACE
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Love
Peace
Tolerance
ISLAM
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“Say, we believe in God and that which
has been revealed to us, and that which
was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael
and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes and
that which was given to Moses and
Jesus and to other prophets, from their
Lord. We make no distinction between
any of them, and to Him we submit.”
(The Family of Ìmrán/Al-Ìmrán 83)
MEANING OF LIFE
ACCORDING TO ISLAM
We stay in this life for a very short time
 After this world we will have an eternal life
 “The highest aim of creation and its most
important result is belief in God” – Said
Nursi
 “The most radiant happiness and sweetest
bounty for human beings is the love of
God” – Said Nursi
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ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIFE
There is nothing more enjoyable for us
than getting close to God
 “To those who do right is a fine
reward, neither dust nor shame shall
cover their faces. Those are the
companions of paradise, in it they shall
live for forever” (Jonah/Yunus 26)
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RIGHTS OF OTHERS
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According to Islamic teachings, God can forgive
all sins except the ones which are related to the
rights of others.
The rights of neighbors over one another.
(Nisa/Women 4 – 36) “Serve Allah, and join not
any partners with Him; and do good- to
parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need,
neighbors who are near, neighbors who are
strangers, the companion by your side, the way
farer (you meet), and what your right hands
possess: For Allah loves not the arrogant, the
vainglorious”
NEIGHBOR; “JAR”
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In Arabic “Jar”
believers and unbelievers,
 religious and irreligious,
 foreigners and fellow-countrymen,
 relatives and strangers,
 those whose house is nearer to yours and
those who are further away
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EXTENT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
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Al-Uza’I and Ibn Shihab (also Ibn Hajar,
(Buhari)) said: “Forty houses in each
direction, (right, left, front and back)”
Ali ibn Talib said: “Whoever hears the call
(for prayer) is a neighbor”
Some scholars said: “Whoever lives with a
man in a locality or a city is a neighbor”
(The Confederates/Al-Ahzáb 33:60)
CLOSEST NEIGHBOR
The closest neighbor is one’s spouse
 Narrated from Aise (RA), She asked:
“O messenger of God! I have two
neighbors, to which one of them
should I give a gift? Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) said; “To the
one whose door is nearest to yours.”
(Bukhari 6020)
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IMPORTANCE OF
NEIGHBORS
Narrated from Abu Hurayrah (RA),
Prophet Muhammad said; “Whoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day
should not harm his neighbor.”
 Narrated from Anas (RA), Prophet
Muhammad said; “By Him in Whose
hand is my soul, no man truly believes
until he loves for his neighbor what he
loves for himself.”
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IMPORTANCE OF
NEIGHBORS
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Narrated from Abu Hurayrah (RA),
Prophet Muhammad said; “Be Godfearing: you will be the best in worship
among the people. Be content with
your lot: you will be the most grateful
of people. Like for people what you
would like for yourself: you will be a
Believer. Treat your neighbor well:
you will be a Muslim”
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD
RELATIONS
Narrated from Abdullah ibn Amr, the messenger
of Allah (PBUH) said;
“The best of friends, in Allah’s sight, is the one who
is best to his friend; and the best of neighbors, in
Allah’s sight, is the one who is best to his
neighbor.”
 Narrated from the wife of prophet Muhammad
(SAV), Aise (RA), He (PBUH) said;
“Gabriel kept recommending me to treat my
neighbor well until I thought that he would tell me
to make him one of my heirs”
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DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE
ANY GOOD DEEDS
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Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated that
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All good deeds are important
Don’t underestimate any of them
Even smiling is not something unimportant.
(Tirmizi, Et'ime 30, (1834))
HELPING AND SHARING
WITH THE NEIGHBORS
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Narrated from Abu Dharr (RA)
Prophet Muhammad stated that:
“Whenever you cook some stew, add
extra water to it, then look to some
household in your neighborhood
and give it to them in kindness.”
(Muslim 2625)
JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN
NEIGHBORS
When the Prophet PBUH) was dying and
about to pass on to the next world, he
stated:
"I place in your trust the People of the
Book, the Christians and Jews."
 When 'Umar (RA) was in the throes of
death due to a dagger wound, he warned:
"I place the minorities among us in your
trust. Fear God regarding them and treat
them justly."
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SUMMARY
A healthy society can be established
only through healthy neighborhoods
 Education
 Schools and universities
 Seminars and conferences
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‫ا‬
َ
‫س ْب َحان ََك الَ ِعل َم لنَا ِإال َما‬
ُ
‫ا‬
َ
‫ا‬
َ
‫نَ ْللََ ِل ُم ْلل َح ِك ُم‬
َ
‫ك‬
‫ن‬
‫إ‬
‫َا‬
‫ن‬
‫ت‬
‫م‬
َ َ ِ ْ ‫عل‬
َ
Glory to You, of knowledge We have
none, save what You have taught us: In
truth it is You Who are perfect in
knowledge and wisdom.
(The Cow/Al-Baqarah 32)