Be Kind to Your Neighbors

First Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, the Most Generous and Bestower of favors. He has commanded us to be kind to our neighbors. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. May Allah’s peace, blessings, and salutations be upon him, his family, his companions, and all who follow them in righteousness. To proceed:  I advise you, O servants of Allah, and myself, to have taqwa of Allah. Allah the Exalted has said: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ مُحْسِنُونَ﴾. Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good. O believers: There is a great bond and a strong tie, not one built on blood relations or lineage, but a connection that holds a high status with Allah. It is the relationship of neighborhood. This noble bond is one that our upright religion has given immense care and attention. Islam has encouraged us to uphold it, strengthen it, and fulfill its rights. Allah the Almighty says: ﴿وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ﴾. Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and be good to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, and the distant neighbor So, reflect, dear brothers, on how Allah, mentioned kindness to neighbors alongside kindness to parents and relatives highlighting the great status of the neighbor. And how could it not be so, when a neighbor is often the closest person to you in daily life, and among those you interact with most frequently? It is no wonder, then, that being good to one’s neighbor is a sign of true and complete faith. The Prophet ﷺ said: «وَأَحْسِنْ ‌إِلَى ‌جَارِكَ ‌تَكُنْ ‌مُؤْمِنًا». “Be kind to your neighbor, and you will be a true believer.” On the other hand, whoever mistreats their neighbor, this is a clear indication of weakness in their faith. Our Prophet ﷺ emphasized this in the strongest possible terms, saying: «وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ، وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ، وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ» By Allah, he does not truly believe! By Allah, he does not truly believe! By Allah, he does not truly believe! He was asked: Who, O Messenger of Allah?  He replied:    The one whose neighbor is not safe from his harm. «الّذِي لَا يَأْمَنُ جَارُهُ بَوَائِقَهُ» And He was asked: “What is his harm?” He ﷺ said:   “His evil.” «شَرُّهُ» O servants of Allah, The right of the neighbor is indeed great, and neglecting it is a serious matter. The trustworthy Angel Jibreel continued to visit the Messenger of Allah, repeatedly advising him about the neighbor, so persistently that the Prophet ﷺ said: «مَا زَالَ جِبْرِيلُ يُوصِينِي بِالْجَارِ، حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُ» Jibreel kept advising me about the neighbor until I thought he would make him an heir. Among the rights of the neighbor is that you greet them with peace, and meet them with a smiling face and cheerful demeanor, for the Prophet ﷺ said: «تَبَسُّمَكَ فِي وَجْهِ أَخِيكَ صَدَقَةٌ». Your smile in the face of your brother is a charity. If your neighbor invites you, respond to their invitation. Offer them gifts and accept theirs, for our Prophet ﷺ said: «تَهَادَوْا تَحَابُّوا». Give gifts to one another, and you will love one another. One of the ways to increase the happiness and harmony among neighbors is to gather in social settings, strengthening ties and reinforcing the bonds of neighborly relations. Such connections root love deeply and help build a society tied together by mutual affection and brotherhood.   Allah the Almighty says: . ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾. O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. I say this, and I ask Allah for forgiveness for myself and for you. So, seek His forgiveness, for He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. Second Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, who has promised Paradise and forgiveness to those who are kind to their neighbors. And may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah and the best of all creation, and upon his family, his companions, and all who follow them in righteousness. O believers, Good neighborliness is among the greatest causes of happiness. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «أَرْبَعٌ مِنَ السَّعَادَةِ: -وَمِنْهَا- الْجَارُ الصَّالِحُ»، “Four things bring happiness, -among them is- a righteous neighbor.” A good neighbor is also a reason for the stability of families and blessings in one’s life. Our Prophet ﷺ said: «صِلَةُ الرَّحِمِ وَحُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ وَحُسْنُ الْجِوَارِ؛ يَعْمُرَانِ الدِّيَارَ، وَيَزِيدَانِ فِي الْأَعْمَارِ». “Maintaining family ties, good character, and good neighborliness, these bring prosperity to homes and increase life spans.” So let us strive to be righteous neighbors. For the Prophet ﷺ said: «خَيْرَ الْجِيرَانِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرُهُمْ لِجَارِهِ». “The best of neighbors in the sight of Allah is the one who is best to his neighbor.” Being a good neighbor benefits a person in this world and will intercede for them in the Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ said: «مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَمُوتُ، فَيَشْهَدُ لَهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ مِنْ جِيرَانِهِ الْأَدْنَيْنَ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ عَنْهُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا؛ إِلَّا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: قَدْ قَبِلْتُ عِلْـــمَكُمْ فِيهِ، وَغَفَرْتُ لَهُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ» “No Muslim dies, and four of his closest neighbors testify that they know nothing about him except good, except that Allah says: ‘I have accepted your testimony and forgiven him for what you do not know.’” So, who is more fortunate than the one who treats their neighbor with excellence? Such a person will have their sins forgiven and will earn the love of their Lord. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «إِنْ أَحْبَبْتُمْ أَنْ يُحِبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ … فَأَحْسِنُوا جِوَارَ مَنْ جَاوَرَكُمْ». “If you want Allah and His Messenger to love you… then be good to your neighbors.” O you who have believed, ask Allah to confer blessing upon The Prophet and ask Allah to grant Him peace.  O Allah, be pleased with Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and all the noble Companions. O Allah, make us believers in You, devoted worshippers for Your sake, repentant and returning to You. Make us kind and good to our neighbors, and dutiful to our parents. Have mercy on them as they raised us when we were little. O Most Merciful of the merciful.  O Allah, forgive everyone who has dedicated an endowment (waqf) for Your sake, seeking only Your pleasure and the reward of Your Paradise. O Allah, continue to bless the United Arab Emirates with stability, progress, and prosperity. Grant us continued well-being, bless our provisions, our spouses, and our children. O Allah, grant success and guidance to the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, his deputies, his brothers the rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince, in all that pleases You. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and all the UAE’s founding leaders who have passed away. Admit them, by Your grace, into the vastness of Your Paradise. Envelope our nation’s martyrs with Your mercy and forgiveness. O servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Most Great and Glorious, He will remember you. Be grateful to Him for His blessings, and He will increase you. And establish the prayer.