Loving/Helping Neighbours/Colleagues and their Rights

Peace and blessings of Almighty be upon you!

It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one's neighbor. ~ Eric Hoffer

It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when you lose your own. ~ Harry S. Truman

Jesus(pbuh) said, "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, / Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

"I have two neighbours, to which of them should I send a present?''

Prophet (PBUH) replied, "To the one whose door is nearer to you". [Bhukari]

"He who believes in Allah and the Last Day
let him not harm his neighbour;
let him show hospitality to his guest;

let him speak good or remain silent" [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The success of a farmer………..

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:  'The best friend in the Sight of Allah is he who is the well-wisher of his companions, and the best neighbor is one who behaves best towards his neighbors.'Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 311 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar


Rights of Neighbours in Islam There was a farmer who grew superior quality, award-winning corn in his farm. Each year, he entered his corn in the state fair where it won honors. & Prizes.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew his corn. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" The reporter asked. "Why brother"

'the farmer replied, "Didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen grains from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior, sub-standard & poor quality corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I have  to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors to grow good corns."

The farmer gave a superb insight into the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbors' corn also improves. So it is in the other dimensions and areas of life!

Those who choose to be in harmony must help their neighbors and colleagues to be at peace. Those who choose to live well must help others live well. The value of a life is measured by the lives it touches...

Success does not happen in isolation; it is most often a participatory and collective process. So share the good practices, ideas and new knowledge with your family, friends, team members and neighbors & all. As they say: "Success breeds Success."

Allah, the Exalted, says:
"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.'' (4:36)

303. Ibn `Umar and `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Jibril (angel Gabriel) kept recommending treating neighbours with kindness until I thought he would assign a share of inheritance".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:  This Hadith illustrates the importance of nice treatment to neighbours in Islam.

304. Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) commanded me thus, "O Abu Dharr! Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and and give some of it to your neighbours".
[Muslim].
    In another narration of Muslim, narrated Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him): My friend, (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) advised me saying, "Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and give some to your neighbours and then give them out of this with courtesy.''
Commentary:  This Hadith makes it clear that Islam does not like a Muslim to ignore his poor neighbour and eat up everything himself. It stresses that one must take care of his poor neighbours. If a person is not in a position to do more, he should at least add some water in the broth he cooks for his own food and send a portion of it to his deserving neighbour. It leads us to the conclusion that a Muslim should in no case be unmindful of his neighbour and if he is well-to-do, he should be all the more charitable to his neighbours.

305. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer.'' It was asked, "Who is that, O Messenger of Allah?'' He said, "One whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Another narration of Muslim is: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He will not enter Jannah whose neighbour is not secure from his wrongful conduct".
Commentary: This Hadith reveals that hurting or troubling a neighbour is such a serious offence that it causes Allah's Wrath, and thus punishment in Hell.

306. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "O Muslim women! No one of you should consider insignificant (a gift) to give to her neighbour even if it is (a gift of) the trotters of a sheep".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith means that neighbours should present gifts to each other. The rich men and the poor according to their means. One who is poor should not think that what he is presenting to his neighbour is not worthy of giving. Even his humble gift, provided it is presented with sincerity, will find acceptance with Allah. According to the Noble Qur'an: "So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an ant (or a small ant) shall see it.'' (99:7)
It is, however, better for a rich person to present a gift which goes well with his means. He should not give anything to his neighbour which is stale or which he does not like for himself because apart from insincerity, such a thing shows his contempt for the neighbour while gift is, in fact, a token of sincerity and brotherhood.

307. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "No one should prohibit his neighbour from placing a peg in his wall". Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) added: Now I see you turning away from this (Sunnah), but by Allah, I shall go on proclaiming it.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:  The importance of the injunction contained in this Hadith comes into prominence in localities comprising huts and tents, or at places where the two neighbours still have common walls between their houses. (In big cities each house has its own independent walls.) In any case, it is evident from this Hadith that a Muslim should be considerate of his neighbours. Islam ordains us to co-operate and sympathize with them. All Muslims are likened to a body each organ of which is linked with the other. In the light of this injunction, one can very well understand the rights of the neighbours in Islam.

308. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day let him not harm his neighbour; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day let him show hospitality to his guest; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day let him speak good or remain silent".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith unfolds the fruits of Faith. One who does not have the qualities mentioned in it, is deprived of the blessings of the Faith. Faith of such a person is like a fruitless tree, or a flower without fragrance, or a body without soul.

310. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: I said, "O Messenger of Allah (PBUH), I have two neighbours, to which of them should I send a present?'' He (PBUH) replied, "To the one whose door is nearer to you".
[Al-Bukhari]
Commentary:  When a Muslim does not have the means to present gifts to his neighbours and wants to present a gift only to one of them, he should go by the principle laid down in this Hadith. The principle enunciated here is: "One who is the nearest neighbour, should have precedence over all others.''

311. `Abdullah bin `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The best of companions with Allah is the one who is best to his companions, and the best of neighbours to Allah is the one who is the best of them to his neighbour".
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: Companion is a common word which covers companions in journey and stay. Muslims are ordained to treat all of them nicely. But one's neighbour has precedence over others. Nice treatment to him is the best means to attain a distinctive place with Allah.
 

Protecting spirit of Quran & Sunna - Let's Stand up against blasphemy laws/Oppression

Protecting spirit of Quran & Sunna - Let's Stand up against blasphemy laws/Oppression

Quran 4:75 And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the Cause of Allah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help."

It is most certainly a duty of all human beings to help each other from oppression and injustice. This is what Islam teaches. ......Commenting on verse Abdullah Yusuf Ali writes:
To fight in the cause of Truth is one of the highest forms of charity.

"Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too"

"Reality of this life is that only an handicap understands the feelings of an handicap, or a victim for avictim or an oppressed for an oppressed, Noone really bothers to put himself in other's shoes to understand other's feelings"
here is an evidence ...



It would be impossible for a divine Revelation and definitive reasoning/intellect to contradict each other, and if, hypothetically, such a conflict were to arise, it would be illogical to term it as a divine Revelation.

Scientific and religious knowledge are correlated. When understood/applied in the right context with wisdom and open mindset, it can alleviate miseries from the nation, however on the flip/reverse/extreme side, it just leads to ever-increasing oppression, miseries and curses!

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."

"It is essential that justice be done, and it is equally vital that justice not be confused with revenge, for the two are wholly different."

"Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.

"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom."-- Charles H. Spurgeon

When one abuses the Prophet of Islam, it is most probably due to some kind of provocation. Without provocation, this kind of negative attitude is extremely unlikely. - Maulana Wahiduddin Khan...

Imam Abu Hanifa said “non muslim will not be killed on the basis of shatam-e-rasool. The crime of shirk that he is already committing, that in itself is a much bigger crime". This was narrated by Imam Khatabi in his book Ma`alim al-sanan `ala sunan Abi Dawud

‘Imam Abu Hanifa believes that a non muslim Shatam-e-Rasool (the one who commits blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad PBUH) will not be killed in punishment.” – Assarim al Maslool – Ibn e Taymiyyah...
http://aug.org.pk/?p=39

According to Islam, blasphemy is simply a misuse of freedom and not a cognisable offence; the blasphemer is not liable to incur legal punishment. This kind of law has no basis in Islamic scriptures. If someone uses abusive language against the Prophet, Muslims must take it as a case of misunderstanding, and then try to remove this misunderstanding.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Blasphemy-and-the-Islamic-way/articleshow/7248000.cms

 Also read

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\02\story_2-12-2010_pg3_2

Blasphemy laws: what does the Quran say? —Dr Mohammad Taqi

 *****************

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC1103-4546

From

There is nothing in the Quran or the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad justifying the killing of people for opposing, criticizing, humiliating or showing irreverence toward holy personages, religious artifacts, customs and beliefs of Islam.

The Quran says:...If anyone kills a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all people. And if anyone saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all people" (Qur'an 5:32).

"Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance. Thus We have made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did. [Quran 6:108]

"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you ridicule others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women ridicule others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong. [Quran 49:11]

"Those who avoid the greater crimes and shameful deeds, and, when they are angry even then forgive;" [Quran 42:37

]If blasphemy was punishable by death in Islam, then the Prophet would have been the first one to order the killing of hundreds of his foes who later became his closest companions. With the exception of a very few earlier Arabs who accepted the Prophet as the messenger of Allah, the majority of people of Makkah opposed him, humiliated him, cursed or blasphemed him or even tried to kill him, yet he preferred to practice forgiveness and to seek the divine mercy for them.

The old woman who used to throw garbage on the Prophet was visited by him when he learnt that she was not well. When Suhail bin Amr, a poet who composed poetry ridiculing the Prophet was taken as a prisoner of war after the battle of Badr, the Prophet asked his companions to show kindness to him. There are examples after examples that show the Prophet never resorted to violence against those who were showing even the most utter disrespect to him.

The assassination of a Pakistani Christian cabinet minister for speaking against the blasphemy law is a stab in the heart of Islam and a humiliation of the Prophet by those who claim to be his followers. Those who are supporting his killing or similar actions are the worst enemies of Islam who neither understand Islam nor respect the Prophet . No matter who they are, they must be challenged on the basis of the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet .

Unfortunately, their argument is built on a position that is supported by a good number of Muslim religious scholars all over the world that demand death for acts of apostasy and blasphemy, two of the practices that were developed under the influence of corrupt despotic Muslim rulers who misused their power to twist religious scholarship to serve their political interests.

The idea of blasphemy is foreign to Islam. It was justified by many medieval Muslim scholars on the basis of their understanding of Christian and Jewish texts supporting laws against those who blaspheme and vilify their religions.

The word "blasphemy" came via Middle English blasfemen and Old French blasfemer and Later Latin blasphemare meaning "I injure." Based on this definition, rulers used laws to victimize non-members of and dissident members of the ruling sect or cult. Countries that had a state religion used it often to serve the interests of the rulers. In Judaism, the third book of Torah, Leviticus 24:16 states that those who speak blasphemy shall surely be put to death. The seven laws of Noah seen by Judaism as applicable to all of humankind prohibits blasphemy.

In Christian theology, the Gospel of Mark 3:29, describes blaspheming the holy spirit as unforgiveable eternal sin. Thomas Aquinas considered blasphemy a major unforgiveable sin, more grave than murder. The Book of Concord describes it the greatest sin ever committed. The Baptist Confession of Faith calls it a disgusting and detesting act. Catholic Church has specific prayers and devotions as Acts of Reparation for blasphemy against God and the Church was a crime punishable by death in much of the Christian world. In England, the last blasphemy execution, was that of an 18-year-old Thomas Aikenhead who was executed for the crime in 1697. He was prosecuted for denying the accuracy of Old Testament and the legitimacy of Christ's miracles.

The Quran and the authentic teachings of the Prophet describe the practice of showing irreverence to God and his messenger as acts of ignorance, deliberate provocation or hatred. Yet the two sources of Islamic guidance never proposed punitive action on the basis of theological dissent or religious differences or irreverence.

Some Muslim jurists, have, often misused the institution of ijtihad to serve the emotive interests of the people. The fatwa or religious decree issued by Khomeini proposing murder of Salman Rushdie was a personal opinion with no support from the divine guidance.

The "Islamic Republic of Pakistan" also has in its penal code laws that prohibit and punish blasphemy against Islam ranging from a fine to death. The Criminal courts often decides a case of blasphemy on the basis of public emotions and political interests rather than the divine writ. Following are some of Pakistan's Criminal Code regarding blasphemy:

Code 295 forbids damaging or defiling a place of worship or a sacred object. Code 296A forbids outraging religious feelings.
Code 295 B forbids defiling the Quran. Code
295 C forbids defaming Prophet Muhammad .
As per above, Defiling the Quran in punishable by imprisonment for life and defaming Prophet Muhammad by death.With or without a fine none of these codes have any basis in the Quran or the authentic teachings of the Prophet . It is a position that many scholars adopted under the influence of despotism that prevailed in the Muslim world for centuries and still prevails in many countries. This position is rarely challenged by those who claim to have knowledge of the Quran and Sunna. Often, they use their religious authority to suppress debate on the issue.

The tyranny of religious scholars is so intense that those opposed to these laws are condemned as non-Muslims punishable by death. Some of the scholars even encourage their followers to unleash reign of terror against such people and their families. Their arrogance has reached a point that they do not want to listen to any argument based on the Quran and the teachings of the Quran. The religious and educational institutions of the Muslim world suffer from the tyranny of these scholars who justify their ignorance and arrogance on the basis of a literature that emerged at a time, when Muslims had lost connection with the Quran and by and large were at the mercy of autocratic rulers and their hired religious scholars.

The un-Quranic and un-Prophetic practices adopted by many Muslims scholars must be challenged. Islam is not the monopoly of self imposed scholars. It is the responsibility of all who profess to be Muslims to understand their faith sincerely in light of the Quran and authentic Sunna and keep their scholars true to the religion with out any political and self interest. Those who assume the divine role in condemning people and deciding their life and death must be challenged and what better way than to seek the repelling of blasphemy law in light of the Quran and Sunna.

If Muslim religious scholars are seriously concerned about the sensitivities of people with regards to their faith and its holy figures, then they should advocate common laws for every religion and religious community emphasizing that respect must be shown to all religions and freedom of speech must NOT be seen as a license to hurt and provoke others.

It is time that Muslim scholars from all over the world revisit issues such as blasphemy and apostasy in the light of the Quran and Sunna rather than falling victim to positions that can not be substantiated by the divine writ.
Dr. Aslam Abdullah is editor in chief of the weekly Muslim Observer and director of the Islamic Society of Nevada.