“Love thy neighbor” is a phrase that all religions preach, but do we really abide by it? We are so busy in our lives that sometimes we don’t even know who lives next door. How many of us have introduced ourselves to our neighbors? Have we ever inquired if they are sick or are in need of any assistance?
We hear stories and videos of neighbors fighting each other, verbally or sometimes physically. A neighbor can be anyone, not just someone who lives next door. They can be our colleagues at work, our classmates, passengers sitting next to us in a flight, etc.
My religion, Islam, lays great emphasis on safeguarding the rights of neighbors: “Show kindness to parents, and to kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and to the neighbor that is a kinsman and the neighbor that is a stranger, and the companion by your side, and the wayfarer, and those whom your right hands possess” (Ch.4:V.37). What a beautiful teaching!
Prophet Muhammad repeatedly stressed “that one will not enter paradise whose neighbor is not secure against his mischief.” Elaborating further on this, the worldwide spiritual leader of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad says, “See, how beautiful a teaching it is that shows kindness to everyone whether he is kind towards you or not. This is how you can create peace, love and harmony in the society and this also means that all the people residing in your vicinity, town, city or even country are your neighbors.”
Irfan Chaudhry
Sandy