. IÚ IÛJ ':?Ü?I Iljj ,H c.,tÝ (cont.)

However, this interpretation seems to go beyond the well-known and understood meaning of the word. [Al-Ubaid was quoted in Abdullah al-Jarallah, Tadhkeer al-Abraar bi-Huqooq al-Jaar (Riyadh: Dar al-Samee', n.d.), p. 15.] Hadith #15: "Whoever believes in Allah should ... " perform in Allah's command [in the verse to be quoted shortly].1 The Quran and sunnah place great emphasis on treating one's neighbor well. Indeed, in the following verse, the order to treat neighbors well comes shortly after the command to worship Allah alone: .,. .,. J,,., .J. ࡏJ.ll l>੒J Č; ič'.JJĎj 1i'"_:;M ੑ i_,s' ;Ҍ-Ji -gj I iJ:y:ij I-->-\ 3I/ I WI/ I / '"'.ii WI/ . / ) . J Ï J _ J ,,. ,,. ,,. ,,. ,,,. "Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor who beg, the neighbor who is a near of kin, the neighbor who is a non-relative, the companion by your side, the wayfarer [you meet], and what your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful" (al-Nisaa 36). In this verse, Allah has combined His rights over His servants with the servants' rights over each other. Among the servants, a person must treat the following five classes especially well: (1) those that are related to him, especially his parents; (2) those who are weak and in need; (3) those with whom he mixes and sees on a regular basis, such as neighbors; (4) those who come upon a person on a temporary basis, such as a wayfarer; and ( 5) the slaves that one possesses. In this last category, some of the Salaf also included what one possesses of animals. 2 There is a difference of opinion concerning the meaning of the words .p_;ill c.S:i .J4JI and yi.,JI .J4-ll. Khan and al-Hillali have translated these phrases as, "neighbor who is a near of kin," and, "neighbor who is a stranger," respectively. 3 One of the interpretations is that the first phrase means a neighbor who is also a relative while the second phrase means a neighbor who is not a relative. This is the majority opinion. Another interpretation is that the first phrase means a neighbor who is close in physical proximity while the second phrase means neighbors who are further away. Yet a third interpretation says that the first phrase means a neighbor who is a Muslim while the second 1 Abu Bakr al-Jazaairi, Minhaaj al-Muslim (Beirut: Daar al-Fikr, 1992), p. 107. 2 Ibn Rajah, Jami, vol. 1 , p. 346-348. 3 Muhammad al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan, Interpretation of the Meanings of the Noble Quran in the English Language (Riyadh: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, 1993), p. 128. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi phrase refers to non-Muslim neighbors.1 A fourth interpretation is that the first phrase means one's wife2 while the second phrase means one's companion while traveling. 3 In any case, the scholars have concluded that there are three types of neighbors: (a) a neighbor who is also a relative and a Muslim. This type of neighbor has three types of rights over the person (that of being a neighbor, a relative and a brother Muslim). (b) a neighbor who is not a relative but is a Muslim. This neighbor has two types of rights over the person. ( c) a neighbor who is neither a relative nor a Muslim. This neighbor only has the right of a neighbor, and none other.4 The Shareeah Definition of Neighbor Before mentioning other hadith about the importance of treating one's neighbor well, the shareeah definition of "a neighbor" should be given. The jurists have differed concerning the exact definition of "neighbor." One opinion is that a person's neighborhood extends forty houses in each direction. This was the opinion of al-Hasan, al-Zuhri and al-Auzaai. According to the Shafi' ees, it is the correct opinion and most of the Hanbalis also hold this opinion. A second opinion is that one's neighbors are only those whose houses are adjoining, either from the back or front. This was the view of Abu Hanifah and his student Zufar. This is also the view of the Malikis. Some add the house that is facing a person's house. A third opinion is that it is the adjoining houses and others in an area, all of whose inhabitants prayer in the same mosque. This was the opinion of Abu Yusuf and Muhammad of the Hanafi school. It is also an opinion held by some of the Malikis. A fourth opinion is that the term refers to everyone who lives in a district or a city. A fifth opinion is that it refers to a person's tribe. Qataada even stated that it refers to one or two houses next to a person. In his master's thesis, Abdul Rahmaan Faayi reviewed all of the above opinions and the evidences presented for them. He found that their evidences were lacking. Indeed, many times those opinions were based on weak hadith. Faayi's conclusion is the opinion of ibn Qudaamah, the Hanbali jurist and Sideeq Hasan Khan.