Be a good neighbour
Sura Nisa verse 4:36: And do good to parents, the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the near neighbour and the distant neighbour.
Reflection: Islam is all about honouring our vertical relationship with Him and our horizontal relationships with others. One of the categories of people whose rights we need to be mindful of are neighbours.
Islam considers forty homes around ours, in all four directions, as being neighbours and the verse specifies that we need to do good to both the near and the distant neighbours.
In other words, doing good should extend to the whole neighbourhood or community in which we live.
Why? Such a simple commandment that can greatly improve the quality of our lives and society as a whole. When we live in neighbourhoods that are strongly connected and secure, our daily lives are enhanced and our children benefit.
How? What does being a good neighbour mean to you? Are you careful of not being a nusiance? Do you watch out for their property in their absense or extend small courtesies to them?
Can you think of a few ways of reaching out to you neighbours during the month of Ramadan?
Possible barriers: lact of attention, time, busyness of life.
Living this verse: If we were living this verse, our neighbourhoods would be a place of connection and refuge. We would enjoy being part of communities where people cared for each other. We would have the village that it takes to raise children.
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