Relations with non-Muslims - Teachings of the Prophet of Mercy(Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 Relations with non-Muslim neighbors

Exhortations to support and help neighbors and to treat them with kindness and consideration are of a general nature.  There is no discrimination between Muslim and non-Muslim neighbors in this regard.  Almighty Allah says:

وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ

And treat the parents with moral excellence and (do good to) relatives, orphans, the needy, the close as well as unacquainted neighbours.[1]

In the exegesis of this verse, ‘Allama Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad bin Ahmed Qurtubi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) is of the opinion that neighbors here means non-Muslims.

وقال نوف الشامي: (الجار ذي القربى) المسلم (والجار الجنب) اليهودي والنصراني قلت: وعلى هذا فالوصاة بالجار مأمور بها مندوب إليها مسلما كان أو كافرا، وهو الصحيح.[2]

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi about treatment of non-Muslim neighbors:

عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو ذُبِحَتْ لَهُ شَاةٌ فِى أَهْلِهِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ قَالَ أَهْدَيْتُمْ لِجَارِنَا الْيَهُودِىِّ أَهْدَيْتُمْ لِجَارِنَا الْيَهُودِىِّ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « مَا زَالَ جِبْرِيلُ يُوصِينِى بِالْجَارِ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُوَرِّثُهُ

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Imam Mujahid (May Allah be well pleased with him) that a goat was slaughtered in the house of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Aar (May Allah be well pleased with them).  When he arrived, he asked:  Did you send anything as a gift to my Jewish neighbour (He said it twice)?  I have heard the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saying:  Jibreel kept on bringing exhortations about treatment of neighbors, so much so that I thought he would declare the neighbor as a heir.[3] 

Imam Qurtubi says:  The scholars have said:  The Hadith about honoring neighbors don’t have any restrictions of any kind.  Non-Muslims are also included.