Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (9/249)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

Thus, a neighbour has rights. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honour his neighbour.” (1) He also said: “By Allah, he does not believe; by Allah, he does not believe; by Allah, he does not believe.” They asked, “Who, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “The one whose neighbour is not safe from his harm.” (2) That is, from his transgression and injustice. The Prophet ﷺ also said: “Gabriel continued to urge me concerning the neighbour until I thought that he would make him an heir.” (3)

Let us examine ourselves: have we fulfilled the rights of neighbourliness?

The answer is that most people are heedless of this right and do not consider the neighbour to have any right. But this is mistaken. What one ought to do is maintain ties with one’s neighbour in the manner required by the circumstances and by people’s customary practice; he should withhold his harm from his neighbour, extend goodness to him, and refrain from evil towards him. The Prophet ﷺ even said: “When you cook broth, add plenty of water to it and be mindful of your neighbours.” (4)

Among the things from which one must refrain in relation to one’s neighbour is allowing the branch of one’s tree to extend into another person’s airspace or onto his land.

The land is the ground, while the airspace is that which lies above the ground. Thus, if a branch

(1) Reported by Bukhari in the Book of Good Manners, chapter: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor” (6019), on the authority of Abu Shurayh al-Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him); and by Muslim in the Book of Faith, chapter: “Encouragement to honor one’s neighbor and guest” (47), on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). (2) Reported by Bukhari in the Book of Good Manners, chapter: “The sin of one whose neighbor is not safe from his harm” (6016), on the authority of Abu Shurayh (may Allah be pleased with him). (3) Reported by Bukhari in the Book of Good Manners, chapter: “Enjoining good treatment of one’s neighbor” (6014); and by Muslim in the Book of Good Manners, chapter: “The injunction to treat one’s neighbor well and show kindness to him” (2624), on the authority of Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). (4) Reported by Muslim in the Book of Good Manners, chapter: “The injunction to treat one’s neighbor well and show kindness to him” (2625 [142]), on the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him).

فالجار له حق حتى أن النبي ﷺ قال: «من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم جاره» (١)، وقال: «والله لا يؤمن، والله لا يؤمن، والله لا يؤمن، قالوا: من؟ قال: من لا يأمن جاره بوائقه» (٢)، أي: تعديه وظلمه، وقال النبي ﷺ: «ما زال جبريل يوصيني بالجار حتى ظننت أنه سيورثه» (٣). ولننظر في أنفسنا نحن، هل قمنا بحق الجوار؟ الجواب: أكثر الناس في غفلة عن هذا الحق، ولا يرون أن للجار حقّاً، ولكن هذا خطأ، فالذي ينبغي للإنسان أن يواصل جاره بحسب ما تقتضيه الحال وطبيعة الناس، وأن يكف شره عن الجار، يعطيه من الخير ويكف عن الشر، حتى قال النبي ﷺ: «إذا طبخت مرقة فأكثر ماءها وتعاهد جيرانك» (٤). ومن الأشياء التي يجب أن تُكَفَّ عن الجار،، إذا حصل غصن شجرته في هواء غيره أو قراره. القرار الأرض، والهواء ما فوق الأرض، فإذا حصل غصن

(١) أخرجه البخاري في الأدب/ باب من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فلا يؤذ جاره (٦٠١٩) عن أبي شريح العدوي ﵁ ومسلم في الإيمان/ باب الحث على إكرام الجار والضيف … (٤٧) عن أبي هريرة ﵁. (٢) أخرجه البخاري في الأدب/ باب إثم من لا يأمن جاره بوائقه (٦٠١٦) عن أبي شريح ﵁. (٣) أخرجه البخاري في الأدب/ باب الوصاءة بالجار (٦٠١٤)، ومسلم في الأدب/ باب الوصية بالجار والإحسان إليه (٢٦٢٤) عن عائشة ﵂. (٤) أخرجه مسلم في الأدب/ باب الوصية بالجار والإحسان إليه (٢٦٢٥) (١٤٢) عن أبي ذر ﵁.