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Explanation of the Hadeeth: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day let him say

Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him say what is righteous or keep silent. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him be kind to his neighbor. And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him be generous to his guest.” [Saheeh Muslim]

Status of the Hadeeth

Ibn Hajar al-Askalani said: “This Hadeeth is unique. It contains categories of good actions that encompass the best conduct in tongue and deeds.”

This Hadeeth calls for dealing with others in the best possible manners, which in turn will lead to spreading love and goodwill between people. If members of the Muslim Ummah love each other, then unity, peace and tranquility will be widespread.

“...Let him say what is righteous or keep silent...”

Controlling the Tongue

Imaam Shafi’ee (rahimahullah) said about this part of the hadeeth: “This indicates that if someone wants to speak, let him weigh his words first. If no harm will result then speak. If he thought or doubted that harm will result, let him keep silent.”

Ibn Hajr said: “This Hadeeth encourages one to weigh his speech before he utters it. If he is sure that no evil, impermissible or discouraged results will be produced, then he can speak. And even if what he is going to say is permissible (not obligatory), then let him also think twice, for there may be a permissible speech that leads to evil or discouraged ends.”

Guarding the Tongue from all Haraam:

The Messenger of Allah said: “Most of the sins of the children of Adam are from the tongue.” [at-Tabaree. Authenticated by al-Haafidh al-mundhiri in al-Targeeb]

Abu Moosa al-Asharee (radhiallahu anhu) said: “O Messenger of Allah! Which of the Muslims are better? The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Those who do not harm the Muslims with their tongues and hands.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (1/10)]

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Those who guard what is between his jaws and legs, I shall guarantee him paradise.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (8/481)]

And: “The Imaan of Allah’s servant will not be upright until his heart is upright and his heart will not be upright until his tongue is upright.” [Musnad Ahmad]

Backbiting (Gheebah):

Allah says: “Do not backbite each other, would any of you wish to eat the flesh of your dead brother, no rather you hate it!” [Soorah al-Hujurat (49): 12]

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) once asked his companions (radhiallahu anhu): “Do you know what is backbiting?” They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.” He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “To mention about your brother that which he hates.” They said: “If that what we say about our brother is true?”

He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “If there is in him what you say about him then that is backbiting and if you say that which is not true then you have slandered him.” [Sunan Abu Dawood (3/4856)]

Once a woman visited Aa’ishah (radhi allahu anha) and when the woman got up to leave, Aa’ishah made a sign with her hand indicating to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), that the woman was short of stature.

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) immediately chastised her saying: “You have backbitten her.”

And in another narration: “You have said a saying that if mixed with the sea it would change its color.” [Sunan Abu Dawood (3/4856)]

Tale-Carrying (Nameema):

Allah says: “Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.” [Soorah al-Humaza: 1]

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “The Gossip-monger will not enter Paradise.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (8/82)]

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) passed by two graves and said: “They are being punished. As regards one of them then he used to go around gossip-mongering and as regards the other then he was not careful while urinating.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]

“...Let him be kind to his neighbor...”

Definition of a Neighbor:

The word neighbor covers both Muslims and unbelievers, religious and irreligious, friends and enemies, foreigners and fellow country-men, those who treat you well and those who do you harm, relatives and strangers, those whose house is near to your and those who are further away.

The best neighbor is the one who combines all the desirable qualities mentioned in the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). And the worst neighbor is he who combines all the undesirable qualities.

A righteous neighbor contributes to happiness. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Four things contribute to happiness: a righteous wife, a spacious home, a righteous neighbor and a comfortable means of transport. And four things contribute to misery: A bad neighbor, a bad wife, a cramped home and a bad means of transport.” [(Saheeh) Ibn Hibban - 1232]

Rights of Neighbors:

Neighbors enjoy rights over and above those enjoined by brothers in Islam, by the virtue of being a neighbor.

Allah says: “Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinfolks orphans, the poor who beg, the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the traveler and those whom your right hands posses. Indeed Allah does not like those who are of deluding and boastful.” [Soorah an- Nisa (4): 36]

Allah has made a strong connection between His rights and the rights of His slaves, including the rights of the neighbor, to demonstrate their importance. Thus, concern for neighbors is a religious duty, regardless of whether they are Muslims or unbelievers.

Aa’ishah (radhi allahu anha) narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Jibreel (alaihis-salaam) kept reminding me about the rights of the neighbor, until I thought that he is going to give him a share of inheritance.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

This Hadeeth advises and commands the Muslims to treat their neighbors righteously and with kindness, and to refrain from harming them in any way.

Neighbors fall into different categories. Some neighbors have more rights than others: -

(A) A Muslim neighbor who is also a relative. He has three rights: one as a Muslim, one as a relative and the last as a neighbor.

(B) A Muslim neighbor has two rights: one as a Muslim and the other as a neighbor.

(C) A neighbor who is not a Muslim has the rights as a neighbor. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer (1/748) and Ibn Hajr in al-Fath (10/442)]

Harming the neighbor is Prohibited!!:

Harming the neighbor is firmly prohibited. Muslims are not allowed to harm anyone, let alone their neighbors. Abu Shrayh narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “By Allah, he will not attain Imaan (and repeated his statement thrice).” He was asked: “Who, O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)!” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Whoever (has a neighbor and) his neighbor is not immune from his harm.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

Ibn Battal explains that this hadeeth, ‘Demonstrates the importance of keeping good relations with the neighbors, for the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) swore by Allah three times, al three times denying Imaan for whoever harms his neighbor by tongue or deed. It must be noted here that only perfect Imaan is being denied in this Hadeeth because the Aasi (a sinner - such as he who harms his neighbor) does not have perfect Imaan.” [Fath al-Baree]

Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad (radhiallahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Committing adultery with a neighbor’s wife is worse than committing adultery with ten women. Stealing from a neighbor’s home is worse than stealing from ten homes.” [Saheeh al-Jami]

Adultery is one of the evils that Allah has prohibited and had prescribed severe punishment for whoever commits it.

Being kind to the neighbors takes many forms, including giving them gifts, greeting them with Salaam, smiling at them, finding their needs and then trying to fulfill them and being most kind to the near neighbor.

Aa’ishah (radhi allahu anha) once asked the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam): “I have two neighbors. To whom should I gift.” He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “To the nearest” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “The best of friends, in Allah’s sight, is the one who is best to his friends, and the best of neighbors in Allah’s sight is the one who is best to his neighbor.” [(Saheeh) At-Tirmidhee (1944)]

Harming the neighbor may lead to Hellfire:

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu anhu): “A man asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)! There is a woman who prays, gives charity and fasts a great deal, but she harms her neighbor with her speech (by insulting them).’ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “She will go to Hell.” The man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)! There is (another) women who is well-known for how little she fasts and prays, but she gives charity from the dried yoghurt she makes, and she does not harm her neighbors.” He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “She will go to Paradise.” [Musnad Ahmad]

And: “No deed which harms a neighbor can be regarded as insignificant.” [(Hasan) at-Tabarani]

He also said: “… a man’s committing sins (Fitnah) with regards to his wife, his wealth, his children and his neighbor may be atoned for by prayer, fasting, giving charity and enjoining the good and forbidding the evil…” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]

Bearing the neighbor’s disturbances with Patience:

Narrated Abu Darr (radhiallahu anhu): “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “There are three whom Allah loves.. (one of them is) he who has a neighbor who disturbs him, but he puts up with the disturbance patiently, until they are separated by death or by one of them moving away.” [Musnad Ahmad (5/151)]

Do not eat your Fill while your Neighbor is Hungry:

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “He is not a believer, he who eats to his fill, whilst his neighbor besides him goes hungry.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (112)]

Narrated Aboo Darr (radhiallahu anhu): Who said: “My friend (i.e. the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)) advised me: “Whenever you cook some stew add some extra water to it, then look to some household in your neighborhood and look to them in kindness.” [Saheeh Muslim (143, 2625)]

In another report it says: “So you will have plenty for your family and neighbors.” [(Saheeh) Ibn Hibban (513), Ahmad (15/156)]

Advice to women - Not to scorn the gift of a Neighbor:

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “O Muslim women! No-one should scorn the gift of a neighbor, even if it is only a sheep’s foot.” [Saheeh Muslim (45, 72)]

Giving Charity to the Neighbor:

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Charity may not be given to a rich person, but it should be given to those who fight in the way of Allah, to the wayfarer, or to a poor neighbor, who may later give a gift or invite you to his home.” [Aboo Dawood (1635-6) and Ibn Majah (1841)]

Co-Operation with the Neighbor:

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (radhiallahu anhu): The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “None of you should prevent his neighbor from fixing wood against his walls.” [Bukharee and Muslim]

Narrated Aa’ishah (radhi allahu anha): “By Allah! We used to watch the new moon, three new moons in the space of two months and no fire (for cooking) was lit in the house of Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam).

The narrator said: “O Aunt! What did you live on?” She said: “The two black ones, dates and water. However, the Messenger of Allah had Ansari neighbors who kept livestock, they used to send some of its milk to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and he used to give it to us to drink.” [Bukharee and Muslim]

If your neighbor is guilty of a major sin, then he should not be left alone; but if he is committing the sin in secret, behind closed doors, then leave him and turn a blind eye to what he is doing, but if you can advice him in secret, then it is better to do so.

If he stubbornly persists in his evil ways then avoid him altogether, try to move to another neighborhood, because the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) sought refuge from bad neighbors in one’s permanent home.

If your neighbor is a Jew or a Christian, then treat him well, and do not disturb him. However, concerning those whose main concern is to accept the invitation of (Jewish and Christian) neighbor those who make friends with them and become too close to them, then Allah says: “You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers, their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred.” [Mujadilah: 22]

“...Let him be generous to his guests.”

This part of the Hadeeth emphasizes that being generous to the guest, is a part of Imaan and a kind of worship that brings one closer to Allah.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Hosting the guest shall last for three days and his gift is one more day and one more night. Whatever is beyond that, it will be an act of Sadaqah (charity by the host) to him (the guest).” [Saheeh Muslim]

1. The Prophet’s saying that after three days it is a Sadaqah, indicates that generosity to the guest before that is an obligation. The Hadeeth restricts the number of days of obligatory generosity to three days. After this period the guest must not stay, unless he knows that the host is willing to accommodate him.

2. The Host must prepare a meal and serve the food to the guests. Reasonable overspending is acceptable during the first day.

Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah r left (his house) one night and was met by Abu Bakr (radhiallahu anhu) and Umar (radhiallahu anhu).

He asked them: “What brought you out of your homes at this hour?” They both replied: “Hunger, O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)!

He said: “And I, by the One Who Owns my soul, left for the reason that you left yours, come.” And they left with him. They reached a house of a man from Al-Ansar (people of Madinah, who gave shelter and help to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)) but he was not at home.

When his wife saw the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), she said: “Greetings and welcome.” The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to her: “Where is Fulan (meaning: your husband)?”

She said: “He went out to bring us some water”. Later, the man came back and looked at the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and his two companions (radhiallahu anhuma) and said: “All thanks are to Allah, for tonight no person has a better company than I.”

The man then left and brought a branch of ripe and unripe dates, saying: “Eat this” Then he picked up the knife. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to him: “Avoid the Ewe.”

Then, the man slaughtered a sheep for them and cooked it. They all ate from the meat of that sheep and the dates and they also drank (water or milk).

After they were full and had satisfied their thirst, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to Abu Bakr and Umar: “By the One Who has my soul in His Hands, you will be asked about this delight on the Day of Resurrection. Hunger made you leave your homes, but you will return after you have indulged in this delight.” [Saheeh Muslim]

Thus the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) approved of this Ansari man’s generosity with his guests.

Similarly, Prophet Ibraheem (alaihis-salaam) was once visited by a company of angels, taking the shape of young men. He was most generous with them and he roasted a calf on hot stones for them:

“And verily, there came our Messengers to Ibraheem (alaihis-salaam) with glad tidings. They said: ‘Salaam’ He answered ‘Salam’ and he hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf.” [Soorah Hud (11): 69]

Imaan Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) said: “This verse contains some rules of hosting the guests, Ibraheem (alaihis-salaam) brought his food quickly, without even noticing them. He did not boast on them saying: ‘Do you require food?”.

Rather, he prepared and brought the food quickly and cooking the best of what he had - a young fat calf.

He then brought the food near them and did not leave it far, or ask them come closer to the food. Then he did not order them to eat, rather he politely said: “Would you eat.”

Thus, Ibraheem (alaihis-salaam) and his wife hosted their guests by themselves.

Benefits of the Hadeeth

1. Islam calls for every matter, deed and action that brings about and spreads love, goodwill and harmony in the Muslim society.

2. The tongue and what it utters are very dangerous. One may utter an evil word that angers Allah, not caring for the harm it brings, and as a result may fall in Hell.

3. This Hadeeth encourages the best behavior and conduct. It warns against bad behavior and ill conduct and discourages them.

4. This Hadeeth encourages the best treatment and demeanor while dealing with others

From ahya.org