New Literature for a New Era

Neighborliness: A Concept that goes beyond Individuals

The concept of neighborly obligations in Islam transcends individuals and persons and provides the basis for defining mutual relationships between all kinds of entities based on physical juxtaposition.

In Islam, it does not matter if the neighbor is a global corporation, a local grocery store, a house, a school, a government office or a place of worship.

All these are entities that occupy physical space and they all must shoulder their obligations toward those that populate the space next to them, no matter what their shape, color or form.

In this sense, the mosque – the Muslim place of worship – has its own neighbors. And, inevitably, these neighbors would come in all shades of color, creed, character and commitment.

Some of these neighboring entities would be places of worship; others should be places of business; and some others would be places dedicated to fun and entertainment. Yet others would be dwellings for human beings, who, in a society like the United States or Canada, would reflect a mosaic of faiths and ethnicities.

The position of Islam is that to each one of them, the Muslim places of worship, through the members of the Muslim congregation, must pay their neighborly dues.

Mosques are houses dedicated to the worship of God, yet they are buildings constructed with lifeless material. As a result, Muslims, both as individuals and as a group, become responsible for making sure that the mosque’s neighborhood dues are paid.

And if a congregation does not do this, individual Muslim members of that congregation would become liable from both sides before Allah.

One, they will be answerable before Allah for the mosque neighbors, who, on Judgment Day, will complain to Allah for being neglected or abused by the Muslim congregation or jama’ah.

Two, they will be answerable before Allah for the mosques themselves that will complain to Allah on the Day of Judgment how the Muslim worshipers did not fulfill their obligations on their behalf.

So, the Muslims in every congregation or jama’ah have an obligation to reach out to their neighbors on behalf of both themselves and their mosques.

That means, they need to reach out to their neighbors with any act, gesture or word of kindness or concern that they can. But above all, they need to reach out to them with Qur’an, with hadith and with the message of Islam.

For, no kindness can be greater than introducing Islam and its wonderful teachings to non-Muslims.

And there is no better way to fight the anti-Muslim prejudice that is breaking out everywhere in the wake of the terrible events of the recent past.

It goes without saying, however, that the best and most powerful introduction to Islam is the way Muslims live and act, and not just the words that Muslims speak praising the virtues of Islam.

This includes the way Muslims maintain their mosques and mosque premises and neighborhoods.

In the ultimate analysis, it is not Muslims’ high-minded utterances that would provide the most convincing testimony in the minds of non- Muslims but Muslims’ actual deeds.

What would make a difference is also the condition in which the Muslims keep their mosques and mosque premises.

If the Muslims give to the non-Muslims the appearance of being a civilized, organized, successful, responsible and caring community, then in most instances the non-Muslims would attribute that to the effect of Islam on them.

If, on the other hand, the Muslims fall short on this score, the non-Muslims would, with considerable glee and with a knowing air, lay the blame for all this at the feet of Islam.

So also, if the mosques and mosque premises are kept clean, peaceful and free from trouble, noise and traffic congestion, then that would make the neighbors more open to the Muslim community as well as to Islam and its teachings.

If, on the other hand, the mosques and their premises are not kept clean, or if they are allowed to become a source of noise or traffic problems, then this would turn the neighbors not only against Muslims but also against Islam itself.

So Muslims must realize that their driving and parking habits in and around mosque premises would have a profound impact on the way non-Muslims view not just the offending Muslims but also Muslims and Islam in general.

What can the Muslims then do to reach out to those that live in the neighborhood of their mosques?

Here is an idea, and an action plan, which if followed with interest, tact, imagination and enthusiasm would bring great advantages to the Muslim as well as non-Muslim communities in any North American or European city, town, village or neighborhood.

The Muslims must hold an Open House for non-Muslims in their neighborhood mosques.

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