“Angel Gabriel kept on enjoining the good treatment of neighbours to the extent that I thought that he would include neighbours as heirs.” (Narrated by Muslim)
My Neighbours Project, launched last month, is a response by the Islamic Forum of Europe to this hadith. Making full use of colourful, trendy graphics, MNP was launched seeking to create community awareness and promote the rights and responsibilities we all have as neighbours.
Did you know for example that a Muslim neighbour has a responsibility to initiate greetings and congratulate their neighbour at times of happiness? Did you know that the neighbour has a right (not just a privilege) to be visited when they fall sick? Did you know that safeguarding a neighbour’s privacy and being mindful of minimising noise that disturbs them is part of Islam?
The project which was launched on Monday 18thJuly in East London, featured a national program of interfaith talks, community clean-up projects, tea parties, mosque open days and even a soup kitchen. Its work featured on ITV news, which aired images of Muslims dligently cleaning up their local park and talking to the elderly. It also gained column inches in local press.
Just close your eyes for a moment and imagine a Britain where Muslims exemplified this Sunnah. Communities would feel safer, happier and more cohesive. Islamophobia could be utterly eradicated and best of all, Muslims would be creating their place in heaven. Let us revive this Sunnah and become the faith group that restores community to Britain.
For more information on the project and how to be a good neighbour visit www.myneighboursproject.org
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