Thursday, May 24, 2012

Jul 2007, Opinion-Editorial, printed in the Finger Lakes Times (NY)

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By Sardar Anees Ahmad
Waterloo, New York

For some time now, the Finger Lakes Times has graciously allowed a section of its newspaper to be devoted to delineating the basics of Islam and dispelling the various myths that surround the religion. To my pleasure, this blessing has also provided a platform for dialogue with our neighbors. On many occasions, neighbors of ours will visit and comment on that month’s submission for the newspaper. Aside from promoting healthy dialogue, the column has strengthened the relationship with our neighbors. Following an enjoyable discourse with a neighbor of mine, I wondered what attitude does Islam admonishes Muslims observe with their neighbors?

To begin with, Prophet Muhammad stated that belief in Allah and the Day of Judgment mandated one behave in an amicable manner with their neighbor. When his companions cooked broth, he instructed its contents be increased with some water so that their neighbor may also share in the meal. He instructed females to never look down upon the gift of their neighbor, even if it were the hooves of a sheep. He defined the rights of the neighbor as: “When he is sick you visit him; when he dies, you go to his funeral; when he is poor you lend him (money); when he is in need you protect him; when he is in happiness you congratulate him; when he is struck with a calamity, you condole him; do not raise your building above his to cut off the wind from him; do not harm him with the good smell of your food unless you let him have part of it.” Finally, he declared, “Angel Gabriel advised me continuously to take care of the neighbor until I thought that Allah would make him an inheritor (of my property).”

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (Ahmadiyyat) and claimant to the office of the Promised Messiah, emphasized that in Islam, a neighbor is also one’s classmate, co-worker, and he whom one is on journey with. He believed that if one employed servants, their needs must be meet and their children be educated. Lastly, he stated, “Whosoever deprives his neighbor of the very least good in his power, he is not of my community.”

Now, I admit that it is easy for anyone to declare such noble principles, as Shakespeare most astutely observed that even, “The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.” The real accomplishment is translating word into action. Accordingly, we find that a neighbor of Prophet Muhammad used to harm and insult Muhammad whenever the two met each other. On a particular occasion, some days passed without the man abusing the Prophet. Muhammad felt there must be some serious reason for the man’s absence, and paid the man a visit, finding him sick and prayed for his well being.

Of Hazrat Ahmad, it is recorded that his cousin, Nizam Din, was a bitter opponent of Ahmadiyyat. Ultimately, Nizam Din built a wall so Ahmad’s enemies would besiege him and to prevent Ahmad from seeing his followers. After some time, Ahmad sought legal recourse and the court ordered the wall be destroyed. When learning that the court had imposed all expenses on Nizam Din for the destruction of the wall, Ahmad rejected the ruling and personally undertook the entire financial burden.

While these accounts are heartwarming, Islam has stressed neighbor-neighbor relations for a far greater reason. Peace, the meaning the word ‘Islam’ literally bears, is the cause of causes, the ultimate aim of civilization. Islam recognizes that peace at large cannot be attained without peace first being established locally. If observed from the lowest rung of society, peace becomes contagious and spreads faster than the gravest biological disease or threat of warfare. To the reader then, I put forth this article as an antidote to curb the agitated state that persists in the world today and as some advice that will keep your neighbor neighborly

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