Islam & Europe - Peace, Identity & Integration — Page 37
A BEACON OF LIGHT – SPREADING COMPASSION TO ALL 37 should be no reason for any of you to fear this mosque. Time and time again, Islam has laid great stress upon caring for one’s neighbours and fulfilling their rights. For example, where chapter 4, verse 37 of the Holy Quran calls on Muslims to show love and compassion to their parents and families, it also calls on them to fulfil the needs of the vulnerable members of society and special mention is made towards fulfilling the rights of one’s neighbours. Muslims are taught to love and protect their neighbours, whether they have personal relations with them or not, and to be ever ready to help them in their times of need. Furthermore, the definition of a neighbour in Islam is extremely vast. It includes a person’s work colleagues, subordinates and travel companions. It includes not only those people who live in the immediate vicinity but comprises the entire neighbourhood. Indeed, the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that a person’s neighbours include at least the forty houses around him. 3 Thus, it can be said that all the people of this city are the neighbours of this mosque or of people who worship at this mosque. Regardless of whether our neighbours are Muslims or non-Muslims, it is our religious duty to care for them, to fulfil their rights and to ensure we do not cause any problems or difficulties for them. This is not a favour on our part but our basic religious duty. In fact, the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that Allah the Almighty had emphasised the importance of discharging the rights of one’s neighbours so fervently to him that he began to think that perhaps they would be included amongst a person’s