World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace — Page 130
130 been properly established for women. Furthermore, Islam gave women the right to inherit at a time when women were deemed to have no status or worth. This right has also only been granted to the women of Europe in relatively recent times. Islam also imparts a right to one’s neighbours. The Qur’an gives detailed guidance about who constitutes your neighbour and what their rights are. Neighbours include those who sit next to you, the houses nearby, including those who you know and even those who you do not know and, in fact, it encompasses the forty houses surrounding you. Also included as your neighbours are those with whom you travel and so we are commanded to take care of them. This right was emphasised so much that the Holy Prophet sa said he thought that perhaps neigh- bours would be included amongst the prescribed heirs. In fact, the Holy Prophet sa went as far as to say that a person from whom his neighbour is not safe cannot be classed as a believer or a Muslim. Another commandment of Islam for the well-being of others requires all parties to help and support one another in fulfilling the duty to help the weak and vulnerable rise and improve their status. Thus, in order to fulfil its role and to implement these teachings, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam a ‘at is providing primary and higher education in poor and deprived parts of the world. We are building and running schools, providing stipends and funding scholarships for higher education so that those who are deprived can get to a position where they are able to stand upon their own two feet. Another commandment of Islam is that you must fulfil all of your pledges and covenants. This includes all promises that you make with one another and also requires that a Muslim must fulfil