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Fatwa CenterHow to deal with bad neighbors
Question
Assalamu aleikum, My question is about neighbors.I live in an Islamic country so we should all know how to behave with our neighbors in a good manner. I have neighbors who play loud music or turn up their TV when they're watching series. I do not want to hear music or TV. When I ask them to turn it down, they grumble and do so, but next day it's the same story again. What should I do? Other neighbors come and ask for things, like sugar, flour, water, tea, etc. I don't mind giving something when they really need it, but they come so often that I wonder if they're not making use of me... How should I act? JazakAllahu khair
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The texts of the Quran and the Sunnah advocate being kind to the neighbor, knowing his right and repelling harm off him. Allaah Says (what means): {Worship Allaah and associate nothing with Him and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away,…} [Quran 4:36]
Moreover, ‘Aa’ishah 
and Ibn ‘Umar 
narrated that the Prophet said: '' 'Jibreel kept recommending treating the neighbor with kindness until I thought that he would assign a share of inheritance for him (i.e. make the neighbor inherit from his neighbor).’" [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Besides, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: “I swear by Allaah that he is not a (true) believer, I swear by Allaah that he is not a (true) believer, I swear by Allaah that he is not a (true) believer." The companions 
asked: "Who is it, O Prophet of Allaah?” He said: "The one whose neighbor is not safe from his evil." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Therefore, if the situation is as you mentioned that some of your neighbors disturb you with the noise of music and TV, then they are mistreating their neighbors, and so they are doing what angers Allaah, The Almighty, The Compeller. However, we advise you to be patient with them and admonish them in a nice and gentle manner and supplicate Allaah to guide them. If it is possible to complain about them to some rational people in your area whom they might fear and obey, then do so.
As regards those who ask you for things too much, then they should not act in that manner, and this is prohibited unless they are in necessity. The Prophet said: ''If one of you keeps begging of people, he would meet Allaah (on the Day of Judgment) in a state that his face will be without a shred of flesh.” [Muslim]
Furthermore, the Prophet said: ''Whoever begs people to increase his riches, then he is indeed asking for live coal, so let him decrease it or increase it.” [Muslim]
Hence, if it is not possible to give such people every time, then one should refrain from giving them in a gentle manner and with good words.
Allaah Knows best.
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