Neighboring Rights

**Rights of Neighbors:** The neighbor has rights over his neighbor. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized the neighbor's rights to the extent that it was thought he would make him an heir. **Key Principles:** **1. Meeting Needs:** If a neighbor needs something from his neighbor that does not harm the neighbor to provide, the neighbor must fulfill his need - whether for compensation or without. **2. No Harm:** A person may not create in his property what harms his neighbor - like opening a window overlooking his house, or a factory that disturbs the neighbor with its sounds, etc. **3. Shared Wall:** If there is a shared wall between them, neither may dispose of it or place beams on it except out of necessity - like needing it for roofing. He should not be prevented from that. **Evidence:** - **Hadith:** "Let not a neighbor prevent his neighbor from fixing his beam in his wall" [Bukhari & Muslim] --- **Rulings on Pathways:** **1.** It is not permissible to inconvenience Muslims in their pathways. **2.** It is not permissible to create in one's property what encroaches on the pathway. **3.** It is not permissible to use a spot for parking one's animal or vehicle in the pathway of passersby. **4.** It is not permissible to throw garbage or rubbish in it, etc. - because removing harm from the pathway is a branch of faith.