What is the ruling on not returning the greeting of peace to a neighbor, as a form of discipline, because he mocked me and called me an imbecile?
The rights of a neighbor are great in Islam, as Allah the Almighty says: "Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the neighbor next door, the distant neighbor, and the companion by your side" (An-Nisa: 36). And the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not harm his neighbor," and he also said: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother - or he said for his neighbor - what he loves for himself." Your neighbor ridiculing you is a sin that necessitates repentance, as Allah the Almighty says: "O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them" (Al-Hujurat: 11). And the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "It is enough evil for a person to belittle his Muslim brother. The whole Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his blood, his wealth, and his honor." You should not return evil with evil, but rather forgive and overlook, as Allah the Almighty says: "And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] with that which is better; then suddenly, he to whom enmity was between you and him will become as though he was a devoted friend" (Fussilat: 34). And it is permissible to shun him for only three days, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "It is not lawful for a Muslim to shun his brother for more than three days." Responding to a greeting of peace is obligatory, and abandoning it is a sin. We recommend forgiveness and overlooking in seeking Allah's pleasure, along with the possibility of gently admonishing the neighbor and reminding him of the rights of a neighbor.
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