Things One Can Do To Support Their Muslim Neighbors

Do you live in a colony or apartment complex? Or do you have a separate house? Either way, you must have neighbors or a neighbor. From which community do they belong? Are they of your race, ethnic group, or religion? If you are of the same race, ethnic group, or religion, then you must be able to understand each other since you both have the same culture. But what about having a neighbor of a different culture? Have you ever had a Muslim neighbor? Or do you have a Muslim Neighbor? If yes, have you ever tried to talk to them? Have you ever tried to share and learn about their culture? Or have you ever asked them whether they need your support and help?

These are the few things you can do to support your Muslim neighbors. This support can be emotional, mental, financial, or just being there for them when they need us.

First and foremost, for Muslims, offering prayer is mandatory. As a result, Muslims require a place to offer their prayers which is usually tricky for Muslims who move to a new country or place. If you get to know that they do not have a place to offer prayers, try to provide them with the space they require for the same. The place should be clean without any shoes nearby.

Secondly, sometimes, people struggle with basic things. Helping your neighbor or anybody is a good deed that makes you human. Remember to check on your neighbor and check whether they need food, clothes, or water to drink. Also, consider Muslims' food restrictions, such as halal food and no alcohol. Just take care, knowingly or unknowingly, that you do not offer alcohol or non-halal food when you help them with food. Moreover, whenever you donate clothes, make sure they are modest so they can wear them. The clothes will be of no use if they cannot wear them.

Thirdly, help your neighbors find their community or the ways to places. For example, let's say you got a new neighbor, and they know nothing about the locality, where to find the Mosque, or the people belonging to their community. If you could, help them by connecting them with their community; by telling them how to go to Mosque, market, or any place they would like to go. This way, they won't get lost in the new place and will have someone they could rely on.

The fourth thing you can do to support your Muslim neighbor is to celebrate Festivals together and learn about their culture. If you want to understand someone from a different culture than yours, try to learn about their culture, language, traditions, and customs. This initiative solves a lot of problems. You can avoid doing things that are not appropriate for them. There are a lot of festivals, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Zuha, and Shab-e-Barat that you can celebrate and have fun with.

Lastly, they have a shoulder to cry on and someone who could be there with them in their time of loss. Usually, people move alone where they have no one from their community. So, if you see or find that your neighbor is going through a loss or hard time, try being there for them.

So, supporting your neighbor who belongs to a Muslim community is not a difficult task. You only need to understand their needs and culture by finding a way to communicate with each other.