Abu Hurayra said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, 'Messenger of Allah! A certain woman prays in the night, fasts in the day, acts and gives sadaqa, but injures her neighbours with her tongue.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'There is no good in her. She is one of the people of the Fire.' They said, 'Another woman prays the prescribed prayers and gives bits of curd as sadaqa and does not injure anyone.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'She is one of the people of the Garden.'"
The Gravity of Harming Neighbors
This profound narration from Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 119 reveals how a single sin—harming neighbors with one's tongue—can nullify numerous acts of worship. The first woman engaged in exceptional voluntary worship: night prayers (tahajjud), daytime fasting (beyond Ramadan), and abundant charity. Yet her verbal abuse of neighbors rendered these deeds spiritually ineffective.
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that harming others, particularly neighbors, violates the rights of Allah's creation (huquq al-'ibad). Such violations are not forgiven merely through acts of worship between the servant and Allah. The Prophet's severe declaration "She is one of the people of the Fire" emphasizes that rights of creation must be settled before Divine forgiveness can be attained.
The Superiority of Good Character
The second woman performed only obligatory prayers and gave modest charity (bits of curd), yet she secured Paradise. This demonstrates that preserving others from harm outweighs supererogatory worship. Imam Al-Nawawi comments that protecting people from one's tongue is among the greatest good deeds (hasanat).
Scholars note that the Prophet didn't mention this woman fasting because her essential quality was avoiding harm. Her modest charity from simple provisions indicates sincerity (ikhlas) rather than quantity. The contrast teaches that spiritual excellence lies in combining worship with exemplary character, particularly with those closest to us—our neighbors.
Practical Implications for Muslim Conduct
This hadith establishes that neighborly rights are among the most emphasized social obligations in Islam. Verbal harm includes backbiting (ghiba), slander (buhtan), insulting, and any speech causing distress. Scholars classify neighborhood rights as: not harming them physically or verbally, bearing their occasional annoyance patiently, visiting them when sick, and sharing in their joys and sorrows.
Imam Al-Ghazali states that the true measure of faith is how one treats those who cannot benefit them in return. The neighborhood represents the first circle of social testing ground for one's character. A Muslim must therefore prioritize good conduct with neighbors alongside worship, recognizing that rights of creation are inseparable from rights of the Creator.