What are the duties of people towards their nation according to Islam?

Dear Brother / Sister,

This is a many-sided subject. We will herein deal with some aspects briefly.

Islam has been sent to provide both worldly happiness and happiness in the hereafter. People’s love for each other and their being in solidarity is one of the main conditions of the worldly happiness. A person’s remembering and mentioning the name of Allah and overcoming his solitude, his solidarity with himself and then solidarity in the family within the framework of the duties and rights Islam defined and after that, solidarity with close and distant neighbors and afterwards, solidarity with the people in the neighborhood, town and region and then solidarity with all the believers in Islam… They are the most eminent factors which sustain social peace and justice and even social security.

The word “believer” bears the meaning of the one who believes in the existence and oneness of Allah; it also means a confidential and trustable person. Therefore, a believer is a person who is loyal to his elders and loyal to his deeds, straightforward and trustable. In the first verses of the surah al-Mu’minun in the Qur’an, defining the qualifications of believers who are triumphant, Allah states the following in the 8th verse: “They are faithful and true to their trusts (which either God, society, or an individual places in their charge), and to their pledges (between them and God or other persons or society).” (the Qur’an, al-Mu’minun, 23:8)  

Prophet Muhammad described a Muslim and a believer in his hadiths as follows:

“A Muslim is a person from whose tongue and hands  other Muslims are safe, and a believer is a person on whom people trust about their lives and property”. ( 3- the Qur’an, al-Isra’, 17:34). “ A believer is one who is easy and good to get along with. There is no good in those who are difficult to get along with.” ( 4- Ahmad b. Hanbal, 11:400).

This hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) provides us with great information on the rights of neighborhood.

“Lend money to your neighbor when they ask you for it; help them if they ask you to; you should help if they are in need; attend their funeral if they are dead; be pleased and congratulate them when they attain a blessing,; feel sorry if they get in a trouble and console them; do not disturb them with the smell of what you cook; share with them what you cook; do not raise your building over theirs; do not block their refreshing breeze unless they allow you to; when you buy some fruit, share with them; do not let your children go out with clothes which they might envy. The Prophet (pbuh) once ordered addressing Aisha (may God be pleased with her) :” Go to your Jewish neighbor first when you begin to distribute your meat of sacrifice”. ( al-Qurtubi, V:188)

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