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Five months ago, a family moved into the apartment above me who have a child who – may Allah grant him well-being – is insane. All day long he stamps his feet, and he goes out on the balcony and screams in a disturbing manner. I have spoken with his family, and told them about my problem, and they told me: You have to get used to it. Now it is Ramadan, and the headache is not stopping. My question is: Should I go to the relevant authorities and tell them about this when we are in the holy month, or what should I do?
Praise be to Allah.
Bearing with patience the annoyance caused by neighbours brings great reward. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed Allah loves three and hates three.” And among the three whom Allah loves, he mentioned, “A man who has a neighbour who annoys him but he bears his annoyance with patience, until they are separated by death or one of them moving away.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad, 21340; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami`, 5385.
Informing the authorities is not part of being a good neighbour, and neither is asking them to restrain that child.
This family is suffering with this sick child, and what you should do is alleviate their suffering – if you can – and not show them that you are disturbed by the actions of that child. If you cannot alleviate their suffering, then the least you can do is leave them alone and not make their suffering any worse. Put yourself in their position – may Allah grant you well-being – and think: how would you want people to treat you if you were in this situation?
However you would like people to treat you, then treat them in the same way. This is what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has instructed us to do: to treat people as we would like them to treat us.
And Allah knows best.