What Quran Says about Cooperation and Collective Work

IQNA – Islam has instructed its followers to support each other in doing good deeds, and when individuals gather together and have social relations, the spirit of unity is breathed into their relations and they will be safe from division and disunity.

If the spirit of cooperation reigns among the individuals of a society, the groundwork is laid for the material and spiritual progress of that society, and cooperation and collaboration become a suitable platform for the all-round progress, exaltation, and flourishing of that society.

Thus, Islam prefers collective work over individual work, because collective work is more reliable and solid, and the pooling of individual strength provides a great force that makes any difficult task easier.

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: “One who wakes up in the morning and is not concerned about the affairs of other Muslims is not a Muslim and one who hears the cry of a Muslim seeking help and does not respond is not a Muslim.”

Active and sincere assistance and participation in good and beneficial social works is necessary and obligatory for every believer, and someone who is not sensitive to the progress of Muslim social affairs, or even the progress of a Muslim’s work, and who only thinks about himself, is not a Muslim.

For example, one of the problems that human societies have always suffered from is the prevailing class gap among members of society, in a way that it has divided the members of society into two groups: some are deprived and poor and cannot afford the most essential necessities of life such as food, shelter, and clothing, and some are so wealthy and immersed in luxury that they cannot keep track of their wealth and possessions.

A righteous society based on divine and human values ​​is one in which all members of society, despite their differences and different talents, enjoy the benefits of divine blessings, and compassion and cooperation prevail among them, because the purpose of social life is for individuals to help each other to facilitate the achievement of perfection.

Of course, Islam has planned a broad program to eliminate this class gap, such as banning usury, paying Islamic taxes, and encouraging charity, endowments, charitable loans, and various financial assistance; but one of the most effective solutions is cooperation and assistance to meet the needs of the poor.

The following notes will explain the concept of Ta’avon (cooperation) and its necessity, as well as the theoretical foundations of cooperation and assistance in the Quran and Hadith.