Islam places tremendous emphasis on the social aspect of life. The Islamic practices have not only spiritual dimensions but also social ones. For example, Islam encourages people to perform their daily prayers in congregation; Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) has said: "One prayer of a man in congregation is worthier than his forty years of prayers at home alone."[1] Praying in congregation strengthens the ties between people by giving them the opportunity to interact with each other and discuss their issues in a holy place. Once a blind man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said that there was no one to take him to the mosque to attend the congregational prayer. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) told him to stretch a thread from his house to the mosque and use it to go to the mosque to attend the congregational prayer.

Similarly, fasting has many social aspects: it causes Muslims to feel the starvation and the agony of the poor and deprived in society and encourages them to extend their hands in help towards them. The hajj undoubtedly is the largest religious and social convention bringing millions of people from around the globe into one arena to strengthen their ties, develop their skills, and exchange ideas and opinions as to how to improve their situations. Khums and zakaat (charity) also play an important social role in Islam by causing Muslims to think that they themselves are responsible for bridging the gap between the rich and the poor as well as for sharing their own wealth with the needy and disadvantaged in society. Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is a social responsibility which falls on the shoulders of each and every individual in the Islamic society to promote goodness, kindness, peace and justice and to fight oppression, corruption, and evil. Therefore, Islam is truly a social religion.

Another aspect of Islamic sociality is marriage and establishing families. Islam encourages its followers to get married and avoid celibacy; Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) has said: "The person who marries gains half of his faith; then he must fear of Allah for the next remaining half."[1] In another saying, the Holy Prophet has said: "He who wishes to be clean and purified when he meets Allah should marry and have a spouse."[2]

The Qur'an describes the union between man and woman:

"And among His signs is that he created for you spouses from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts. Verily, in that are signs for those who reflect." (30:21)

This verse establishes the three pillars of a successful marriage. First, it should provide emotional and social shelter ("dwell in tranquility") whereby the husband and the wife find stability and financial, spiritual, emotional, and social security. The second pillar of a successful marriage is the love between the spouses. Marriage which is not based on love is apt to fail at any time. And the third pillar is the mercy between the spouses which leads to mutual understanding, appreciation, respect, and care for each other.

Although heavily discouraged, divorce is permissible in Islam. It exists as a safety valve for a failed marriage which has no possibility of progress or development. Allah does not want a couple to remain in misery and sustain emotional, physical, and financial damage. Thus, Allah explains the laws and rules of divorce in a chapter of the Qur'an called "Divorce."[3] Islam encourages reconciliation between the spouses, and their families and friends have the responsibility to help them with this as much as possible, but if this process ultimately fails then the last resort is divorce. After divorce, there is a waiting period for women to consider their life and the fate of their children. Most people go back to their spouses sometime during this waiting period, but if it elapses and the two people show no interest in returning to each other, then the divorce will be finalized.

Part of Islamic social life is to have regard for kinship; he who wishes his sustenance to be increased and his death day to be delayed should pay attention to his kinsfolk. Kindness and respect for one's parents holds a high place in Islam:

The Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to your parents, whether one or both of them attains old age in your life. Say not to them a word of contempt nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor, and out of kindness lower to them the wing of humility and say, "My Lord, bestow on them Thy mercy, even as they cherished me in childhood." (23:24)

Respect and kindness towards parents is as important as worship. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: "He who glares at his parents with wrathful eyes, although they have been unjust to him, Allah will not accept his prayers unless he repents."[4] Respecting one's mother is particularly important; the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Treat kindly your mother. Treat kindly your mother. Treat kindly your mother, and be kind to your father."[5]

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has narrated:

He who wishes Allah, Almighty and Glorious, to lighten the agonies of death should have regard for his kinship and treat his parents with goodness. Then Allah will make the agonies of death easy for him, and he will not be stricken by poverty in his life at all.[6]

In general, human beings should all serve one another whether they are related or not. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) has said: "He who decreases a grief out of the agonies for his Muslim brother, Allah will decrease for him a grief out of the agonies of the hereafter."[7] He (peace be upon him and his family) also said: "People are the dependants of Allah for sustenance. So the most beloved person with Allah is the one who is helpful to the dependents of Allah and makes the family members of a house happy."[8] As a social responsibility, Islam also encourages its followers to help the needy; Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said:

Whoever satiates a hungry believer so that the one is satisfied fully, neither a human being among people nor a near-stationed angel nor a divine messenger knows how great his reward is in the Hereafter except Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

And

Feeding a hungry Muslim is among the means of forgiveness.[9]

Even those who are not indigent should still be helped in any way possible: "He who is referred to by his Muslim brother [to borrow] but does not give him a loan, Allah will forbid him from entering Paradise on the day when the righteous will be recompensed."[10]
 

[1] - Al-Kafi, vol. 5 p. 328

[2] - Man laa yahduruhu al-faqih, vol. 3 p. 385 

[3] - At-Talaq/Chapter 65 

[4] - Usul al-Kafi, 2:349  

[5] - Al-Kafi, 2:162

[6] - Safinat al-bihar, vol. 2 p. 553   

[7] - Shahab al-Akbar, p. 194

[8] - al-Kafi, vol. 2 p. 164 

[9] - al-Kafi, vol. 2 p. 201

[10] - Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 76 p. 369