A Social Act of Worship; Respecting Others

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Many religious duties relate to individual acts but some of them are tied to interactions between people. The way we speak, interact, and act can be considered an act of social worship.

Imam Ali (AS) noted that God has hidden four things in four things.

 “His contentment is in His obedience, so do not belittle anything of His obedience, for perhaps His satisfaction is in that act and you do not know; His dissatisfaction in disobedience to Him, so do not belittle anything sin, for perhaps His dissatisfaction lies in that sin and you do not know; His answer in prayers, so do not belittle any supplication for perhaps His answer is in it and you do not know; And His friend among His servants, so do not belittle any servant of God for he may be God’s friend and you do not know,” Imam Ali (AS) said.

The fourth point bears a valuable social impact; respecting others is a religious duty as it fights arrogance. Islamic teachings invite individuals to respect those that are older as they may have conducted more worship and also to respect those who are younger as they have conducted fewer sins. Many social problems arise when we consider ourselves superior to others.

Even God Almighty will not act based on arrogance on the Day of Judgment but based on the performance of people.