A series of moral, doctrinal, and social statements from the esteemed religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, may his shadow remain (Words of Wisdom, episode number 22)
"Altruism in Islamic Culture"
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
The Purpose of Creation
In the Holy Qur'an, God, Blessed and Exalted, speaks about the wisdom behind the creation of humans:
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
(Qur'an 51:56)
The reason for the creation of all humans and jinns, according to the above verse, is introduced as worship. Worship, or servitude, encompasses all acts of devotion, including prayer, fasting, recitation of the Qur'an, remembrance of God (dhikr), supplication (du'a), and other similar acts. God created us so that we would spend our lives worshiping Him, dedicating our days and nights — to the extent of our ability — to the worship of the Almighty.
Of course, worship has a broader meaning beyond its outward forms, and in this broader sense, it encompasses a wider range of actions. Despite the tremendous importance of worship in the sight of God Almighty — as described in the verse as the very purpose of the creation of humans and jinns — numerous narrations and traditions from the Infallible Ones (peace be upon them) have reached us that consider fulfilling the needs of believing brothers and sisters to be far greater and more virtuous than acts of worship.
This teaching is seen not only in the sayings of the Infallible Ones (peace be upon them) but also in their actions and approvals. Many stories about the behavior of the Infallibles (peace be upon them) regarding this subject have been recorded in books of history and hadith.
The following story about Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) offers enlightening insights into the importance of fulfilling the needs of believers.
Interrupting the Circumambulation (Tawaf)
One day, Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) was performing tawaf (circumambulating the Ka‘bah) when a believer approached him with a request. The Imam interrupted his tawaf, went to the side of Masjid al-Haram, fulfilled the believer’s need, and then returned to complete his tawaf from the very spot where he had left off.
Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) was an Imam and infallible, fully knowledgeable of the divine rulings of Almighty God. Moreover, his actions and words themselves serve as standards for understanding God's commands. When the Imam interrupted his tawaf to fulfill the need of a believer, it became clear that serving the needs of believers holds greater merit than the reward of circumambulating the House of God.
Had it been otherwise, the Imam would not have interrupted his tawaf, for one must prioritize the act with the greater reward over the one with lesser merit.
As we mentioned, the actions of an infallible (peace be upon them) guide us in performing divine duties and acts of worship. From this story, one can understand that fulfilling a believer’s need is more virtuous than performing tawaf around the Ka‘bah.
Interestingly, one of the believers present who witnessed the Imam’s action approached him and asked for an explanation. The Imam replied:
"Fulfilling the need of a believer is better in the sight of Almighty God than one tawaf, one tawaf, one tawaf..." — and the Imam repeated "one tawaf" ten times.
Although he could have simply said "ten tawafs," he chose to repeat it ten times, showing that this repetition itself holds significance and highlights the immense importance and emphasis on this act.
The Imam could have delayed fulfilling the man’s request until after completing his tawaf, but instead, he interrupted it — despite all its importance and reward — and promptly attended to the believer’s need. From this, we learn that the Imam did not wish to delay performing the more virtuous deed. Thus, he prioritized it over completing the tawaf, which, despite its greatness, does not compare to the virtue of fulfilling the need of a believer.
The Reward of Sitting Beside a Sick Person
Musadif was one of the companions of Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him). His son, Muhammad ibn Musadif, traveled to Medina along with a man named Marazim. During this trip, Marazim became ill and had to stay behind at home. Meanwhile, Muhammad ibn Musadif, his travel companion, would leave him alone and go to Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque) to perform prayers there. He had heard of the immense reward and merit of praying in the Prophet’s Mosque, peace and blessings be upon him and his family.
For example, some narrations state that the reward for every two units (rak'ahs) of prayer offered in the Prophet’s Mosque is equivalent to that of one hundred thousand rak'ahs offered elsewhere — meaning that every single rak'ah performed there is more virtuous than fifty thousand regular rak'ahs. Many other narrations also highlight the virtues and blessings found in the Prophet’s Mosque.
Having heard these descriptions of the immense rewards associated with praying in Masjid al-Nabawi, Muhammad ibn Musadif was very eager to take advantage of the short time they had in Medina to benefit from these great rewards through prayer and worship there. Thus, he would sometimes leave his sick friend and head to the mosque.
However, this behavior upset Marazim, the ill companion. After recovering and returning from the journey, he complained to Muhammad’s father, Musadif, explaining how severely ill he had been and how Muhammad had left him alone in that condition to go and pray at the mosque. Musadif, troubled by this issue, brought the matter before Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq peace be upon him.
The narration recounts that the Imam peace be upon him sent for Muhammad and told him:
"Sitting beside him is better than your prayer in the mosque."
In this narration, there is no mention of Muhammad having neglected to provide food, medicine, or care for his friend — the complaint was simply about him leaving the sick man alone at times.
A sick person, especially when their illness persists, often becomes restless and irritable and desires someone to sit beside them and talk with them. Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) considered this act — tending to the sick by simply sitting beside them — superior even to prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque, where each rak'ah is worth fifty thousand ordinary rak'ahs in reward. Some narrations even describe the reward for sitting with the sick as greater than that.
Of course, some services to the ill involve giving them medicine and attending to their physical needs. But in this narration, the emphasis is specifically on simply sitting by the bedside of the patient — showing the immense value and virtue of offering companionship and emotional support to the sick.
The Ideal Islamic Society
A society in which its members feel such a deep sense of responsibility toward one another that they would not allow a sick person to be left alone in their illness — and beyond merely addressing the medical needs of the patient — is a society of great virtue and excellence. Living in such a society would undoubtedly be deeply joyful.
Providing companionship to the sick and easing their suffering fulfills one of their psychological needs. Paying attention to this need is something that the Infallible Imams peace be upon them emphasized, to the extent that they considered it more valuable and virtuous than performing prayer in Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque), despite its immense merit.
The culture prevailing in such a society undoubtedly stems from a rich and abundant source. When we look at the religious rulings and ethical guidelines conveyed by the Infallible Ones (peace be upon them), we realize the vast reservoir of knowledge and understanding that underlies Islamic culture, nourishing it from their expansive wisdom and teachings.
Drawing from this rich source acquaints the members of such a society with the highest levels of humanity and civilization — a standard unmatched anywhere in the world.
This culture was delivered through the trustworthy Gabriel, peace be upon him, to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. In other words, it was received directly from Almighty God, and the Infallible Imams, peace be upon them, elaborated and explained it for us.
In the culture of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), acts of worship — such as prayer, Hajj, fasting, and the like — despite their lofty status and immense value, are ranked below the service and assistance offered to believers and the alleviation of their difficulties.
This truth is made evident through many historical accounts and narrations about the lives and actions of the Infallibles, peace be upon them, that have been preserved for us.
The Culture of the Ahl al-Bayt (Peace Be Upon Them)
What was mentioned earlier about Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, peace be upon him, reveals a glimpse of the magnificent culture of Islam. In that story, the Imam interrupted his tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka‘bah) midway and immediately acted to fulfill the need of a believer, even though he could have, as we say, "combined the two matters" — by first completing his tawaf and then addressing the request. However, the Imam’s action, and similarly the words of Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, to his companions, demonstrate the immense importance and virtue of helping people and attending to the needs of the believers.
The widespread practice and dominance of this culture among people would leave a profoundly positive impact on society, making life much more pleasant and easier for everyone. It is not an exaggeration to say that no greater happiness could be granted to a society than this.
Paying attention to the diverse needs of the people and valuing this more than formal acts of worship drives the advancement of that society. In such a community, if someone wishes to marry but cannot afford the costs, their peers — through economic, social, and other forms of assistance — would help them.
Patients in such a society would no longer worry about the costs of medicine and treatment. Even if they were unable to pay for it, the attention and care of those around them — fellow believers — would ensure their needs are met, and they would not be abandoned during their illness but supported emotionally as well.
Even if today such values have faded and become weaker in our societies, it is not to say that they have completely vanished. However, the issue lies in the widespread adoption and normalization of such a culture throughout society.
If today we were to describe the presence of this culture as "rare to the point of being almost non-existent," it would not be an exaggeration.
In any case, full adherence to and complete following of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, would steer society toward this rich and exemplary culture, a reality which, sadly, humanity has always struggled to achieve.
In such an ideal society, individual problems are solved collectively, for in truth, every personal problem is a social issue that concerns everyone.
The people of this society, while remaining fully committed to their religious obligations, prioritize caring for their fellow believers even above their personal acts of worship.
This is a tremendous matter and brings about numerous blessings and positive outcomes.
Even though today we have greatly distanced ourselves from this culture, and perhaps its complete realization is currently beyond our reach, striving toward it — even partially — will undoubtedly improve society’s condition and create a relatively better and more comfortable living environment.
May Allah the Blessed and Exalted grant us all the success to embody and spread this noble culture throughout the world.
And may blessings and peace of God be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family.
