Bismillah.
اِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ
Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks, as if they were a firm and compact wall.
(Sūrat al-Saff, no.61, Āyat 4)
A believing community is made up of people who support one another in the journey towards Allah ‘azza wajall. Relationships between people are the pillar on which the community relies. They facilitate both individual as well as social growth. It builds the foundation on which other systems such as matrimony, trade, etc. rest.
The social relations system includes duties, etiquette and rights. Believers have rights over each other and will be asked about them on the Day of Judgment. Imam Ja‘far al-Sādiq (a) says: Muslims are brethren of each other. They neither wrong, nor disappoint, nor betray each other. The duties that are incumbent on Muslims towards each other are to exert effort in communication, agree on mutual sympathy, treat the needy as they treat themselves, and empathize with one another (Wasā’il al-Shī‘ah, 8:542, H 2).
The above verse talks about believers fighting together in ranks as though they were a compact structure. Note that they fight in ranks. That means they are aligned and organized. They work together to form a strong front, with each believer like a brick in the structure. The word marsūs that describes the structure comes from the word al-risās meaning ‘lead’. The bricks are tightly fitted and soldered with lead so they can withstand external pressure. Firm joining of the bricks to one another helps the structure build resilience to counter destructive forces. This is how a believing community works.
Good relationships between believers have been emphasized in many hadith. Imam al-Sadiq (a) says: Make friends with as many people as possible in this world, for they shall benefit you in this world and in the Hereafter. In this world they would fulfill your worldly needs. In the Hereafter the inhabitants of hellfire shall say: ‘so now we have neither intercessors nor a true friend’ (26:100-101). (Wasā’il al-Shī‘ah, 8:407, H 5)
Good social relationships are established with the following principles in mind.
1) For the sake of Allah only – the goal is not just to get friends and enjoy each other’s company. It is to help each other progress towards becoming better servants of Allah. It is also to make Islam strong and defend it from forces that seek to weaken it. The Imams ‘alayhimus-salām worked with believers in the community to counter skepticism and deviations that occurred in their communities.
2) Based on the love of Ahlul Bayt (a) – The social relations in a believing community reflect the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (a). People join hands to keep these teachings alive and kindle love for the Ahlul Bayt (a) in new generations. Their goal is to unite under the banner of the Imam of the time and establish God’s rule on earth.
3) Cooperation with each other – Social relations include guiding one another, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and protecting the lives, possessions and honor of each other.
Just like each brick contributes to the strength of the community, each believer plays his/her role in making the group a strong, righteous community. May the Almighty help us to be strong bricks of the believing community.
Sources: Allāmah Muhammad Husayn Tabātabā’ī, Tafsīr al-Mīzān; Sayyid Bāqir al-Hakīm, Role of the Ahlul Bayt in building a virtuous community.