A Study in the Philosophy of Islamic Rites

Conclusion the Social Aspect of Worship

Essentially, worship represents the relationship between man and his Lord. It provides this relationship with elements of survival and stability. But this has been formulated in the Islamic jurisprudence in a way which often made it an instrument for the relationship between man and his brother man, and this is what we call the social aspect of worship.

Some rituals force, by their nature, segregation and the establishment of social relations among those who practice that ritual. For example, Jihad requires those worshippers fighting for God to establish among themselves such relations as would naturally happen among the corps of a fighting army.

There are other rituals which do not necessarily enforce congregating, but inspite of this, they are linked, in one way or another, to congregation in order to bring forth a mixture between man's relation with his Lord and his own relation with his brethren men.

Among prayers' rituals is the congregation wherein the individual's prayer becomes a group's worship, strengthening the ties among the group, deepening the spiritual links among them through their unity in practicing the rituals.

The tenet of pilgrimage has definite timings and places, and each participant in it has to practice it within those timings and places, hence, such participation evolves as a great social activity.