· What is special about worship in Islam is the social dimension that is unique to each act of worship.
· Most Islamic laws aim to establish and strengthen social ties, including even worship, which is preferable when offered in congregation, based on several authentic hadiths, such as the one saying:
“Praying in congregation is twenty-seven times better than praying alone.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
·The five obligatory prayers performed congregationally in mosques are daily local meetings. Through these prayers, five meetings occur each day among the inhabitants of each district, allowing them to get acquainted with each other and build relations of friendship, cooperation, support, and neighborliness. Then the circle of connections widens during the weekly Friday congregational prayers, which bring together members of different districts in one single place to pray in unison. Then twice yearly, at the level of each city, Muslims assemble in open spaces to offer the Two Eid Prayers. Then, at least once in a lifetime, Muslims travel to join a global gathering of millions of fellow Muslim pilgrims from all over the world to perform Hajj.
This helps instill solidarity and coherence as a moral attitude within the various strata of society. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“A believer to another believer is like a building whose different parts reinforce each other”
Then he clasped his hands with his fingers interlaced to demonstrate. (Narrated by Al-Bukhari) He also said:
“The believers, in their mutual friendship, mercy, and compassion, are like one body; if any part of it complains, the rest of the body stays awake in fever”
(Narrated by Muslim)
· People have various conditions where some are strong and others are weak. Some are rich and others are poor. Some are enlightened and others are ignorant. Some are healthy and others are sick. When people come together, they help one another. Those who know will teach those who are ignorant; those who have plenty will give to those who have little, and so on. In this way, life is balanced.
