The First Example

Worldly people, including certain politicians and organisations concerned with social affairs, have adopted the principle of cooperation and the division of labour as a means of acquiring considerable wealth and power. Although this principle may entail certain disadvantages and losses, they nevertheless derive extraordinary strength and benefit from it. The strength of their partnership is not diminished by the participation of others. Yet although each partner may, in a sense, be regarded as an owner of the whole, he cannot receive the entire profit.

When this principle is applied to duties concerning the Hereafter, however, it yields immense profit without loss. For every participant receives the full fruits and benefits of the partnership.

For example, imagine five people working together to light a lamp. One provides the oil, another the wick, a third the lamp itself, a fourth the glass chimney, and the fifth the matches. When they light the lamp together, each enjoys the light of the entire lamp.

Now suppose that each of these partners has a large mirror hanging on his wall. In each mirror, the entire lamp appears, together with the whole illuminated room.

Likewise, in partnership concerning the Hereafter, the mystery of sincerity calls for sharing, the mystery of brotherhood calls for harmony, and the mystery of unity calls for cooperation. Thus, all the fruits and lights arising from their joint endeavour are recorded in full in the book of deeds of every participant.

This is a truth experienced by those who follow the straight path, and one that is also demanded by the all-encompassing mercy and generosity of Allah.

Indeed, O my brothers! I hope that, InshaAllah, you will find no cause for rivalry among yourselves over material benefits. Nevertheless, in matters concerning the rewards of the Hereafter, you may be deceived, as some SufisFollowers or practitioners of Sufism, the spiritual tradition within Islam that emphasizes purification of the heart, remembrance of Allah (dhikr), sincerity, and drawing closer to Allah through worship and spiritual discipline. have been. Yet how can an individual, personal reward compare with the thawābThe rewards granted in the Hereafter for deeds performed in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and acceptance. and benefits arising from such a partnership?

The Second Example

Craftsmen acquire considerable wealth through cooperation and the increased fruits of their labour.

For example, there were once ten craftsmen who made knitting needles independently. Each produced only three needles a day. Then the ten men came together and began working cooperatively. One supplied the metal, another heated the furnace, a third made the holes in the needles, a fourth placed them in the furnace, another sharpened their points, and so on.

Since each man devoted himself to a single task in the manufacturing process, and since each task was simple, they lost no time, worked efficiently, and performed their duties with ease. They then divided among themselves the proceeds of their labour, which had been organised according to a division of tasks. They found that each now received three hundred needles instead of merely three.

This incident became well known among craftsmen as an example encouraging cooperation.