A Healthy Society under the Grace of Ethics (Part 2)

Source of formation of society

There are a lot of words among sociologists about why man has agreed social life, and accepted its relatively difficult rules and regulations, but typically we can mention following opinions:

1- Some believe that sense of solidarity is included in man’s nature, and he seeks for the society according to an instinctive inspiration.

2- Some others say fearing dreadful natural factors and wild animals has been the cause of first tendency of man to social life.

3- Some others believe that the "instinct of employment", existing in man, has made him to social life.

4- Some others say present social life is the result of a series of customs and habits, which has gradually led to this form.

5- Some others recognize development of man’s requirements and his disability in fulfilling them as the factor of man’s social life.

6- Some believe that man’s social life is the result of family life and gradual expansion of families.

7- And finally some say that discovering this concept that why man has intended to social life since millions of years ago when man is created, is not possible. Because, lapse of centuries and ages has obscured this and similar issues and we do not have available significant documents for judging in this respect.

Although the recent view seems more realistic than the other opinions and judgment about the main cause of man’s attention to the society in the past is not an easy task, but obviously first of all, present continuation of this social life is indebted to "desire in perfection" and "development of man’s requirements" and "disability in fulfilling them".

It should be explained that in one hand man sees that his corporeal requirements including cloth, food, house, medicine, and his spiritual requirements, including sciences, knowledge, training, various tastes and initiatives, and feeling spiritual security and attracting others' affections are so extensive and numerous that it is not possible for one to fulfill all of them alone. Rather, supplying each of these requirements, according to the fastidious nature of human, should be performed by the individuals and groups being proficient and skillful in their task.

 These two are the most important factors making man to continue his social life.

Social value

Although, all people are the same in all regulations in view of social rights, and the principle of equity before law is one of the most basic foundations of progressive legal rules, but observance of this principle does not account that value of individuals is actually equal in the society. Rather, it is mostly due to unavailability of any other way for preserving discipline and preventing misuses of the arrogant and influential classes and colonization of man by man. Otherwise, it is undeniable that social value of individuals is very different.

For example, the existence value of a resourceful, gracious and competent scientist is never equal with an illiterate, improvident and vicious person. But if we want to consider privileges in view of social rights, it will result in the corruptions, the harms of which are much more than observance of difference in social values.

In general, social value of individuals depends upon the degree of utilization of the society from them, and the wisely valuable utterance of Prophet S.A. in this respect may refer to this reality, where he says:

1- Nahjol Fessahe, page 315

Source: alhassanain.com

Other links:

The Important Choice in Karbala (Part 1)

The Important Choice in Karbala (Part 2)

The Important Choice in Karbala (Part 3)

Some of the Etiquettes of Charity

Duties of a True Muslim