Golden Rule of Ethics in Islam
Imam Sadiq (AS) said that Muslims have seven mandatory rights with regard to each other; if someone disrespects each of these rights, he will come out of God’s guardianship and will go under that of Satan.
It is seen that the faithful sometimes only pay attention to acts of worship such as prayers and neglect other issues such as people’s rights. However, these rights are of great importance in a way that in their absence, there will be no achievements in other acts such as prayers.
“I am worried that I tell you these rights and you then abandon and disrespect them,” Imam Sadiq (AS) added. The questioner said he will acknowledge these rights. The Imam went on to say: “First of all, what you wish for yourself also wish for your brother and what you do not wish for yourself do not wish for your brother.”
This is a golden law that has been mentioned in all ethics books and all the ethics can be summarized in this concept.
If all members of society exercise this law, the utopia will be realized.
Imam Sadegh (AS) named other rights as refraining from making him angry, supporting him financially and spiritually, acting as his guide, refraining from being full when your brother is hungry and thirsty, and providing your brother with a servant to wash his clothes and cook if you have such a servant.
This article is a summary of remarks made by Hojat-ol-Islam Seyyed Mohammad Bagher Alavi Tehrani
