Ruling on cooperation among Muslims, and different aspects of that, and how to achieve that
Question

                Allaah says “Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety)” [al-Maa'idah 5:3]. How should Muslims cooperate or help one another in the light of this verse? In the absence of any organized effort, what should the person who wants to do organized work do with the circumstances and opportunities that are available to him?.
Praise be to Allah.Firstly: 
Allah has created man weak, 
    and he needs to cooperate continuously with others throughout his life. This 
    is clear in worldly affairs. Man needs someone to sow for him and harvest 
    for him, and he needs someone to make tools, and market goods, and buy 
    things. To sum up, people cannot live unless they cooperate with one 
    another. 
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn 
    Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Tis’eeniyyah 
    (1/125): 
The sons of Adam cannot 
    live in this world unless they help one another in word and deed. End quote. 
     
With regard to matters of 
    religion and sharee’ah, this is also the case. No Prophet could call people 
    without needing others to help him to convey the message of Tawheed and 
    defeat shirk. The effects of that are particularly clear in the case of 
    jihad, and the same may be said with regard to teaching, looking after the 
    poor and taking care of widows and orphans. 
Allaah says (interpretation 
    of the meaning): 
“And many a Prophet 
    (i.e. many from amongst the Prophets) fought (in Allaah’s Cause) and along 
    with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lost 
    heart for that which did befall them in Allaah’s way, nor did they weaken 
    nor degrade themselves. And Allaah loves As-Saabiroon (the patient)”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:146]
In Saheeh Muslim 
    (86) it is narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Messenger of 
    Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no 
    Prophet whom Allaah sent to any nation before me, but he had disciples and 
    companions from among his nation who followed his path and obeyed his 
    commands…” 
 The Muslims need one 
    another with regard to both worldly and religious affairs, hence cooperation 
    among Muslims is something important that Allaah has enjoined and He has 
    made cooperation the basis for religious and worldly well being. The Muslims 
    – if they achieve this cooperation – are described as a strong, integrated 
    structure, and as a single body. All of that confirms that cooperation and 
    mutual support among them is something essential. That includes many aspects 
    in the lives of Muslims, which are summed up in the words birr 
    (righteousness) and taqwa (piety) , as Allaah says (interpretation of 
    the meaning): “Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, 
    righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and 
    transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment” 
    [al-Maa’idah 5:2]. These are two words that sum up all the attributes of 
    goodness, such as belief, conduct, rulings and so on. Allaah says, 
    explaining the meaning of birr (righteousness) (interpretation of the 
    meaning): 
“It is not Al-Birr 
    (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allaah) that 
    you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is 
    (the quality of) the one who believes in Allaah, the Last Day, the Angels, 
    the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the 
    kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masaakeen (the poor), and to the 
    wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salaah 
    (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and gives the Zakât, and who fulfil their covenant when 
    they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) 
    and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the 
    truth and they are Al‑Muttaqoon (the pious)”
[al-Baqarah 2:177]
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn 
    Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 
It is well known that 
    people’s interactions cannot be sound, and their interests cannot be 
    achieved and they cannot be united and their enemies cannot feel any awe of 
    them except by means of Islamic solidarity, the reality of which is 
    cooperation in righteousness and piety, and mutual support, love, sincerity, 
    and urging one another to follow the truth and be steadfast and patient. 
    Undoubtedly this is among the most important of Islamic duties and 
    obligations. The verses of the Qur'aan and the ahaadeeth of the Prophet  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) state that Islamic solidarity 
    among the Muslims – individuals, societies, governments and peoples – is one 
    of the most important of ideas, and one of the duties which are essential to 
    the welfare of society and the well being of their religious affairs and the 
    soundness of their interactions and to united them against their common foe. 
    There are many verses and ahaadeeth which speak of this, if not in these 
    exact words then in similar meanings. Islamic solidarity means helping one 
    another, standing shoulder to shoulder, supporting and advising one another 
    and other such phrases. That includes enjoining what is good and forbidding 
    what is evil, calling others to Allaah, and guiding people to that which 
    will lead to their happiness and salvation, in this world and the Hereafter. 
    That also includes teaching the ignorant, helping the destitute, supporting 
    the one who is wronged, stopping the wrongdoer from wronging others, 
    establishing the law of Allaah, maintaining security, stopping miscreants 
    and mischief-makers, protecting roads, providing means of transportation by 
    land, sea and air, and providing means of communication both land-based and 
    wireless, so that their common worldly and religious interests may be 
    achieved, and so as to facilitate cooperation between Muslims in everything 
    that may protect the truth, establish justice and spread peace and security 
    in all regions. 
Mutual support also 
    includes reconciling between Muslims, resolving armed conflicts between them 
    and fighting the offending party until it complies with the command of 
    Allaah, in accordance with the words of Allaah (interpretation of the 
    meaning): 
“So fear Allaah and 
    adjust all matters of difference among you”
[al-Anfaal 8:1] 
“And if two parties (or 
    groups) among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them 
    both. But if one of them outrages against the other, then fight you (all) 
    against the one that which outrages till it complies with the Command of 
    Allaah. Then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, 
    and be equitable. Verily, Allaah loves those who are the equitable.
10. The believers are 
    nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So make reconciliation 
    between your brothers, and fear Allaah, that you may receive mercy”
[al-Hujuraat 49:9-10].
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 
    Baaz (2/192, 193) 
He (may Allaah have mercy 
    on him) also said: 
Among the things that are 
    mentioned in the ahaadeeth about solidarity as enjoined in Islam, which 
    means cooperating in righteousness and piety, are the words of the Prophet 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Religion is sincerity” 
    They said, “To whom, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “To Allaah and to His 
    Book, to His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common 
    folk.” Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. And he  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The relationship between one 
    believer and another is like a structure, parts of which support other 
    parts,” and he interlaced his fingers. Agreed upon. And he  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The likeness of the believers in 
    their mutual love, mercy and compassion is that of the body; if one part of 
    it complains, the rest of the body joins it in staying awake and suffering 
    fever.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim in their Saheehs. 
These ahaadeeth and others 
    like them clearly indicate that mutual support, compassion and care among 
    Muslims, and cooperation in doing good, are obligatory. Likening them to a 
    single structure or a single body indicates that by supporting and helping 
    one another and showing compassion to one another, they will become united 
    and integrated, and they will be saved from the evil of their enemies. 
    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Let there arise out of 
    you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining 
    Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and 
    forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has 
    forbidden). And it is they who are the successful”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:104]
The leader of them all in 
    this call and their example on this path is their Prophet and greatest 
    leader, our Prophet Muhammad the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him). He was  the first one to call this ummah 
    to affirm the Oneness of its Lord (Tawheed) and hold fast to His rope, and 
    to unite in truth and form a single rank against the common enemy and to 
    achieve its interests and serve its just causes, in accordance with the 
    words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Invite (mankind, O 
    Muhammad صلىالله عليه وسلم) to the way 
    of your Lord (i.e. Islâm) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and 
    the Qur’aan) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is 
    better”
[al-Nahl 16:125]
 “Say (O Muhammad
    صلى الله عليه وسلم): This is my way; I 
    invite unto Allaah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism) with 
    sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to 
    Allaah, i.e. to the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism with sure 
    knowledge)”
[Yoosuf 12:108]
This straight path was also 
    followed by his noble Companions and those who followed them in truth (may 
    Allaah be pleased with them all), and they attained the ultimate success, 
    and Allaah granted them the honour and victory that He had promised them.  
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 
    Baaz (200, 201). 
This may all be summed up 
    by noting that it is essential for the Muslims to cooperate in righteousness 
    and piety, and the Muslims must do all that they can in order to achieve 
    this cooperation, such as founding charitable organizations, da’wah centres, 
    Qur’aan study circles, and so on, which will help to unite and organize 
    their efforts. The Muslims must help them and devote their energy and wealth 
    to establish true cooperation in righteousness and piety. The Muslim should 
    not fail to offer something to his brothers and help them with what they 
    need in worldly or religious terms.   
Secondly: 
The Muslim can serve Islam 
    and strive so that the Word of Allaah will become supreme without joining a 
    party or group. Our scholars and imams nowadays are doing a great service 
    for Islam and there is hardly any spot on earth that their knowledge has not 
    reached, and they are not doing organized activities, nor do they belong to 
    groups and parties. 
If you want to serve Islam 
    and work for it, then do that yourself in whatever way you are able, such as 
    delivering speeches, teaching, calling people in villages and provinces, 
    distributing books and tapes, or giving financial support to those who do 
    these things. You can work with Sunni groups and organizations who are 
    serving Islam. 
As for sects, groups and 
    parties that adopt beliefs other than the belief (‘aqeedah) of the Salaf, or 
    a way that is other than the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, there is 
    nothing good in them, and a Muslim should not cooperate with them in 
    anything that will support their beliefs and ways. As for groups which call 
    people to Islam, but they have some things that go against sharee’ah, the 
    Muslim may cooperate with them in matters that are in accordance with 
    sharee’ah. 
The scholars of the 
    Standing Committee said:   
Each of these groups have 
    things that are wrong and things that are right. So you should cooperate 
    with them in matters in which they are right, and avoid the matters in which 
    they are in error, whilst advising them and cooperating with them in 
    righteousness and piety. 
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn 
    Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, 
    Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood 
Fataawa al-Lajnah 
    al-Daa’imah (2/237, 238). 
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn 
    Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: 
Do you regard establishing 
    Islamic organizations in Islamic countries to guide the youth and teach them 
    about Islam as something good in this day and age? 
He replied: 
Establishing these Islamic 
    organizations is good for the Muslims, but they must strive to explain the 
    truth with evidence and not fight one another. They should strive to 
    cooperate with one another and love one another, advising sincerely and 
    speaking of the good points of the others, and overlooking matters that may 
    disrupt their relationships with one another. There is no reason why there 
    should not be such groups if they call people to the Book of Allaah and the 
    Sunnah of His Messenger  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 
    Baaz (5/272). 
But if there is no 
    organized effort at all, or there is no effort in which the good outweighs 
    the bad, and a person cannot cooperate with any organization, that does not 
    mean that a person cannot cooperate with others around him, of his own 
    choosing, to advise one another and remind one another to seek beneficial 
    knowledge and do righteous deeds, and spread good among the Muslims. All of 
    these are among the greatest aims of cooperating with Islamic groups. This 
    is how the command to cooperate in righteousness and piety should be 
    understood, not just belonging to some organization or party, because the 
    command to cooperate is more general in meaning than that. 
If a person cannot do that, 
    which is unlikely to be the case, then he himself can be a caller to good 
    and a leader of guidance to the people around him. This is how the calls of 
    many reformers and daa’iyahs began, so let him adhere to that. If he cannot 
    find anyone to help him, then he should remember that some of the Prophets 
    will come on the Day of Resurrection with no followers. 
And Allaah knows best.