Friends in Islam: Choosing the right friends

[FlasHDasH]

( بسم الله الرحمـٰنِ الرحيم )

Friends in Islam: Choosing the right friends

Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aalaa) states in the Glorious Qur'aan:

وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلاً۬ (٢٧) يَـٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِى لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلاً۬ (٢٨) لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّڪۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِى‌ۗ وَڪَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ خَذُولاً۬ (٢٩) سورة الفرقان

On the day when the wrong-doer gnaweth his hands, he will say: Ah, would that I had chosen a way together with the messenger (of Allah)! (27) Alas for me! Ah, would that I had never taken such an one for friend! (28) He verily led me astray from the Reminder after it had reached me. Satan was ever man's deserter in the hour of need. (29) [s. 25 v.27-29]

Keeping righteous practicing Muslim friends is essential for maintaining a healthy spiritual environment in our daily life. Friends affect our Eemaan level. If they are righteous, they will inspire us to increase our knowledge and Eemaan. Conversely, an effective way to downgrade our Eemaan is keeping friends who smoke, drink alcohol, or never go near religion (maybe except when making a religious 'joke').

"It doesn't matter if my friends drink alcohol. That is not going to affect me," some might say. But first, these Muslims are sharing in their friends' evil by simply "tolerating" their drinking habit. And second, their unique power of staying clean of alcohol while their friends drink can only hold weight in their heads. In weeks, or months, they will get used to the behavior of their friends. They will start considering it normal, maybe even cool. And when that happens, during a moment of depression or excitement, they will be pushed into drinking by the encouragement of their great friends.

The Prophet (salla Allaahu 'alayhy wa sallam) best described the similitude of the good and bad companions when he said:

مَثَلُ الْجَلِيسِ الصَّالِحِ وَالْجَلِيسِ السَّوْءِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْمِسْكِ وَكِيرِ الْحَدَّادِ لَا يَعْدَمُكَ مِنْ صَاحِبِ الْمِسْكِ إِمَّا تَشْتَرِيهِ أَوْ تَجِدُ رِيحَهُ وَكِيرُ الْحَدَّادِ يُحْرِقُ بَدَنَكَ أَوْ ثَوْبَكَ أَوْ تَجِدُ مِنْهُ رِيحًا خَبِيثَةً
"The example of a good companion and a bad companion is that of the bearer of Musk and the worker on the bellows. The bearer of Musk would give you some of the perfume, you either buy it or you smell its fragrance. The worker on the bellows, on the other hand, either burns your body or your clothes, or you smell a bad odor from him.'

Look at your friends; are they bearers of Musk or workers on the bellows?