A Friend in Deen is a Friend Indeed!

Did you read the caption to this article? Well, read it again, carefully this time. That’s right, it’s not a misprint. Really a friend in Deen is a friend indeed. Let us examine why. Whether we like it or not every moment of our lives we are interacting with people. Our occupation, studies and activities provide us with opportunities to associate with certain groups of people more often than others.

This company that we keep definitely plays an important role in the manner we behave. Just to be with it, we tend to do what those around us are doing. A student is sometimes forced to behave in a certain manner just to claim his place amongst his peers. How often have people have to sacrifice principles of Deen to secure this kind of friendship.

 
WAY OF LIFE

How important is it for a person to be guarded about the kind of people he associates with? In a Hadith reported by Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu anhu), Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, “A person is upon the way of life of his close companion so each of you should be careful whom you take as a close friend.”
The effect that the kind of company you keep has on you has further been illustrated by the beautiful words of Nabi (Sallallaahu alayhi Wasallam) where he has mentioned in a Hadith found both in Bukhari and Muslim.

Sahih Bukhari :: Book #34 :: Hadith #314

Narrated Abu Musa : Allah’s Apostle said,   “The example of a good companion (who sits with you) in comparison with a bad one, is like that of the musk seller and the blacksmith’s bellows (or furnace); from the first you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the bellows would either burn your clothes or your house, or you get a bad nasty smell thereof.” 

While we ensure that we only join good company, let us for a moment think, what kind of friend have we been to our colleagues at work, classmates at school and neighbours at home? Have we been encouraging them to participate in activities that are un-Islamic.

Am I responsible for the first puff of cigarette that he took, the first taste of drugs, the first sip of alcohol, the first attempt at gambling, the first pornographic movie or magazine which has passed through his hands? If our answer to any of the above is in the affirmative then let us ponder over the verse in Surah Al Furqaan wherein Allah Ta’ala says that the wrongdoer would bite his hands on the day of Qiyaamat. Allah says:

“That Day, the dominion as of right and truth, shall be (wholly) for (Allah) Most Merciful: it will be a Day of dire difficulty for the Misbelievers. The Day that the wrong-doer will bite at his hands, he will say, “Oh! would that I had taken a (straight) path with the Apostle! “Ah! woe is me! Would that I had never taken such a one for a friend! “He did lead me astray from the Message (of Allah) after it had come to me! Ah! the Evil One is but a traitor to man!”   (Surah Al Furqaan 25:26-29)

Who then is a sincere friend? One who sticks with you through thick and thin, through prosperity and adversity, above all the one who is concerned about your welfare both in this world and the hereafter. Allah Ta’ala says in Surah Al Zukhruf:

“Friends on that day will be foes, one to another– except the Righteous.”   (Surah Al Zukhruf 43:67)

A friendship which earns the wrath of Allah Ta’ala is not worth securing as it is said: “Being alone is better than having an evil companion and having a pious companion is better than being alone.”

 

Source : Ml. Imraan Khamissa