DO YOU REALLY HAVE ANY TRUE COMPANIONS?
﷽
In modern terms, a companion is one who is simply referred to as a friend. Because of the amount of time they spend together, they share ideas and thoughts and as a result, they rub off on each other. The question is “What have your friends rubbed off on you?”
This is the basis of the popular saying “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are”. You are essentially who you surround yourself with. You share thoughts and ideas and eventually end up having the same mindset and acting the same way. This is why it is important to be careful who you mix with.
The importance of choosing good companions is emphasized by Allaah [ﷻ] in (Suratul Furqaan 25:27-29).
27. وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى ٱتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًا
28. يَٰوَيْلَتَىٰ لَيْتَنِى لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًا
29. لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَنِى ۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ خَذُولًا
27. 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 Messenger!
28. Ah! woe is me! Would that I had never taken so and so for a friend!
29. He did lead me astray from the Message (of Allaah) after it had come to me! Ah! the Evil One is but a traitor to man!
Who exactly is a good companion?
A good companion is the one by whom you can increase positively, simply by being in their company. He is the one in whose speech you find comfort and knowledge, and in whose actions you find inspiration. He is the one who does only that which is in your best interests for you. He is the one with whom you grow closer to Allaah. He is the one with whom you work towards Jannah and away from Jahannam.
Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir said:
It used to be said: Do not befriend anyone but one who, if you befriend him, will enhance you; if you are burdened with something, he will help you; if he sees a shortcoming in you, he will make it up for you; if he sees something good from you, he will keep it in mind; if you ask of him, he will give to you; if you refrain from asking of him, he will offer you (his help); if he blames you for something, he will not desert you; and if you keep your distance from him, he will not abandon you.
[Taareekh Diimashq (68/236)]
Abu Musa reported: The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Verily, the parable of good company and a bad company is only that of a seller of musk and a blacksmith. The seller of musk will give you some perfume, you will buy some, or you will notice a good smell. As for the blacksmith, he will burn your clothes or you will notice a bad smell.”
[Sahih al-Bukharī 1995, Sahih Muslim 2628]
Abu Musa reported: The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Verily, the parable of good company and a bad company is only that of a seller of musk and a blacksmith. The seller of musk will give you some perfume, you will buy some, or you will notice a good smell. As for the blacksmith, he will burn your clothes or you will notice a bad smell.”
[Sahih al-Bukharī 1995, Sahih Muslim 2628]
Abu Saalih said:
The believer deals with you honourably, and guides you to what is best for you in religious and worldly terms, whereas the hypocrite deals with you through flattery and encourages you to do that which you desire. The fortunate one whom Allaah protects is the one who differentiates between the two.
[Aadaab as-Suhbah (p. 55)]
Rate your friends with the aforementioned qualities and see if they are still worthy of being considered “friends”.
Unfortunately, some of us choose our companions to fulfill other benefits apart from that of our Akhirah. It is important for us to know our priorities. The only point of our stay in this world is to work towards Jannah and nothing else. In the end, the people we call our friends will drop us at our graves and go back to continue with their lives and leave us to face whatever we earned for ourselves alone.
Do not befriend except good friends, and do not be except a good friend.
May Allaah (ﷻ) guide and protect our hearts. May He open our eyes to see the truth. May He help us think rationally.
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🕋 ISLAM GENERATION DAWAH GROUP
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