Who do you take as your friends?

Some people have friends because they benefit something from that person or that person is very popular so they want to be like them. Friendships can be formed by growing up in the same community, neighbourhood or school. Friendships can be based on common interests. However, are these friendships the correct type of friendship as a Muslim? What should a Muslim base his friendship on?

‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah reported: The Prophet (saw), said, “Allah Almighty said: My love is a right upon those who befriend each other for my sake. My love is a right upon those who defend each other for my sake.” (Al-Albani). We shouldn’t have any other aims but to befriend a person for the sake of Allah. There’s another hadith which says: The Prophet of Allah (saw) said, “Your best friend is the one who: seeing him reminds you of Allah, speaking to him increases your knowledge and his actions remind you of the hereafter.” (Al-Muhasibi)

So, when picking friends or trying to be a good friend, we should take into consideration someone who reminds us of Allah, increases us in knowledge and he does things which keeps us on the straight path. I want to leave you with one more hadith which says “A person follows the beliefs of his close friend; therefore, let each of you look carefully at whom he chooses for friends.” (Tirmidhi).

So, remember to consider who you take as a friend and remember that you are influenced by your friends, so you will become like them and you will be raised on the Day of Judgement with those friends. Who would you like to be next to on the Day of Judgement when it really matters?