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| Explore the Meaning of Friendship in Islam |
Allah SWT. created different people from tribes, nations, and languages to know each other. one of the blessings that Allah has given to humans by making them social beings. If we deepen the wisdom, then we will all know that it makes us establish ukhwah or close relationships with each other.
Everyone must have friends as a place to share feelings, advise and help each other whether in difficult or happy circumstances, and those who are sincere friends with us as we are. And Islam is very high in looking at the values of friendship.
In our association we have a very noble example. He is the king of the Prophet Muhammad SAW who is very good at socializing. With his expertise he was able to soften the hearts of the Quraysh and succeeded in inviting them to follow his da’wah. In his history he also has a friendly, humble attitude, and he also never criticizes others. And as his people, we should imitate what he has done.
Not only that, Islam also emphasizes us to be careful in choosing friends. Many people fall into disobedience and misguidance because of the influence of making friends with the wrong people. But not a few people who get kindness and guidance from hanging out with pious people.
Friendship is a muamalah issue that is also discussed in Islamic studies. There are a number of verses and hadiths that explain the virtues of friendship complete with tips for living it.
Allah SWT wants His servants to be friends on the basis of faith and piety. This is very important, because it can lead someone to the right path and vice versa.
Through various studies on relationships, psychologists believe that friendship in youth has a greater influence than relationships in adulthood. That’s because youth is a time to shape one’s thoughts and way of life. According to them psychologically, young people are very impressionable and one of their biggest influences is their friends.
On one occasion, Ustadz Adi Hidayat has explained to us how to choose a good friend according to the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad and among them is making friends with people who are pious. Allah SWT always guides those who are pious and even wherever they are, Allah will give them all the conveniences.
Making friends with people who believe and fear Allah will give us peace, security, and comfort to be close to them. Even when we just see it the heart becomes peaceful. Then what are their characteristics?
Among the characteristics of a pious person:
1. Pray diligently
Not only that, after we meet people who pray diligently, he also encourages us to look for better people.
2. Believers who like to give charity
Giving alms can keep away from materialistic, arrogant, jealous and unfair nature so that those who like to give charity will not look down on those with whom they are friends.
3. People of the Qur’an
If we like to make friends with the people of the Qur’an, we will indirectly get a splash of their kindness. Not only that, later in the afterlife we will be gathered together with the people we love.
Friendship with those who believe and obey Allah is already rewarded, liking them and imitating their deeds will make us gathered in heaven with them. Likewise, if we like to make friends and imitate the actions of infidels and forbidden fasiqs, we will get sin. Allah SWT loves His servants so much that in the Shari’a brought by His Prophet, he tells us to be smart in choosing friends. It all aims to make us safe in this world and in the hereafter.
Among those who believe, we are also encouraged to choose the best, namely those who pray diligently.
Indeed friendship with pious people is a very great blessing. Therefore, it is appropriate that we understand the following hadith about friends:
There are many advantages of having a pious friend including:
1. A pious friend will always justify and advise us when we are wrong. This is a true friend, not just a friend when having fun or a friend who praises for small talk. An expression reads: “Your true friend is the one who is always honest (if wrongly reminded), not the one who always justifies you.”
A pious friend will also always pray for his friend because if he prays for his friend, while his friend does not know, then the angel also confirms the prayer while praying for the one who prayed earlier, meaning that the person who prays also gets what he prays for his brother.
The nature of a person and piety is “infectious”, by gathering with pious people, then we will also become pious with Allah’s permission.
Of all the virtues of having a pious friend, there is a virtue that is also a great pleasure, namely the friendship of a pious person will continue to heaven and will last forever.
Of course this is a very big pleasure, because close friends definitely don’t want to be separated from other friends. Temporary friendship in the world and then separated by death just like that, certainly not a beautiful ending.
One of the arguments that there will be friendship on the Day of Judgment will continue that people who love each other (including the companions) will be gathered together on the Day of Resurrection.
To facilitate this, Allah the Exalted gives priority to a person to intercede for his other companions, so that they can both enter Paradise and be reunited.
