“The Benefits of Friends in this World and the Hereafter”
I begin with the words of Allah, glorified be He, in Surah Ash-Shu’ara regarding the benefit of a friend to his friend on the Day of Judgment, where He said, “So we have no intercessors, nor a close friend.” Friendship has noble meanings and principles that can only be achieved through them. Not everyone you know is a friend, nor does everyone who claims friendship become a true friend in the proper sense, as some may use the term friend for a companion on the road, work, or study, and they may not meet the conditions of true friendship.
Talking about friendship sometimes stems from a humanitarian principle, and other times from a religious and doctrinal principle, and they are similar to a great extent. Whichever principle we follow, we are fortunate because the meaning of friendship in the humanitarian principle is great, but it is even greater in the religious and doctrinal principle because it encompasses both principles together.
This process is shared by all humans on earth, young and old, men and women, as the pleasure of life is not complete without having an intimate person who understands you in all stages of your life and works for your benefit.
A true friend is the one who advises you and speaks the truth to you, not the one who lies to you and deceives you to please you even if you are on the wrong path. It has been mentioned in the hadith: “Your friend is the one who is truthful to you, not the one who agrees with you.”
Most friendships in our current era are fake and deceptive. If someone you consider a friend leaves you at the first turning point in your friendship, then they do not know the meaning of friendship, neither remotely nor closely. Perhaps they are your friend to benefit from you or to fill their free time with chatting with you only.
A true intimate friend is the one who loves for you what they love for themselves and more, and stays with you throughout life, not turning their mind and heart to the whispers of the people towards you. If you ask them for something, they fulfill it for you without any favor, and if they are unable, they seek help from others so as not to leave you in difficulty.
The true nature of a friend appears in times of hardship. If they support you in your religion and worldly matters and do not leave you until the end, then they are the praised friend. Otherwise, they are just claiming friendship and nothing more. It is well said, “A friend is known in times of distress.”
Whoever does not know the meaning of friendship is deceived because they may assume that their friends are as numerous as the hairs on their head, but in times of hardship, they will discover that they are bald.
Your true friend is the one who fears for you from the calamities of this world and is concerned about your fate on the Day of Judgment.
According to our beliefs as Muslims, a friend will intercede on the Day of Judgment if they are among the people of intercession and will intercede for some of their friends. Intercession is not limited to some without others. The prophets and Imams (peace be upon them) are all intercessors, and they are joined by scholars, martyrs, the righteous, and friends if they are among the righteous, as all those mentioned are people of honor and high status in the sight of Allah, glorified be He.
We can derive this meaning from the words of Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the concept of friendship and its true meaning, as it was reported that he said, “Have many friends in this world, as they benefit you in this world and the Hereafter. In this world, they fulfill your needs, and in the Hereafter, the people of Hell will say, ‘So we have no intercessors, nor a close friend.'”
We need to reconsider our choice of friends and examine them from both a human and religious perspective. If their character is sound, let us make them lifelong friends and reciprocate the same feeling because true friendship is not one-sided.
Many friends are like a safe haven for each other, and how many secrets can only be revealed to an intimate friend and hidden from even your closest relatives.
It can be said that a friend is a father, a brother, a son, a relative, and a soulmate, if the expression is correct.
قال سبحانه( واذكر ربك حتى يأتيك اليقين)
إن ذكر الله عز وجل لا ينحصر بجارحة اللسان بل يجب أن ينبع من صميم القلب وتترجمه الطاعة الصادقة التي تتحقق بفعل الواجب والمستحب وبترك كافة المحرمات
جعلنا الله واياكم من الذاكرين العابدين الصادقين
الشيخ علي فقيه
