Do not stay in the company of those who don't think of Allah: (Surah An-Najm)

[Ruhi_Rose]

 




"Then withdraw (O Muhammad) from him who flees from Our remembrance and desires but the life of the world."  53:29

We often hear various 'Muslims' say that it's okay to be friends with secularists and non-believers because they claim that faith is one's "personal" matter.  That might be the view of other non-Divine religions.  But in Islam, there's no such thing as faith in Allah being a "personal" thing.  This does NOT mean forcing anyone to accept Islam.  But it means that since Islam is the most important code of life and not just "a religion" that can be kept separate from life as "a personal matter," therefore it's incumbent upon a believer to plan their relations with others on the basis of Faith.  A believer is commanded to keep good company and not to mix with disbelievers.  The above Verse is a clear example of this commandment.  There are several other verses too that command the same.  This is a very important commandment.  Unless a believer is a very formal friend or a business friend of a disbeliever upto which it's okay, it is the responsibility of a believer only to choose believers as their close and trusted friends.  Even if the family members of true believers become disbelievers (Allah forbid), the believers will need to keep a distance even from them otherwise they run the risk of getting distracted by such people.  No matter how small the chances might be of this risk, but if it happens it can be so devastating for the future of that person that every step needs to be taken to avoid it.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

I absolutely agree, though this very important point is very difficult to explain to many Muslims today. 

In Surah Al-Mujadilah, Allah says in Verse 58:14 "Have you not seen those who take for friends a folk with whom Allah is wroth ? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear a false oath knowingly."  Then again Allah says in Verse 58:19 "The devil has engrossed them and so has caused them to forget remembrance of Allah. They are the devil's party. Indeed! is it not the devil's party who will be the losers?"  And finally, Allah asserts in the final verse of this Surah, Verse 58:22 "You will not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He has written faith upon their hearts and has strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Indeed! is it not Allah's party who are the successful ?"

It's very, very true that a person who has genuinely surrendered their heart to Allah alone will find it difficult to get along nor feel comfortable with anyone who reject's Faith or makes light of it.  Such a person will distance themselves even from their immediate family members if they take pleasure in disbelief and show intolerance.  A ritualistic believer will never understand this but it's true to the core.  This doesn't mean fighting or quarreling with those who reject Faith, although many times these rejecters are extremely disrespectful with believers and at such times I do find it hard to keep my cool.  However, what it means is that if they happen to be your friends or neighbors, then it's easy to avoid them.  But if they are members of your own family, then be nice to them regarding matters of daily life, pray to Allah to guide them, at the same time keep a distance from them in matters of Faith and make sure they don't try to brainwash you or misguide you.  If they try that, simply say NO and walk away from their presence.

The above Verses also explain the meaning of Hezbollah (Army of Allah) and Hezb shaytaan (Army of the devil).  The believers who keep good company and only mix with believers are the Army of Allah.  Those who don't care about the love of Allah in the hearts of their friends or family will also not care for the sins they themselves commit.  Their company will consist of all sorts of people where remembrance of Allah and serving Him alone will be of little or no importance.  These are the army of the devil.

[Zainab_M]

Alhumdulilah, lovely read. 

[Zainab_M]

.... and I think the Hadith guys should also be considered somewhat negative company for true believers, in that, we can certainly meet them, talk to them, but also silently keep our distance because of our differences.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

😄


Right Sister .....