By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
02 July 2019
Significance of friendship can be gauged from the fact that it is always the result of good conduct, while enmity is that of bad conduct. Good conduct leads one to create love for one another and bad conduct results into hatred, envy and enmity. The impact of good conduct is so comprehensive that not only does it bring its holder in proximity with God but it is also helpful to create social harmony, peace and friendship. God Almighty praised His Prophet’s conduct in His Book,
“You are certainly upon a sublime character” (68:4)
Overwhelming majority of people will enter into Paradise on the basis of their God-fearing and good conduct. It is reported that once some companions asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), what good attribute has been given to man? He said, “Good conduct”. He also said, “I have been sent to perfect good conduct”. According to a Hadith report, “the hell-fire will not be able to burn one whose character and constitution are beautiful”.
The Prophet is reported to have said, “O Abu Hurairah, you should take to good conduct. Abu Hurairah asked: O Messenger of God, what is good conduct? He said, ‘Keep the tie of relationship with one who cuts it off, forgive one who oppresses you, give charity to one who deprives you.”
Creating friendship and brotherhood is a part of good conduct. At various places in the Quran, God Almighty has commanded to establish it. In one of the verses, He says,
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favour of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favour, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided” (3:103)
This divine verse asks the believers to remember unity and brotherhood as favour of God and condemns separation and disunity.
Friendship and brotherhood as a divine favour was also repeatedly encouraged by the Prophet. There are some reports according to which, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “One who is the best of you in good conduct is nearest to me”, “A believer loves and is loved. There is no good in one who does love and is not loved”. Praising brotherhood among Muslims, he said, “God gives a friend to one whose conduct is good”, “if two brothers meet with each with other, they are like two hands one of which clear the dust of the other. If two believers meet with each other, God gives benefit to one from another.” If a person establishes brotherhood and friendship for the sake of God, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “God will increase his rank in Paradise and will not reduce anything from his actions”. He also said, “God says, ‘My meeting becomes sure for those who meet one another for me. My love becomes sure for those who love one another for Me. My help becomes sure for those who help one another for Me”.
Hazrat Fuzail said in one of his sermons, “It is strange that you wish to live in the Paradise of Firdaus and in the neighbour-hood of the Merciful with Prophets, martyrs, the truthful and pious men. But what actions you have done for it, what passions you have given up for it, what tie of relationship you have united after it was severed, what faults of your brother you have forgiven, and what distant persons you have brought near for God”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Those people among you are dearest to God, who love and are loved, and those people among you are objects of greatest hatred of God who roam with slanders and create disputes among brethren”.
Friendship and brotherhood, if established for the sake of God, are true and successful. If they are meant only for materialistic and opportunistic reasons, they will not fall under the domain and application of friendship. Friendship and brother, if done for God’s sake, create truth, honesty, genuine feeling of respect and harmony and thus the people are able to maintain peace, forgiveness and patience even in times of adversity.
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7:47 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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