10 Friendly Ways How to Choose Good Friends in Islam

Islam is a perfect and good religion, since everything has been arranged so perfectly in Islam. And in every rule contained in Islam, it is never burdensome his servants, and are always beneficial to Muslims. Islam is a guidance to its people as is the purpose and function of religion, i.e as a guide and a guidance. Islam has arrange all aspects of human life including how to choose good friends in Islam.

In achieving the purposes of human creation in Islam, human being can not live alone, and certainly requires others, whether it be family friends and spouses. And in choosing friends, we should not carelessly assume everyone could be it. See also : How to compliment someone in Islam

People who can made as friends are those who will always bring goodness for us while we are be friends. In the Islamic Shari’a  source (the law used in Islam particularly Al-Qur’an and Hadith) it is not clearly explained about how to choose a good friend, but as an intelligent and religious being, we definitely ccould think how to choose friends. And here are some tips on choosing good friends in Islam:

1. Have the Same Aqeedah (Creed)

As Muslims, we are recommended to choose a friend who has the same aqeedah with us, that is intended to avoid disputes that could occured at any time. However, it does not mean that we should not be friends with non-Muslims.

Muslims can be friends or have friends with non-Muslims, as long as they are not the ones who fight us cause of religion and do not bring badness toward us. And in making friends with non-Muslims we also have to know the boundaries.

2. Obedient on Worship

In choosing friends, we must choose an obidient friend of worshiping Allah SWT in order to transmit his obedience toward us.

3. Have a Good Morals

Rasulullah SAW ever said that,

“Permissibility that the good friend’s and the bad friend’s are like a perfume seller and a blacksmith. The perfume seller may give you perfume, or you can buy perfume from him, and even if you do not, you still get the smell from him. While the blacksmith, it could be a spark of his fire hit your clothes and if it is not you still get the smell of his odor’s smoke.” (Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim)

In the above hadith is said that friends will greatly affect us in behaving and morals. Therefore we must always choose friends who have the good morals. See also : how to deal with angry person in Islam

4. A Friend Who Does not Conduct Hasad (Envy)

We need to be selective in choosing friends, including choosing non-hasad friends, who will not be envy according to Islam when they see us be succeed and successful. Which will not bring us down for envy feelings.

5. A Friend Who Does not Like to Criticize

Choose a friend who does not like to criticize others, since the law of harming others in Islam is forbidden. [AdSense-B]

6. A Friend Who Will Always Support Us

In living this life we definitely need a support, especially when times getting difficult. And good friends are those who will always support and encourage us. Support every good step we take. See also : ways to visit neighbour in Islam

7. A Friend Who is Knowledgeable and Not Stingy on Knowledge

Choose a friend who is knowledgeable and willing to share his knowledge to us, both good in science and religion. The knowledgeable friends will always warn us to always study and not lazy in studying, and make friends with people who are knowledgeable better than those who are unknowledgeable.

8. A Friend Who Will Always Remind Us

In making friends we also need to choose a friend who will always remind us to Allah SWT. And if we make a mistake and are on the wrong path he will always warn and remind us. See also : muslim rights to others muslim

9. A Friend Who Does Not Like to Commit Immorality

Be friends with people who like to commit immorality is feared that it will make us contagious and commit immorality, therefore we need to avoid friends who like to commit it.

10. A Friend Who Give Syafa’at (intercede or help)

A pious and good friend is one who can give syafa’at to his friend. As the following hadith :

“After the believers are released from hell, by Allah, where the Essence of my soul is in His hands, you are so persistent in asking to Allah to fight for the right of his brothers in hell on the Day of Resurrection. They plead: O our Lord, they (who live in hell) have fasted with us, prayers, and also performing Hajj.”

[AdSense-C]

Answered

“Let out (from hell) the people you know. “Until their faces are forbidden to be burned by the fires of hell.”

The believers then released many of his siblings who had been burned in hell, some were burnt to the calf and some were up to his knees.

Then the believer reports to Allah, “Our Lord, the one whom You commanded to be lifted from hell, is not left.”

Then Allah SWT said,

“Go back again, released those who still have the greatest faith of dinars.”

“So many of the believers who were tortured in Hell were released. Then they reported, “O our Lord, we have not left anyone whom You commanded to perish”

(Hadith of Muslim)

In the mentioned hadith it is explained that a believer asks syafa’at to Allah for his friends who have fasted, prayers or who ever went to Hajj with him.

From the tips above mentioned, we do need to choose a good friends in Islam, but that does not mean that we kept a distance from the people who have character and less well of behaviour.

Allah SWT prefer on appreciating people who always connect a hospitality with everyone, and as creatures equipped with more intellect, we must consider the side of the benefit and the badness in choosing a friend so that we would not fall into the wrong association. See also : importance of greetings in Islam