As social beings, certainly humans need the existence of others since that is also the purposes of human creation. Therefore, in facing of the journey of life, we will meet a person who is able to provide positive support toward us. We know him called as a friend.
A friend tends to be able to know and understand us as fully as possible. He also became someone we always invited to share all feelings including sadness or joy as the meaning of ukhuwah islamiyah insaniyah and wathaniyah.
Many people rely on a friend as a role model and an adviser as well as an alarm that will always remind or warn them. In Islam itself a friendship is one that is strongly recommended by Allah SWT as mentioned in His following words :
“The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.” (QS. Al-Hujurat : 10)
Emphasizing on it, Rasulullah SAW also said in the following Hadith :
“A Muslim is another Muslims brother, he does not oppose him, demeaning him, surrender (to the enemy) and does not humiliate him.” (Hadith of Muslim)
The Value of Friendship in Islam
Friendship is a value that must be implanted early on. Since after all people who have many friends believed that he will be easier in living through his life. As an allegory “The more friends the more sustenance”. Read also : importance of friendship in Islam
This parable is true, because ties of hospitality (friendship) which always preserved will be able to open the door of sustenance. Therefore, it is important to understand the value of friendship in Islam as the value of faith in Islam. Hence, in the following points will be explained in full about the 10 values of friendship in Islam that are worth to know.
1. Strengthen Each Other
Islam saws a friendship as a building. Where the value of friendship is the foundation of the building that will be mutually strenghtening. If the foundation is strong then the building will be sturdy. As mentioned in the hadith below :
“A believer to another believer is like a building that mutually strenghtening each other.” (Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim)
2. Growing Compassion
The value of friendship will create a sense of love that will further strengthen the bonds of togetherness. Likened that friendship is like the parts of body, if there is a pain, then the other body parts will feel it. Quoted from the following hadith narrated by Muslim below :
“The believer’s parable in love and affection is like one body, when one organ feels sick, then the whole body also feels the same way, hard to sleep and sense of fever” (Hadith of Muslim)
Read also : how to make someone love you in Islam
3. A Good Friend Will Be the Friend of Allah SWT
Allah loves his people who are friendly to each other in goodness. As well as with the Rasulullah SAW that explained in the following hadith : [AdSense-B]
The best friend in the side of Allah is the best person toward his friend and as good as the neighbor in the side of Allah is the best toward his neighbor.” (Hadith of Al-Hakim)
In the above hadith explained that, good friends in the side of Allah are those who can be a good friend toward his friend. It means that those who have sincere friendship value will have value in the eyes of Allah SWT. Although there are many human types who made friendship by having many interests behind it. However, believe that Allah SWT know it. Read also : importance of brotherhood in Islam
4. Those Who Make a Friends Because of Allah Will Make the Martyrs and the Prophets be Envy
“Around His Arsy there are towers of light, in which there are people whose clothes are of light, their faces are glow. They are not Prophets and Martyrs, until the Prophets and Martyrs are envy of them. “When the Companions asked, Rasulullah replied, ‘They are the ones who love each other for Allah, befriend each other for Allah, and visit each other for Allah’.” (Hadith of Tirmidhi)
In the hadith it is explained that, those who ties friendship because of Allah, will have a light, their faces is glowing and even their clothes are also made of light. This will then envy the Martyrs and the Prophets. Hence, it shows that how noble and fortunate are those who make friends for Allah SWT.
5. The Best Friend Is The One Who Always Reminds You To Allah SWT
[AdSense-A] In this life, finding the best friend is not easy. Because it can not be denied that, every human being has an interest in establishing a relationship no exception in a friendship.
However, if you can find a friend who always makes you remember Him, then he must be a special person and best friend for you. As mentioned in the following hadith :
“The best friend is when you see his face, you remember of Allah, hear his words add the knowledge of religion, see his movements remembered of dead. The best friend in the side of Allah is the best toward his friends and the best of his neighbor in the side of Allah is the best to his neighbor” (Hadith of Al-Hakim)
6. A Friend is Your Reflection
Wherever you live, who are the people you invited as friends will be very influential to your characters establishment. More easily that if you are friends with pious people then you will follow it, otherwise if you are friends with people who are less good in character (morals) then it will also affect you. Therefore, it is very important to choose a friend who has good character and good morals. As in the following hadith :
“Someone depends on the religion of his best friend, so pay attention to one of you to whom he is friends.” (Hadith of Abu Daud)
Read also : rights of friends
7. Friendship Because of Allah Will Get His Shade
From Abu Hurairah, from Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam said :
“Indeed on the Judgment Day Allah will say, ‘Where are those who love each other because of My majesty? On this day I will give shade to him in My shelter when there is no shade except my shade’.” (Hadith of Muslim)
Allah SWT promises to those who forge a friendship because of Him. That later will give His shade on when the judgment day arrived. Together with the other seven group, those who are friends because of Allah will receive favors and noble in no time.
8. The Love of Allah SWT to You Equals With Your Love To Your Friend
Allah loves his people who are friendly to each other. As to which in a story belows. Surely there is someone who visits his brother in another city. Then Allah commands the angels to follow him. When the angel reached him, he said :
“Where would you be? “The man said,” I’m going to visit my brother in this town. “The angel said,” Is there your wealth run by him? “He said,” Nothing, it’s just that I love him for Allah.” later the angel said, “The truth is I am the massenger of Allah to you. I am commanded to say that Allah really has loved you as you have loved your brother for Allah’.” (Hadith of Muslim)
[AdSense-C]
9. The Love of Allah SWT to You Equals With Your Love To Your Friend
Human life is not eternal, we live only in the world. Indeed, in the afterlife we hope that we meet our loved and beloved ones including our friends. God gives noble to those who are friends because of Allah. As in the following hadith :
“If two men love each other and love in the path of Allah, one is in the east, while the other is in the west, then Allah will gather both on the Judgment Day and say,” This is the man whom you loved within My-path.” (Hadith of Ibn Asakir from Ibn Abbas)
10. A Good Friend Is a Favor Given by Allah SWT To His People
Islam is one of the greatest blessings that Allah has given to mankind. However, did you know that there are other blessings that you can not deny. It is none other than the good friends you have. As the statement delivered by Umar Bin Al-Khatab as follows :
“There is no greater favors than a righteous brother whom Allah gave to a servant after the religion of Islam. If one of you gets the affection of his brother / his friends, hold tightly to the friendship.” (Umar Bin Al-Khatab)
The value of friendship in Islam is worth knowing. Being one of the favors that given by Allah to mankind as well as the function of the Islamic religion itself. Having a friend is one form of social creature that can not be denied and is the essence of human beings according to Islam. Since that chooses a good friend is also not an easy task. Read also : how to gain respect in Islam
A lot of trapped and fall cause choosing the wrong friend. By seeing how the value of friendship in Islam is very upheld. So you should be able to selectively choosing a friend, and hopefully this article can be useful.