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Have you ever
thought who are your real friends?
By Fatimah Gorin
Have you ever thought who are your real
friends? Are they your school friends or family friends or maybe even
your pen-pals? Your true friends are those who believe in God and will
commemorate and praise God with you. These friends are always there for
you and who will encourage you to remember God and to be a righteous
person. In the Quran, God informs us:
[18:46
] "You shall force yourself to be with those who
worship their Lord day and night, seeking Him
alone. Do not turn your eyes away from them,
seeking the vanities of this world. Nor shall you
obey one whose heart we rendered oblivious to
our message; one who pursues his own desires, and
whose priorities are confused."
Your friends are those who will stand
strong with you in the path of God. We live in a time when we are
presented with so many temptations and the challenge of dealing with
peer pressure from other friends. When you hear and see the majority of
people encouraging you to do something that goes against what God has
invited you to do in the Quran, your true friend will support you and
help you in making the right decision.
God warns us in the Quran to choose our
friends carefully. In verse 28 of chapter 3 we read:
"The
believers never ally themselves with the disbelievers, instead of the
believers."
Of course, it's perfectly fine to have
other friends who have a different belief than you just as long as they
do not criticize your belief or try to force you to do things that go
against God's teachings.
But keep in mind, if you know of someone
in your school or community that worships God alone, you are better off
spending your time with them. Together, you learn from each other,
remember God more often, avoid temptations, and strive together to
appreciate God's blessings. |
