Have you ever experienced the\nsituation in which the difficulties of life become so intense that you wish to\nopen your heart to someone? Have you ever had a close friend warmed the cockles\nof your heart and was a good audience to your words? Or have you ever had a\nfriend who made you desperate, hopeless, and distressed? Have you ever thought\nhow to choose a decent friend and what are the criteria for choosing such a\nfriend?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The importance of having a friend in\nlife in so great that according to scholars and intellectuals, every person\ncould be identified through his\/her friends. Moreover, a true and good friend\ncan be a good supporter and assistant in all stages of life, and guide us\ntowards a proper destination. In contrast, an inappropriate friend, who is not\nchosen based on suitable criteria, could prevent one from progress or even\ncause us to decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, the decision as to whom we\nchoose as a friend and whom we avoid is of great importance. Numerous\ndiscussions have been presented in this respect and the importance of choosing\na good friend. The Infallible Imams (PBUT) have paid special attention towards\nthis issue also. In this regards, a beautiful statement has been quoted from\nthe beauty of the worshippers, Imam Sajjad (PBUH), which clarifies a portion of\nthe criteria for choosing a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is narrated in the book of Usul\nal-Kafi that Imam Sajjad (PBUH) said to his honorable son, Imam Baqir (PBUH):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Do not\nbecome the companion, interlocutor, or friend of five people. I said, “O\nFather! Who are they?” He replied,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Avoid the\ncompanionship of a liar, because he is like a mirage, which deceives you by\nshowing the far, close to you and taking the close far from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Avoid the\ncompanionship of a transgressor, because he would betray you for a morsel or even\nless than that (1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Avoid the\ncompanionship of a stingy person, because he would deprive you of his wealth\nwhen you are in extreme need of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Avoid the\ncompanionship of a stupid person, because he would harm you (of his stupidity)\neven though he wants to benefit you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Avoid the\ncompanionship of a person who has cut off his ties of kinship, because I have\nfound him distant from the mercy of Allah (SWT) in three places in the Holy\nQuran. Allah (SWT) has said: “But if you held command, you were sure to\nmake mischief in the land and cut off the ties of kinship! Those it is whom\nAllah has cursed so He has made them deaf and blinded their eyes.” (2) He\nhas also said:” And those who break the covenant of Allah after its\nconfirmation and cut asunder that which Allah has ordered to be joined and make\nmischief in the land; (as for) those, upon them shall be curse and they shall\nhave the evil (issue) of the abode” (3). And in chapter 2, He has said:\n“Who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder\nwhat Allah has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land; these it is\nthat are the losers” (4)(5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Selection taken\nfrom,” Forty Hadiths”, vol. 3 , by Sayyid Hashim Rasouli Mahallati)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Congratulation to all Muslims, the\nbirthday of the beauty of the worshippers and the leader of prostrators, Imam\nSajjad (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1- In another\nHadith, Imam Baqir (PBUH) narrates that: “I asked my father,” O\nFather! What do you mean by less than that?” He replied,” He betrays\nyou to achieve a morsel, but he would not achieve it”. (Kashf al-Ghummah,\nvol. 2, p. 81)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2- The Holy\nQuran, 47:22 & 23)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3- The Holy\nQuran, 13:25<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4- The Holy\nQuran, 2:27<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5- Usul al-Kafi,\nvol. 2, p. 376<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Have you ever experienced the situation in which the difficulties of life become so intense that you wish to open your heart to someone? Have you ever had a close friend warmed the cockles of your heart and was a good audience to your words? Or have you ever had a friend who made you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[20755,20754,18405,18465,18656,20431,20756,18418,19725,18451],"class_list":["post-4295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2006-08-30","tag-finding-friends","tag-friend","tag-good","tag-heart","tag-imam-sajjad","tag-importance","tag-occasion-letters","tag-person","tag-situation"],"yoast_head":"\n