Allah says, “Your (real) friends are Allah, His messenger, and the Believers (they are) those who establish regular prayers, and regular charity, and they bow down humbly.” (Qur’an, 5:58)
Three friends are spoken about in this verse:
1) Allah: The Almighty Friend is the most loyal Friend one can have. People will come and go, only Allah stays. Even in trying to do good people can slip and err but Allah is above any such error. At times, parents hope their children will work in the future allowing them to retire. But they can die, become disobedient or earn very little. How many hopes do we place in our children? Or in friends and family? Know that the more hopes you have, the greater the disappointment will be when they are unfulfilled. Place your full hopes and reliance in Allah, His promise never goes unfulfilled.
2) Nabi ﷺ: No wife loves a husband and no mother loves a child, like how Nabi ﷺ loved his Ummatis. There are teenagers who are addicted to drugs. Their parents get fed up and throw them out of the home. Nabi ﷺ was stoned and dragged in Taif until he bled, yet upon his tongue were duas for his Ummatis. He never got fed up. Wahshi رضي الله عنه killed his uncle but a time came when he wanted to embrace Islam. Despite Nabi ﷺ’s pain upon seeing Wahshi رضي الله عنه, he graciously answered every question he had until he embraced Islam. Such was his kindness and nobility.
3) The Believers: They are those who:
Establish Salah: Choose a companion who is regular in their Salah, as their habits will rub off on you.
Give charity: Meaning, they pay their Zakah. The mufassireen have explained that this means that whatever laws of Allah pertain to his physical health, he fulfils it. And the laws of Allah that pertain to his wealth, he fulfils it.
Bow down humbly: This refers to bowing in Salah. Another interpretation is that it refers to adopting humility. Never join the company of the proud as that can lead to pride, even the clothes we wear can impact us. Hence, the proud wear designer clothes. Sufis would wear woollen clothing as that imbues a person with humility. The name Sufis comes from the word “suf”, which refers to woollen clothing.
Thus, there is no truer Friend than Allah. Second, comes Nabi ﷺ. Thereafter, comes the true believers. The best of them are those who turn to Allah, rely on Allah and remind you of Allah. May we know them, may we be them and may we raise them. Aameen.
— Hazrat Ml. Dawood Seedat حفظه الله
Above is an article taken from www.islaahiadvices.com. It is an extract from Hazrat’s talk on 01/10/18 in Masjid-ut-Taqwa, Pietermaritzburg. To listen to the full audio, please click here.