Part 30

Ibn Katheer, commenting on these verses, relates a story on the authority of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (.,) which says:

Any friendship for other than Allah is turned into enmity, except what was in it for Allah the Mighty and Majestic: Two who are friends for Allah’s sake. One of them dies and is given good news that he will be granted paradise, so he remembered his friend and he supplicated for him, saying: O Allah, my friend used to command me to obey You and to obey Your Prophet (3) and used to command me to do good and to forbid me from doing evil. And he told me that I will meet You. O Allah, do not let him go astray after me, until you show him what you have just shown me, until You are satisfied with him, just like You are satisfied with me. So he is told: Had you known what is (written) for your friend, would you have laughed a lot and cried a little. Then his friend dies and their souls are gathered, and both are asked to express their opinions about each other. So each one of them says to his friend: You were the best brother, the best companion and the best friend. And when one of the two disbelieving friends dies, and he is given tidings of hellfire, he remembered his friend and he said:

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The benefits of mixing with the righteous are immense, and they will be even more obvious in the hereafter. It is from Allah’s blessings upon a child or youth who submits and turns to Allah in worship that s/he is given a brother or sister similar to him or her; thus they are able to encourage each other in their obedience to Allah and adherence to the Sunnah. Others who take a youth away from remembering Allah and from obeying Him and His Prophet (324), those who fail to remind him or her of his or her daily prayers and those who do not give him or her sincere advice in regard to his or her way of life, are actually foes and not friends.

From a young age, parents should expose their children to others who are righteous by taking them to the mosque, sending them to an Islamic school, and involving them in activities in the Muslim. community. In these ways they will have opportunities to develop friendships based upon righteousness. They will also see other children and families worshipping Allah, which will strengthen their own desire to worship.

As parents assist their children in choosing righteous friends, it may be helpful to keep in mind the following questions:

208 The peer environment

1. Will they assist our child in achieving the purpose for which s/he was brought to life (that is, to worship of Allah) or will they take him or her away from it?

2. Will they desire for our child Allah’s pleasure or is that not their concern at all?

3. Will they lead our child closer to paradise or to the hellfire?

Friendship based upon love of Allah

Friendship in Islam is based upon mutual love and respect. This is one of the ways through which a person may taste the sweetness of eeman. When a Muslim befriends and loves his or her brother or sister in Islam, s/he loves him or her for the sake of Allah. This means that his or her love for that brother or sister is connected to his or her love for Allah. S/he loves him or her and treats him or her in the manner that Allah has ordained. S/he loves him or her because they share a special bond that can never be broken, the bond of faith in Allah, the Creator of all humankind. It is a bond between hearts and minds that brings them close in a unique and special way; so much so that they are willing to sacrifice anything for each other knowing they will gain the pleasure of Allah in the process. Nothing between them is ever done for worldly gain or purpose.

* Bukhari and Muslim

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At the level of eeman, to develop a friendship for Allah’s sake means to establish relationships of love and trust for His sake. This entails assistance, alliance, and loyalty. Loyalty for the sake of Allah really means to come to the assistance of those who are obedient to Him, even if it requires immense sacrifices. It requires us to ally ourselves for the sake of Allah, and it requires us to ally ourselves to Muslims wherever we find them. This brotherhood and sisterhood transcends all worldly barriers such as culture, race, language, and socioeconomic status. There is no better friendship than friendship for the sake of Allah.

Chapter 16 The Community Environment

{And indeed this, your religion [Ummah]! is one religion [Ummah], and I am your Lord, so fear Me.) (Quran 23: 52)

A community is basically a group of people having common interests, goals, principles, and rights. The main element of sharing something in common defines a community. However, it goes beyond that, and for the Muslim community it is a much deeper experience. To be effective, a community needs to be organized, cohesive, cooperative, and active. A true Muslim community will have all of those things in addition to being the carrier of Islam, the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (2). Allah (4) mentions, bee Aaa chee ey ae eek A ee tee Ech bee 2 ee Pale IAI 5563 HU & ALS Id Uns WEI KGL AKG And thus We have made you a median [just] community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness

As the standard bearers of Islam, we are examples for all people, and in particular, for the next generation. This is the responsibility of the community and it is a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously. When we fail to practice Islam or to bring up our children as Muslims, we not only harm ourselves and our family, but we also negatively impact the whole community.

‘ Ummah: community or nation: usu. used to refer to the entire global community of Muslims

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In relation to nurturing eeman and developing an Islamic personality, the youth learn values, morals, attitudes, and ideals not only from individual people, but they also acquire them from reference groups. These are social groups to which a person belongs and with which common aspects are shared. For a Muslim youth, the most important reference group should be the Muslim community. For that to happen, the Muslim community needs to be available. Youth need to be encouraged to participate and made to feel that they are important members of the community who have something to contribute. If these elements are not present, the youth will turn to other readily available options.

Encourage a sense of belonging to the Muslim nation

? Bukhari and Muslim

212 The community environment

Practical suggestions for developing a sense of community