Expression of friends
Friendship is one of the strongest and warmest human bonds. Choosing friends requires careful consideration and not rushing, as not everyone is capable of being a good friend. A true friend acts as a mirror that reflects the best in you, supports you in times of distress and happiness, and stands by your side in various situations, whether good or difficult.
While a friend who underestimates the values of friendship may lead you down a path full of negativity, which can affect your personality in an undesirable way.
The importance of friendship in human life
Friendship plays a vital role in enhancing happiness and filling the emotional void in people’s lives, as having friends gives people support and partnership in various events and circumstances.
Friends are companions who support you through hardships, share interests and dreams, and provide advice and counsel on issues that may be difficult for an individual to solve alone.
Friends also reduce loneliness, which is one of the most stressful feelings a person can experience. They provide a safe space where you can express yourself freely, and share secrets that you may be afraid to share with others. With friends, you can be spontaneous without fear of judgment or negative evaluation, which creates an atmosphere of comfort and trust.
Choose a friend
Choosing friends is a crucial step in a person's life, because through them, behavior can be shaped and values can be influenced. A true friend improves and supports you, while a negative friend may drag you down to his level of undesirable behavior. Noble friends keep secrets, and accept you as you are without betrayal or hurting.
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, emphasized the value of carefully selecting companions, as he mentioned a saying that expresses the importance of friendships in their impact on one’s religion and general behavior, saying: “A person is upon the religion of his close friend, so let each of you consider whom he befriends.” This indicates the need for vigilance and deliberation when choosing those with whom we spend our time and share our thoughts.
Characteristics of a good friend
To build strong and lasting friendships, it is necessary to know the characteristics that an ideal friend should have. This is evident by defining some important traits:
Standing by you in difficult times is the most prominent characteristic of an ideal friend. Such a person will support you and will not leave you in critical moments, even if others distance themselves from you.
A friend should also have high morals, which include loyalty, honesty, and constant support. It requires avoiding people who lack these traits.
It is very important that a friend helps you to walk the path of goodness and draw closer to God, and does not urge you to do what is contrary to Islamic law.
Good listening is another characteristic of a best friend. It is necessary to have someone who listens to you carefully and with interest without limiting the conversation to himself or his problems only.
Finally, a good friend is shown by his kindness and mercy towards others, as he avoids harm and insults and always rushes towards help and kindness.
The effect of friendship on a person
Friendship is an important source of support and positivity in people's lives, as having a loyal and pure friend contributes to improving the mental and emotional state of the individual. A loyal friend helps to enhance an optimistic outlook on life, and encourages smiling and facing challenges with a positive spirit.
It also encourages the individual to make decisions that are in his best interest and develop his abilities to succeed and achieve progress. A true friend has the characteristics of brotherhood and loyalty, and always seeks to remove harm and bring all good and useful things to his friend.
Maintaining friendship
Caring for and nurturing friendships is a basic necessity, as the friend must strengthen this relationship and protect it from any external interference that may threaten its stability. Strong and long-lasting friendships are often the focus of attention and envy of many people.
Hence, the importance of friends standing together to defend their relationship and maintain it for life. This requires not revealing each other’s secrets, keeping loyalties firm without betrayal, and forgiving mistakes because whoever does not forgive his friend finds himself deprived of good company.
Also, maintaining friendship requires purity of intentions and sincerity in the relationship between friends. It is very important for a person to seek to defend his friends and not leave them in difficult situations, and to always wish them well. Communication between friends should always be active and available, and long interruptions between them should be avoided.
If problems or disagreements occur, it is necessary to apologize and repair the relationship as soon as possible because friendship is built on actions, not just words, and the best friends are those who are gentle, kind, and tolerant, and do not hold grudges in their hearts.