﴿وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا﴾
And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. (Quran 18:28)
It is by human nature that we tend to depend on people; family for love and warmth, a friend for support, or perhaps an acquaintance that makes you content. At times of hardship, it becomes difficult to find a friend that can provide us with the support that we need, but they do exist. The one person who will inspire you to seek patience from your Lord will be the person that is also close to Him, beholds a firm relationship with Him, the person that is mindful of Allah at all times, the person that longs for reuniting with Him one day.
It is with this person; a friend,
a family member, or perhaps a group of people that you will find comfort and
happiness in your life. Indeed they are rare to find, but they do exist. You
will find them “praising Him, glorifying Him, declaring His greatness, and
calling on Him day and night”[1];
not only by words but in their manners, their interaction with those around
them, and the way they approach life. You will find them with pure souls,
happy, and cheerful knowing that Allah is with them. You will find them seeking
His pleasure and satisfaction in all of their affairs, fearing His disappointment
in them at any point, because for them, Allah is their top priority in this
life. Seek the friendship of righteous people, who will bring you closer to
Allah, by encouraging you to improve your relationship with Him; by worshiping
Him, remembering Him, and seeking Him together. Friends who will motivate you
to achieve your dreams, help you at times of need, and catch you before you
fall.
Perhaps the most astonishing
feature of a righteous friend is that the questions you have raised to your
Lord may be answered through them, the messages of hope and motivation you are
longing for are sent down from Allah through them. As if they are your personal
messenger from Allah, your companions that lead you to Him. These friends are rare, yet a precious blessing. We
should seek them in our interactions and hold on tight to them once we find
them.
On the contrary, avoid those
whose main concern is this world. For those who follow the desires of this world
including gossip, complications with people, materialism, and detachment from
Allah will never find comfort and happiness. Seek the righteousness of a true
friend, that will make you a better person, provide you with spirit and bliss,
enrich your soul with reminders of Him at all times, and enhance your
relationship with Him. Love your righteous friends for the sake of Allah, as
they will give you what you have lost, make your life more meaningful, and ask
Allah to unite between you and them in paradise.
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| Image courtesy of @tazawadoo |
