Musleh Khan – Life #17 My friends aren’t perfect, but how do I help them become better
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The speaker discusses the negative effects of negative relationships with Allah Subhanahu wacentala on one's faith and relationship with their family. They suggest finding new friends and finding a way to encourage others to live the right way. The speaker also advises finding courage and strength to have honest conversations with friends, even if they may not agree.
AI: Summary ©
My friends aren't perfect
but how do I make them better?
All of us have been there,
some of us are still there. You have
friends you've grown up with your entire life,
but there's just one problem,
they're having an effect on your iman, a
negative effect on your faith. They're having an
effect on your relationship with your family and
other friends as well but especially your relationship
with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. What do you
do in a situation like this? Well brothers
and sisters, the first point.
The Prophet
told us that we are on
the path
of those whom we choose as friends,
those whom we befriend.
Listen to the wording.
The Prophet
is literally saying you are
who your friends are.
So if you start to see
those negative qualities
of your friendship circle,
it's starting to manifest in your own life,
then there's just one option here.
You have to find new friends.
If you're in a position where you can
influence,
encourage,
give some advice,
give some direction.
If you feel like you're in a position
to do that
and inshallah the results are there or you
have a genuine friend that's willing to listen,
that acknowledges
that he or she has these issues,
then that's really up to you. If you
feel like you have what it takes
that you can start to encourage them to
do the right thing, to live the right
way, and say the right things, and not
have a negative impact on your faith, go
for it. Perhaps it's an opportunity.
But if you don't,
and it's literally because we've been friends for
so long, you've got accustomed to these habits,
And others have had to point out, look,
you started dressing differently,
started talking differently,
used to pray on time all the time,
but now you're missing your prayers because you're
always hanging out with them.
That's an indication
that perhaps
it's time to find new friends.
That's not a bad thing brothers and sisters.
We are not required
to accept and befriend every single person we
come in contact with.
At the end of the day, there should
never be
any animosity
or hatred for anyone in our hearts. So
at the end of the day, if the
friendship
doesn't work out,
that's okay
for the one who leaves off something.
For the sake of Allah, Allah will always
replace it with that which is better.
So you win
all around when you leave off something that's
affecting your iman for the sake of preserving
it. Not only does Allah give you back
more in return,
but Allah will replace those friends with friends
that are more pleasing and better for you
and ultimately
your relationship with Allah.
And yes brothers and sisters, the best friends
are the ones
who are believers,
who remind you and keep you
close to Islam,
close to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. So it's
okay.
If you find yourself in a situation
where that friendship
circle or members of that circle is having
a negative effect on you, you know what
to do. It's just a matter of finding
the courage
and strength to have honest conversations. And you
know something?
If they're your real friends they'll
at least understand where you're coming from. They
may not agree, but at least understand
and hopefully
respect your decision, and Insha'Allah
the rest is history. May Allah make it
easy for you.