Musleh Khan – Life #17 My friends aren’t perfect, but how do I help them become better

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My friends aren't perfect

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but how do I make them better?

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All of us have been there,

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some of us are still there. You have

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friends you've grown up with your entire life,

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but there's just one problem,

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they're having an effect on your iman, a

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negative effect on your faith. They're having an

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effect on your relationship with your family and

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other friends as well but especially your relationship

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with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. What do you

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do in a situation like this? Well brothers

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and sisters, the first point.

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The Prophet

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told us that we are on

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the path

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of those whom we choose as friends,

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those whom we befriend.

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Listen to the wording.

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The Prophet

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is literally saying you are

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who your friends are.

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So if you start to see

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those negative qualities

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of your friendship circle,

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it's starting to manifest in your own life,

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then there's just one option here.

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You have to find new friends.

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If you're in a position where you can

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influence,

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encourage,

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give some advice,

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give some direction.

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If you feel like you're in a position

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to do that

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and inshallah the results are there or you

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have a genuine friend that's willing to listen,

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that acknowledges

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that he or she has these issues,

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then that's really up to you. If you

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feel like you have what it takes

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that you can start to encourage them to

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do the right thing, to live the right

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way, and say the right things, and not

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have a negative impact on your faith, go

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for it. Perhaps it's an opportunity.

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But if you don't,

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and it's literally because we've been friends for

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so long, you've got accustomed to these habits,

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And others have had to point out, look,

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you started dressing differently,

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started talking differently,

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used to pray on time all the time,

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but now you're missing your prayers because you're

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always hanging out with them.

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That's an indication

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that perhaps

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it's time to find new friends.

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That's not a bad thing brothers and sisters.

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We are not required

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to accept and befriend every single person we

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come in contact with.

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At the end of the day, there should

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never be

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any animosity

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or hatred for anyone in our hearts. So

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at the end of the day, if the

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friendship

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doesn't work out,

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that's okay

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for the one who leaves off something.

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For the sake of Allah, Allah will always

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replace it with that which is better.

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So you win

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all around when you leave off something that's

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affecting your iman for the sake of preserving

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it. Not only does Allah give you back

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more in return,

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but Allah will replace those friends with friends

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that are more pleasing and better for you

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and ultimately

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your relationship with Allah.

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And yes brothers and sisters, the best friends

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are the ones

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who are believers,

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who remind you and keep you

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close to Islam,

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close to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. So it's

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okay.

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If you find yourself in a situation

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where that friendship

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circle or members of that circle is having

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a negative effect on you, you know what

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to do. It's just a matter of finding

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the courage

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and strength to have honest conversations. And you

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know something?

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If they're your real friends they'll

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at least understand where you're coming from. They

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may not agree, but at least understand

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and hopefully

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respect your decision, and Insha'Allah

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the rest is history. May Allah make it

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easy for you.