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

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

easy for you.

easy for you.