Continuing on with the 5 Five Qualities Of Friendship:

Quality Two: Good Character 

Do not be the companion of a man whose character is bad.
He is one who is unable to control himself when he is angry and is excited when he desires something.
‘Alqamah al-’Ataridi (RahimuAllah Alayh) gathered together the traits of good character in his will which he gave to his son at the time of his death. He said in that will:

“Dear son, when you want the companionship of a man, be the companion of him who will preserve you when you employ him in your service, will adorn you if you are his companion, and will supply you with provisions when your provisions are not sufficient.

Be the companion of a man who will consider you truthful when you speak, will assist you and help you if you desire anything and try for it, and will give you way if you both dispute on any matter.

Ali (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) said:
“Your  true friend is he who is always with you,  and he who harms himself in order to help you, and he who, when calamities of the time break you, scatters his cloth in order to save you.” “

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Quality Three: Righteousness 

Do not be the companion of a wicked man (a fasiq; a transgressor) who persists in major sin.
This is because he who fears Allah does not persist in major sin,  and he who does not fear Allah may cause you mischief; indeed his attitude towards you will change with the changes in his luck and conditions. Allah commanded His Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassalam):

“Do not follow him whose mind We have caused to be neglectful of remembrance of Us and who follows his passions, and whose case exceeds all bounds” (Quran 18:28)

Beware, then of associating with a wicked man, because the constant sight of wickedness and sin will remove the dislike of sin from your mind and will create the feeling that sin is something light.

The sinfulness of backbiting has become light to man’s mind for this reason and not for the reason that the mind cannot understand it.

If people see that a muslim jurist is wearing a gold ring or silk cloth, they strongly oppose it because they rarely see this, whereas they do not oppose backbiting even though it is a more serious sin, because they always see this.

May Allah instill in all of us these characteristics and grant us friendships that bloom in this world and the hereafter. (Ameen)

Duas Requested

Ma’assalam