Toggle above to switch between keyword search and direct hadith lookup
مسند الشهاب
Musnad Shihab
Hadiths 1 to 200
الْمَرْءُ عَلَى دِينِ خَلِيلِهِA person is upon the religion of his close friend
Hadith 188
اُردوEn
188 - أنا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّخَعِيُّ، أنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، نا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، نا أَبُو عُبَيْدٍ، نا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنْ زُهَيْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ وَرْدَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْمَرْءُ عَلَى دِينِ خَلِيلِهِ»
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A person is upon the religion of his friend."
Brief Explanation
Explanation:
In this blessed hadith, it is stated that a person is upon the religion of his friend; therefore, before forming a friendship, one should carefully consider with whom one is befriending. By "religion" is meant creed and faith, as well as character and morals—that is, when a person makes someone his close friend, he is generally influenced by him, adopting his beliefs, views, character, and conduct. For this reason, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded us to carefully consider whom we befriend before forming a friendship.
There is a famous saying: "The company of the righteous will make you righteous; the company of the wicked will make you wicked." The company of a good person will make you good, and the company of a bad person will make you bad. The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam clarified this matter with a beautiful example. Thus, his exalted statement is: "The example of good and bad company is like that of a perfume seller and a blacksmith who works the furnace. The perfume seller will either give you some (perfume), or you will buy some from him, or at the very least, you will enjoy a pleasant fragrance from him. As for the one who works the iron furnace, sitting with him will either burn your clothes, or at the very least, you will be affected by an unpleasant odor and smoke." (Bukhari: 5534)
It is thus clear that if a friend is good, there is nothing but goodness, and if he is bad, there is nothing but evil. Therefore, one should befriend only those who are righteous, whose religion is free from disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of innovations and superstitions. Never make a disbeliever, innovator, or open sinner your close friend. There is a Punjabi verse:
"When I befriended the righteous, my lap was filled with flowers;
When I befriended the wicked, not only did I not receive new flowers, but even the ones I had fell away."
"When I befriended good people, I received flowers, and when I befriended bad people, not only did I not get new flowers, but even the ones I already had fell away."
In this blessed hadith, it is stated that a person is upon the religion of his friend; therefore, before forming a friendship, one should carefully consider with whom one is befriending. By "religion" is meant creed and faith, as well as character and morals—that is, when a person makes someone his close friend, he is generally influenced by him, adopting his beliefs, views, character, and conduct. For this reason, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded us to carefully consider whom we befriend before forming a friendship.
There is a famous saying: "The company of the righteous will make you righteous; the company of the wicked will make you wicked." The company of a good person will make you good, and the company of a bad person will make you bad. The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam clarified this matter with a beautiful example. Thus, his exalted statement is: "The example of good and bad company is like that of a perfume seller and a blacksmith who works the furnace. The perfume seller will either give you some (perfume), or you will buy some from him, or at the very least, you will enjoy a pleasant fragrance from him. As for the one who works the iron furnace, sitting with him will either burn your clothes, or at the very least, you will be affected by an unpleasant odor and smoke." (Bukhari: 5534)
It is thus clear that if a friend is good, there is nothing but goodness, and if he is bad, there is nothing but evil. Therefore, one should befriend only those who are righteous, whose religion is free from disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of innovations and superstitions. Never make a disbeliever, innovator, or open sinner your close friend. There is a Punjabi verse:
"When I befriended the righteous, my lap was filled with flowers;
When I befriended the wicked, not only did I not receive new flowers, but even the ones I had fell away."
"When I befriended good people, I received flowers, and when I befriended bad people, not only did I not get new flowers, but even the ones I already had fell away."
