Friendship Until Paradise
A man came to the assembly of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. As usual, people from all walks of life came to absorb knowledge from the primary source. The name of the man is not clearly mentioned. His appearance and demeanour were like those of the Arab Bedouins. This incident was narrated by Anas bin Malik.
Anas recounted that this Bedouin man was indeed listening to the Prophet’s SAW lecture about the Day of Judgement. However, his facial expression was restless, as if he was looking for an opening to interrupt the Prophet SAW.
When the Prophet SAW paused his lecture, the Bedouin suddenly stood up. Without pleasantries, he posed a question to the Prophet SAW, “When will the Day of Judgement occur?”
The Prophet SAW was indeed worthy of the title fathanah (wise). He could answer all questions from all groups. His way of answering was also tailored to the capacity of each questioner.
In answering the Bedouin, the Prophet SAW did not intend to explain the characteristics or signs of the final day. And he also did not answer by stating exactly when the day of reckoning would come. What he did was to ask the Bedouin a question in return—a question that would give birth to a great principle of knowledge.
“What have you prepared for it (the Day of Judgement)?”
Spontaneously, the Bedouin answered frankly, “I do not have many deeds to prepare for its arrival (the Day of Judgement), but I truly love Allah and His Messenger.”
“A person (on the Day of Judgement) will be with those he loves,” replied the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
This story, recorded in a hadith through the narration chain of Imam Muslim, imparts a profound lesson. Whoever loves another for the sake of Allah and His Messenger will be gathered with the one they love on the final day.
The Prophet did not answer, for example, “a person will be with Allah and His Messenger if he loves them both.” Instead, the Prophet expanded its meaning. Thus, the hadith can be interpreted as: “Whoever declares love for another based on faith, then he will be with that person later on the final day.”
It is not an exaggeration to say that friendship does not merely end in this world. Brotherhood will endure eternally into the hereafter.
Befriending righteous people has a great influence in life. If we intend to commit a sin, there is an environment that reminds and protects us. Thus, we abandon the intention for that bad deed. Some scholars even consider it obligatory to befriend the righteous.
Islam also presents all possibilities of brotherhood. In friendship, as in a household, sometimes trials of companionship strike, and at other times blessings of ukhuwah (brotherhood) strengthen it. When trials of brotherhood come, Islam also provides noble principles to navigate them.