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“And
(remember) the day when the wrong doer will bite at his hands, he will
say, “Oh! If only I had taken a path with the Messenger. Ah! Woe to
me! If only I had not taken so and so as a friend! He indeed led me
astray from the reminder (this Qur’ān) after it had come to me. And
Shaitān is ever a deserter to man in the hour of need.”
This Āyah
was revealed because of a specific incident but the order contained in
it is general for all Muslims.
Uqba ibn
Mu’īt was one of the leaders of the Mushrikīn of Makkah. He had this
habit that whenever he returned from a journey, he used to invite the
honoured people of the city for meals. Once, as was his habit, he
invited the honoured people of the city and also invited Rasūlullāh
sallallahu alayhi wasallam . When the food was placed in front
of Rasūlullāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam , he proclaimed that I cannot
eat your food until you bear testimony upon the kalimah. Uqbah recited
the kalimah and Rasūlullāh Sallallahu alayhi wasallam fulfilled his
promise and partook of Uqbah’s food.
Uqbah
had a very close friend by the name of Ubay Ibn Khalaf. When he came
to know that Uqbah had become a Muslim, he was extremely disappointed.
Uqbah excused himself saying, “It would have been a disgrace if the
most honoured person from the Quraish (e)
did not partake of my meals, therefore I recited the kalimah.” Ubay
ibn Khalaf said, “I will not accept your excuse until you do not go
and spit on the face of Rasūlullāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam .”
The wretched Uqbah did this, thus Allāh disgraced both of them in this
world by having both of them being killed during the occasion of Badr.
The mention of their punishment in the hereafter is made in this Āyah
when Allāh mentions, that when they will see the punishment of the
Ākhirah, they will, out of extreme sorrow, bite at their fingers and
say, if only I had not chosen Ubay ibn Khalaf as my friend.
Even though
this Āyah was revealed specifically concerning the incident of Uqbah
but just as the words of this Āyah are general, so too are the
injunctions contained in this Āyah. These Āyāt show that those two
friends who are united in sin and disobedience and help each other
upon evil, their result will be the same that on the day of Qiyāmah
they will weep upon their friendship.
Rasūlullāh
Sallallahu alayhi wasallam is reported to have said, “Do not befriend
except a believer and only a pious person should partake of your
meals.” In other words do not keep company or friendship except with a
pious person.
Rasūlullāh
sallallahu alayhi wasallam is reported to have said, “Every person is
upon the way of his friend, so each person should ponder who he is
befriending.”
During the
holiday period, evil company and wrong environment will wreak havoc
upon our Imān and character. Therefore, let us adhere strictly to the
injunctions laid down by these Āyāt of the Qur’ān.C |
