For as far back as I can remember, my parents would always admonish me and my siblings to keep good company. My Dad specially had a favourite saying, "Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are." Needless to say, I was always very conscious, and careful about choosing the right people to surround myself with. In Islam it is doubly true and essential to surround yourself with righteous companions, because they will help to keep your feet planted on the straight path, while doing otherwise may lead you astray. Therefore we need to adopt correct manners, in that we try ardently never to do an action or to befriend anyone without knowing whether the pleasure of Allah is in it or not, and never loving and hating for worldly reasons. For the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wassalaam said, "Whoever loves for Allah, and hates for Allah, gives for Allah and withholds for Allah, has completed his faith." (Abu Dawud)

So who should be our companions? First of all they should be good Muslims, who believe in Allah and His Messenger. For Allah says in the Qur'an, "And who so obeys Allah Rasulullah SAW will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the prophets, the Siddiqun (those followers of the prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are." [4:69]

Secondly, being around them should make you want to increase in good deeds. By aligning ourselves with people who do good deeds, we are then prompted to compete with them in this regard, and thus improving the character and the religion of everyone involved.

So let us take stock of the people we spend our time with. Do they fall into the above categories? If our friends aren't doing these things, then what does being with them say about us? We should strive to love those who love Allah, and to hate those who hate Allah, and what He has sent down of guidance for humanity. (Sumayyah bint Joan)