The features of a good friend

1. Faith in God
2. Piety
3. Science and knowledge
4. Wisdom and sagacity
5. Sympathy and the keeper of secrets
6. Faithfulness
7. Honesty and rightness
8. From the low and middle class of the society

It is known that human is social naturally and the need of human is that he or she has friendship with others, has communication, company and social intercourse and avoid solitary and aloofness in the community.
A good friend is always along with you in the world and the afterlife. Since the matter of friendship is so much important, it can be asked '' whom should we make friend?''
A good friend has some features and in this part, some norms of a good friend will be mentioned and some Hadiths, anecdotes and matters will be mentioned about it:

1. Faith in God

Islam recommends to make friendship with religious persons and have faith in God because a devout friend provides the honor, happiness and greatness of two worlds.
Does a person that does not have commitment to God will have commitment to his or her friend?
There are a lot of narrations from innocent Imams (peace be upon them) about this matter and some of these narrations will be mentioned:
The prophet of the Islam (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
( مَجالَسَةُ اَهلِ الدّيِنِ شَرَفُ الدُّنيا وَ الآخرَِة
'' Friendship with religious persons will have the honor of the world and the afterlife''.
The prophet of the Islam (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
( اُنظُرُوا مَن تُحادِثُونَ؟ فَإِنَّهُ لَيسَ مِن اَحَدٍ يَنزِلُ بهِ المَوتُ اِلاّ مُثَّلِ لَهُ اَصحابُهُ اِليَ اللهِ اِن كانوا خياراً فَخياراً و اِن كانوا شرِاراً فَشِراراً )
''Pay attention to whom you talk because when the death of a person arrives his or her friends will be appeared against him or her in the presence of God. If they are good persons, good persons will appear against him or her and if they are bad persons, bad persons will appear against him or her''.
Amir Al-Momenin (peace be upon him) states
( اِنَّما سُمِّيَ الرَّفيقُ رَفيقاً لانَّه يَرفَقُكَ عَلي صَلاحِ ديَنك فَهُوَ الرَّفيقُ الشَّفيقُ
''A friend is called a friend that cooperates you in whatever is the favor of your religion and such a person is a good friend. (Appreciate him or her)''.
The effect of communication with religious persons:
Deceased Shahid Sales states
'' Deceased Kabir Sheikh Jafar entered Qazvin and stayed at the house of my brother (Hajj Muhammad Mola Saleh). When night arrived, each of us slept on a corner of the house. I slept on a corner of the house as well''.
When it was midnight, I heard that Sheikh Jafar was calling me '' get up and fulfill night prayer. I said '' yeah, I'll get up. Sheikh passed by me and I slept once more''.
Suddenly I woke up hearing impressive voices. I got up and followed the voices. When I arrived there, I saw that Sheik was praying and crying restlessly.
Afterwards, his voice and moaning influenced as much as I woke up every night and prayed God after twenty five years''.

2. Piety

Who are pious persons?
The word '' piety'' is one of common words in the religion and this word is used as many times as faith, prayer and zakat are mentioned in Quran.
The word '' piety'' is from root '' Vaghi'' and it means preservation and keep and the reality of piety from the point of view of the Islam is '' a person preserves himself and herself from whatever is known as fault and sin from the point of view of the religion and they do not commit them.
God states in Baqarah Surah in verse 193
وَ اتَقوُا الله وَ اعلمُوا اِنّّ اللهَ مَعَ المُتَّقين
''Fear Allah and be aware that For Allah is with those who restrain''.
He also states in Nahl Surah in verse 128
اِنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الّذَين اتّقُوا
''For Allah is with those who restrain themselves''.
The second feature of a good friend is piety and we should have friendship with pious persons and the recommendation of the Islam to his or her followers is that you have social intercourse with pious persons.
God states in Zukhruf Surah in verse 67
اَلا خِلاّءُ يَومَئذٍ بَعضُهُم لِبَعضٍ عَدُوُ اِلاّ المُتقَّين
''Friends on that day will be foes, one to another,- except the Righteous''.
The change of the friendship of unbeliever persons to animosity is natural in the doomsday because each one considers the other one as the cause of unhappiness and misery.
Unbeliever persons say to each other in the doomsday '' you showed me such a path and invited me to it. You showed the world as an adorned place and encouraged me to it. But pious persons that are the righteous persons of the doomsday do not say such remarks to each other because their friendship is permanent.
The prophet of the Islam (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
قَالتِ الحواريون لِعيسي: يا روح الله من نُجالِسُ؟ قال (عليه السّلام): مَن يُذكِّرُكُمُ الله رُؤيَتُهُ وَ يَزيدُ في عِملِكُم مَنطِقُهُ وَ يُرَغَّبُكُم في الاخِرَةِ عَمَلُهُ
'' The disciples of Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) asked him '' who should we choose as friends?'' Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) stated '' you should make friendship with a person whose religion remembers you God, whose remarks increase your knowledge and whose action encourages you to activity in the doomsday''.
Hazrat Loqman Hakim advises to his child
يا بنيّ؛ اِخَترِ المَجالِسَ عَلي عَينِكَ،‌ فَاِن رَاَيت قَوماً يَذكُرُون اللهَ فَاجلِس مَعَهُم
''O' my son! Choose your friend wisely. Whenever you see that a group remembers God, you should have social intercourse with them''

3. Science and knowlege

One of very important features of friend is awareness and knwolege. There are a lot of narrations about the necessity of the selection of an intellectual and wise friend because friendship with a wise man has a lot of positive effects on the life of a person.
Socializing with a wise person leads to the luminousness of heart and friendship with a wise person increases the awareness and politeness of his or her friend.
The narrations of dignitaries about this matter will be mentioned so that you can understand the effects of friendship with an intellectual;
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
مُصاحِبَةِ ذَوِي الفَضائِل حَياةُ
'' Friendship with scientists and the elite leads to the luminousness of heart''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
مُجالسَةُ الحُكَماء ِ‌حَيوةُ العُقُولِ وَ شَفاءُ
'' Friendship with scientists leads to the revitalizing of mind and the healing of diseases''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
جالِسِ العُلماء تَسعَد
'' Have social intercourse with intellectuals so that you can achieve happiness''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
جالِسِ العُلَماء يَزددُ عِلمُكَ وَ يَحسُنَ اَدَبُكَ وَ تَزكُ نَفسُكَ
''Have social intercourse with intellectuals so that your science increases, your politeness becomes good and your soul becomes pure''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
خَيُرُ مَن صَاحَبتَ ذُوالعِلم
'' Your best friend is someone that is a scientist''.
The messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
اَلجُلُوس ساعَةً عِندَ مُذاكَرةِ العِلمِ اَحَبُّ اليَ اللهِ مِن قرَاءَةِ القُرانِ كُلِّهِ اِثني عَشرَ الفَ مَرَّةٍ
'' Gabriel that is from Bani Adam wished seven (good) features for (making a friend) and friendship with intellectuals is one of them''.
The messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
اَلجُلُوس ساعَةً عِندَ مُذاكَرةِ العِلمِ اَحَبُّ اليَ اللهِ مِن قرَاءَةِ القُرانِ كُلِّهِ اِثني عَشرَ الفَ مَرَّةٍ
'' Friendship with an intellectual is more beloved than ending Quran for a thousand times''.
The messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
اَنا من الدنيا احبّ ثلاثه اَشياء اَلمشيِ اِلَي المسَاجِد و مُجالِسُ العُلماءِ و َصلَوةُ الجَنايزِ
'' I love three things in the world '' going to the mosque, friendship with intellectuals and praying for the dead''.
The messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
يا علي،‌ للِسَّعيد ثلَاثَ عَلامات:‌ قوُتُ الحَلالِ في بَلَدهِ وَ مُجالَسَةُ العلماء وَ الصَّلوة الخَمِس باِلامام
'' O' Ali! Happiness has three signs: halal food in the country, friendship with scientists and praying daily prayer in group''.
Hazrat Musa Bin Jafar (peace be upon him) states
مُحادَثَهُ العالم عَلَي المزابل خَيرٌ مِن مُحادِثهَ الجاهلِ علَي الزَّرابيِّ
'' Talking to a scientist in the world in a destroyed place is better than talking to a stupid person on mattresses''.
Loqman said to his child
'' O' my son! Talk to scientists, have close relationship with them, have social intercourse with them and visit them in their houses so that you may be similar to them''.
Khaje Abdullah Ansari states
'' The happiness of the world and the afterlife is talking to scientists''.

4. Wisdom and sagaciousness

The fourth feature of a good friend is wisdom. The feature of wisdom of a friend in the school of the Islam is as valuable as suppose that a person has an open and sharp mind, but he or she does not have other moral principles, friendship with such a person will be acceptable. It can be said that a person that has a wise friend has great blessing in the life should appreciate it and should use such a good friend in a good way.
A wise friend is the drug of life pains and the solution of the problems of the life. He or she can have the greatest service toward his or her friend in critical and dangerous times and can save him or her from misery with his or her mind.
A wise friend can lead to spiritual cheerfulness, security and comfort.
Having social intercourse with a wise person is using him or her. There are a lot of narrations about this area that will be mentioned:
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
مُصاحِبَةُ العاقِلَ مَأمُوَنةٌ
'' Having social intercourse with a sagacious person leads to security''.
Imam Ali also a (peace be upon him) states
صُحَبةُ الوَليّ اللَّبيبِ حيَاةُ الرُّوحِ
'' Having social intercourse with a wise person revitalizes soul''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
عَدُوُّ عاِقلٌ خَيرٌ مِن صَديقٍ اَحمَقَ
''A wise and sagacious enemy is better than a stupid friend''.
Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) states
الاخوان ثلاثه: فواحدٌ كالغذاءِ الّذي يُحتاجُ اِليهِ كُلّ وَقتٍ فَهُوَ العاقِلَُ،‌ وَ الثاني في مَعني الدّاء و هو الاحمقُ و الثالثُ في معني الدّواء فَهُوَ اللبيبُ
'' Friends are three groups: the first group is a friend that is sagacious and the necessity of the life like food and human needs it. The second group is a stupid friend that is like painful disease for human. The third group is a wise and sagacious friend that is like healing drugs''.
Ali Bin Musa Al-Reza (peace be upon him), the eighth Imam, states
عَليكَ اَن تَصحَبَ ذُوالعقَلِ فَانَّ لَم تجِدَ كَرَمهُ اِنتَفعَ بِعَقلهِ
''You should have social intercourse with a wise person because if you do not use his or her generosity, you will use his or her wisdom''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
مُجالسَةُ العُقلَاء تَزيدُ في الشرف
'' Having social intercourse with sagacious persons increases the honor of human''.
Seghrat says
'' Having social intercourse with a sagacious person is treasure and having social intercourse with stupid persons is pain''.
A wise friend
Fazl Marvan was one of the ministers of Motasam Abasi and was under the attention of the caliph. Since the minister wanted to show the people his closeness with the caliph, he requested the caliph to have the pleasure of his coming for high tea in the afternoon one day. The caliph accepted his invitation in the due day.
To welcome him warmly, he decorated his magnificent house with precious carpets, precious cloth and colorful flowers in an interesting and staring way, provided golden and silver dishes, bought the best fruits and cookies and in conclusion, he formed a unique party.
When the caliph entered the party, he got surprised seeing a lot of luxury and wealth and envied of his minister for such a magnificent way of living. He sat sadly for a moment and then he stood up with making an excuse that he hasd stomachache and left there. The minister became sad because the caliph left the party soon. He understood that this part not only promoted his position, but it also provided the ground of his declination. Hence, he was trying to find a solution, but he could not think due to his sadness and the sense of failure. Therefore, he decided to inform his friend '' Ibrahim Mosuli'' that was wise and intelligent and attended the party of the reality of the event and used his mind. He told him the event. Ibrahim thought for few minutes and said to the minister '' do not leave the caliph, go to the court as an official and be in the presence of the caliph so that you receive my letter. When you receive my letter, read it in the presence of the caliph. The caliph will ask you '' what is the letter about?'' Then express its meaning for him. The minister followed whatever his wise friend said to him and the letter was sent to him on time. Ibrahim had written in the letter '' the owners of carpers and silver and golden dishes have come and say that the party of the caliph has finished and let us take our properties. As Ibrahim had predicted, Motasam asked about the letter. The minister told him the content of the letter. The caliph laughed involuntarily because he imagined that all of the properties did not belong the minister, but he had borrowed them. Hence, he appreciated the favors of the minister warmly.
Yes, it is right that a wise friend can save his or her friend from the disasters of the world and the afterlife.

5. Sympathy and the keeper of secrets

One of the features of a good friend is that he or she keeps secrets and sympathizes him or her. A good friend is that he or she helps you in the time of problems, troubles and difficulties and when all of persons leave you alone, he or she be beside you.
There are a lot of narrations about this matter and some of them will be mentioned and then a historical narration will be narrated about this area.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
لا يَكونَ الصَّديقُ صَديقاً حَتّي يَحَفظَ اخاهُ في غَيبَتهِ وَ نِكَبتهِ وَ وَفاتهِ
'' A real friend is a friend that keeps him or her in his or her absence, in his or her pains and after his or her death''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
صَديقُكَ مَن نَهاكَ
'' Your friend is a person that prevents you from ugly actions''.
Loqman said to his child
لا تَعرِف اَخاكَ الاّ عِندَ حاجَتِكَ اِليهِ
'' Evaluate your friend when you need him or her''.
Imam Baqer (peace be upon him) said to Abu Odis
اِتّبَع مَن يُبكيكَ و هُوَ لَكَ ناِصحٌ و لاتَتَّبع مَن يُضحِكُكَ و هُوَ لَكَ غاشُّ وَ سَتَردِون علَي اللهِ جَميعاً‌ فَتعلَمُونَ
'' Follow a person that makes you cry and do not follow a person that makes you laugh and cheat you. All of us will come to God and know that (reality will reveal)''.
Imam Jafar Muhammad Bin Al-Sadeq states
لا تَكونُ الصَّداقَةُ الاّ بِحُدُودِها فَمَن كاَنت فيهِ هذهِ الحُدودُ او شَيءٌ منِها فَانسبِهُ اِلَي الصِّداقَةِ وَ مَن لَم يَكُن فيهِ شَيءٌ منِها فَلا تَنسِبُه اِلي شَيءٍ مِنَ الصِّداَقة
فَاوّلُها: اَن تَكونَ سَريرتُهُ وَ علانِيتُهُ لَكَ واحِدةً
و الثّاني:، اَن يَري زَينكَ زَينهُ وَ شَينكَ شَينهُ
و الثّالثةُ: اَن لا تُغيُّرهُ عَليكَ وِلايَةٌ وَ لا مَالٌ
و الرّابعةُ: اَن لا تَمنَعكَ شَيئاً تَنالُهُ مَقتَدرَتُهُ
و الخامِسةُ: وَ هِيَ تَجمَعُ هذهِ الخِصال اَن لا يُسلِّمَكَ عِنَد النَّكباتِ
Friendship is not with honesty except with these conditions:
If a person has such conditions or some of these conditions, you should consider him or her as a friend and if he or she does not have such conditions, you should not consider him or her as a friend.
1. His or her appearance and inner are the same with you (in other words, he or she is honest with you);
2. He or she considers his or her goodness as your goodness and your ugliness as his or her ugliness;
3. His or her presidency and wealth do not change his or her relationship with you;
.4. Transfer his or her abilities to you;
5. This that subsumes all of the mentioned cases is that he or she do not leave you alone in the time of misery and bad events.
Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) states
'' Three groups are not known except in three times:
'' A patient person in the time of anger, a brave person in the time of war and a real friend in the time of need''.
Abu Ali Sina says about this matter
'' The features of a good friend is that he or she cover your faults, advise you and does not reveal your secret''.
Some attractive anecdotes about this topic:
Selflessness for a friend:
Two persons were friends with each other. One of them that suffered from the hardness of breath said to his or her friend'' I am suffering from such a disease. If you would like, cut your relationship with me. His or her friend said '' because of this sin and my spiritual problem, I do not cut my relationship with you. Then he or she promised himself or herself that he or she would eat or drink nothing until his or her friend did not get rid of the disease. After forty days passed, he wanted God to save his or her friend and was regularly sad for him or her. He or she became sad due to a lot of sadness, grief and hunger until his or her friend informed him or her that he or she had healed after forty days. Since then he or she drank and ate.
A guide friend
Two devout persons with the names '' Hamed'' and '' Hamid'' lived in a mountain and they were praying. These two persons were friendly as if they were a soul in two persons.
One day, Hamid climbed down the mountain in order to buy meat and went to the city. A beautiful women had stood near the butchery. As soon as Hamid saw her, his breath stopped breathing and made illegitimate relationship with the woman and went to her house. Few days passed and Hamed was waiting for him, but he did not come back. Finally, he decided to go to the city and look for his friend. When Hamed entered the city, after he searched some information about him, he got informed that his friend had deviated and committed a sin. Hamed decided to save him instead of leaving him. He got informed that Hamid was in the house of evildoer woman. He went to the house of the woman in order to visit Hamid and saw him there. He went to him happily as soon as he saw Hamid. He held, kissed him and greeted with him. Hamid said to Hamed due to his shyness '' who are you? I do not know you''.
Hamed said '' dear brother! I am aware of your situation and I've never loved you as much as you and you are the dearest person in my heart. How can I be far from you? After he was influenced by the remarks of Hamid, they went to the mountain and he really repented.
Where is my place in the heaven?
When Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) went to Tur in order to pray God, he saw a pious person that was praying in his monastery during his way. Hazrat Musa sat beside him and asked '' How long have you been praying God in this monastery?'' The pious person answered '' seventy years''.
When it became the time of lunch, the pious person wanted to each something and when he wanted to eat something, he did not offer it to Hazrat Musa. When Musa stood up in order to go toward Tur, the pious person said '' O' Musa! Ask God where my place is in the heaven''.
Musa left him, visited another pious person and asked him '' How long have you been praying God in this monastery?'' The pious person said '' I've been praying God for few years''. Musa sat beside him. Then the pious person brought an apple and said '' I have nothing else except this apple and share it together. He gave a half of the apple to Musa and ate another half himself. Then Musa stood up in order to say goodbye to him. The pious person said '' Ask my God where my place is in the heaven?''
Musa asked God about these two pious persons in Tur Mountain. The divine message was descended '' the first pious person will be sent to the hell and the second pious person will have a high position in the heaven. Hazrat got surprised because the first pious person had worshiped God for seventy years whereas the second one worshiped God for few days. Hazrat Musa asked God its reason. The message of God was descended '' the first pious person avoided giving food to you although he knew that you were my person and friend, but the second person shared only apple with you. When Hazrat Musa came back, Hazrat Musa informed the two pious person whatever God had told him. The first pious person understood that he would be sent to the hell, he wanted Hazrat Musa to request two things for him: a. make his body as large as it fills all over the hell; send him to a specific hell so that he cannot hear the moaning of persons that are tortured ''.
Hazrat Musa prayed God and expressed the request of the pious person to God. The divine message was descended '' annunciate him to the heaven''. Hazra Musa asked God ''O' God! What's its reason?'' God stated '' because he cannot tolerate the moaning of persons that are tortured''.
The debt of friendship
A man from Arab made relationship with a man from Ajam. One day they travelled together. The man from Ajam became too thirsty and the man from Arab had some water with him. The man from Ajam said to him '' Arabic people are well known in generosity toward others. Could you please give me some water so that I can survive? Although I am sure that this generosity can kill me, but it is not possible to miss such virtuosity because it has been said
حافِظُوا عَلَي الرَّفيقِ وَ لَو كُنتُم فِي الحَريقِ
'' Save the life of your friend although you are through the fire''.
I had two friends.
Vaghedi says
I had two friends. I was too intimate with one of them that was Hashemi and we were like soul in a body. Around the days of the New Year we were out of money. My wife said to me '' we can be patient against such a difficulty, but our children are sad and I feel sorry for them because they see that other children wear new clothes. Therefore, they grieve and we should find a solution for them. Vaghedi says '' I wrote my problems for my friend. After a while, he sent me a pack of a thousand Ashrafi. Shortly after I received a letter from another friend and requested me money as I was out of money. I sent him the same pack to him without opening it. Then I went to the mosque and stayed at the mosque because of my shyness. When I came back the house, my wife got informed of the event and encouraged me and he did not object and in such time, my friend, Hashemi, arrived as the pack of Ashrafi was with him.
He said '' retell your story for me. Vaghedi says '' I expressed the story ''. My friend, Hashemi, said '' when I received your letter, I had only this money. I sent it to you and requested money from another friend. Then I received my own pack that I myself had sealed it. Vaghedi says '' I divided the pack into three parts and each person got three hundred Dinar and considered a hundred Dinar for the woman. Mamun got informed of the news of this event. He ordered to give us thousand dinar, thousand dinar for the woman and two thousand dinar for each of us.

6. Faithfulness

Other good and conditions and attributes of a good friend is faithfulness. A friend should loyal to promises, remarks and contracts.
It is clear that friendship with a person that is not faithful is weak and inconsistent. Hence, we should avoid friendship with persons that break their promises.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
لاتَعتَمِدُ علَي مَودَّة مَن لا يُوفي بعَهدِهِ
''Do not trust a friend that is not faithful to his or her promise''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
لا تَدوُمُ مَعَ الغَدَرِ وَ صُحَبةُ الخلَيلِ
'' Breaking promise and unfaithfulness will not make friendship permanent''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
اذَا اتَّخذتَ وِليَّكَ فَكُن لَهُ عبَداً وَ امَنحهُ صِدقَ الوَفاءِ
'' If you find a friend, you should be modest toward him or her''.
Loqman said to his child
'' O' my son! The first thing that you will try to gain after belief in God is to find a faithful friend because a faithful friend is like the tree of date if you sit under its shadow, it supports you, if you request its wood, it will benefit you and if you eat its fruits, you will gain clean and delicious products''.
Faithful friend
Abdullah Bin Jandab was one of the companions of Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) and had been old and blind. The people saw that he fulfilled daily prayers. He fasted three months in a year and gave zakat three times a year. He was asked about them. He said '' I had two friends that died and the necessity of friendship is that I worship instead of then because they are not in this world any more''.
Are you here?
It has been narrated that Abu Hamed along with his friend was passing a path. His friend said to him '' here I have a friend. Stay here so that I go and visit him. Abu Hamed waited for him. His friend went and he did not come back until night. It was snowing too much. Next day, his friend came back and saw that Abu Hamed was through snow and snow was falling from him. His friend said '' are you here still? Abu Hamed said '' you wanted me to stay here. A friend should be faithful to his friend''.
The condolence of a friend
A person promoted to a high position. One of his old friends came to him in order to congratulate him, but the person did not pay attention to him and asked '' who are you and why have you come here?''
Therefore, his friend said '' I am your old friend. When I heard that you had been blind and had lost your eyes, I've come to condole you''.
The faithful friend
Three persons in a mosque without door worshipped. When they fell asleep, one of them stood at the front door of the mosque until the morning arrived.
He was asked '' why did you do it so?''
He said '' the weather was cold and it was blowing coldly. I became like a door so that you did not feel pain and sadness. Whatever makes you sad makes me sad.

7. Honesty and rightness

One of the features of a good friend is honesty and rightness. Everyone should pay attention to such features and attributes in the selection of his or her friend because such persons have enough commitments against faith in God. They are not hesitant in their belief, do not retract and are not afraid of problems, but they prove their honesty and belief with selflessness in different ways.
God states
و كُونُوا مَعَ الصّادقين
'' Be friend with honest persons''.
Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) states
لا تَنظُرُوا اِلَي طُولِ رُكُوعَ الرَّجُلِ وَ سُجُودهِ فَاِنَّ ذِلكَ شَيءٌ اعتادَهُ فَلَو تَركَهُ اِستوَحَش و لِكَن انظُروا اِليَ صِدقِ حديثهِ و اَداء امانَتهِ
'' Do not consider that a person makes his or her genuflection and prostrating long, but he or she does them because he or she is in the habit of doing them and if they give them up, he or she will panic. But pay attention whether they are honest and righteous.''.
Employ him
When Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) came to Madaen, he helped the daughters of Shoayb in giving water to sheep. The daughters of Hazrat Shoayb informed their father of this matter. Shoayb sent one of his daughters in order to call Hazrat Musa and he invited him to his house. When Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) came to the house of Shoayb, he was highly respected. Then the daughter of Shoayb said to his father
يَا اَبتِ استَأجِرُه، اِنَّ خَيرَ مَن استَأجَرتَ القَوِيُّ الاَمين
'' O' Father! Employ this youth because he is the best person that you can employ. He is a strong and honest person''.
Shoaybe considers one of the prominent features of Hazrat Musa for selection his rightness because when he wanted to come house from the well, he said to the girl '' I walk in the front of you and walk behind me because he did not want to look at stranger woman.
An honest and righteous person shares the wealth of people:
Abd Al-Rahman Bin Siyabe Kufi was a youth whose father passed away. One on hand, the death of his father and on the other hand, poverty and joblessness hurt his sensitive feeling. One day he had sat at home and a person knocked the door. It was one of the friends of his father and he condoled him. Then he asked '' has you father left any wealth to you?''
Abd Al-Rahman said '' no. The friend of his father gave him thousand Dirham and said '' take thousand Dirham and try to consider it as wealth and spend its profits. He said this, did not come back and left there. Abd Al-Rahman went to his mother happily, showed the pack of money to her and narrated his mother whatever had happened. According to the recommendation of the friend of his father, he decided to make a job, did not delay it to next day and changed money to goods, found a store for himself and started working at the same night. Shortly after his income increased and understood that he not only regained his wealth in order to organize his life, but he gained a lot of money apart from his first money. He thought to go Hajj; hence, he consulted with his mother. The mother said '' first go to the friend of your father and give back his money that has become the bliss of our life and then go to Mecca. Abd Al-Rahman went to the man, put a pack of thousand Dirham in his front and said '' take back your money. The friend of his father imagined that the amount was less than what he had lent him. Then he understood that he had given back him the same amount. He said '' if this amount is little, I can give you more''. Abd Al-Rahman said '' but it was very fruitful money because I have some wealth and do need the money. I've come to thank you and give back your money. Especially, I am going to Hajj and would like to you to have your money''.
Abd Al-Rahman said this, left there and got ready to go to Hajj. He came back Medina after Hajj rituals and went to the presence of Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) along with the crowd. A lot of persons had circled around the house of Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him). When most of persons left there, Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) summoned him and asked '' do you have a job with me?'' He said '' I am Abd Al-Rahman, the son of Sayabe Kufi Jabali. Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) asked '' how is your father?'' he answered '' my father has passed away''. Imam stated '' woe! Woe! God's mercy be upon him. Has your father left anything to you? '' he answered '' nothing has been left to me''. Imam asked '' how have you been able to come here?''
Abd Al-Rahman said '' we got so restless after the death of our father. The death of my father as well as poverty put us under pressure until one of the friends of my father brought thousand Dirham and suggested us to consider it as wealth. I did it so and I've come to Hajj with its profit.
As soon as the remarks of Abd Al-Rahman finished, before he ended the story, Imam Sadeq stated '' what did you do with thousand Dirham of the friend of your father?'' Abd al-Rahman said '' I gave it back before I came here with the guidance of my father''.
Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) said '' good to you. Now would you like me to advise you?''
Abd Al-Rahman said '' of course''.
Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) stated ''you are right and honest. As a matter of fact, a right and honest person shares the wealth of people''.
8. A friend should be from low and middle class of the society
The sacred religion of the Islam has recommended to socialize with poor persons more and avoid socializing and friendship with persons that are wealthy, thoughtless and proud. There are verses and narrations about this matter that are divided into three parts:
A. Narrations that recommend us to have social intercourse with poor persons;
B. Narrations that prevent us from having social intercourse with proud rich persons;
C. Narrations that express socializing with poor and rich persons.
God states in Quran
و لاتَطرُدِ الّذَينَ يَدعُونش رَبَّهُم بالغَداوةِ وَ العَشيِّ يُريدُونَ وَجههُ ما عَليكَ مِنخه حسِابِهِم مِن شَيءٍ و ما مِن حسابِكَ عَليِهم مِن شَيءٍ فَتطرُدَ هُم فَتكُونَ مِنَ الظّالِمينَ
''Send not away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face. In naught art thou accountable for them, and in naught are they accountable for thee, that thou shouldst turn them away, and thus be (one) of the unjust''.
The rank of the descending of the verse
Some of Ghoreish persons passed by the meeting of the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) when Soheib, Ammar, Balal, Khabab and some persons that were poor workers were in the presence of the prophet. They got surprised seeing this and said '' O' Muhammad! Are you satisfied of such persons among the population? Are they persons that God has selected among us? Should we follow them? You should reject them as soon as possible. We may come to you and obey you. Umar Bin Al-Khatab was present there and suggested the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) that if they accepted their suggestion, it would be no problem. Then we see what they will do. After such a request, the above verse was descended and rejected this suggestion.
The prophet of the Islam (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
اَحِبّوا الفُقَراء وَ جالِسوهُم
'' Love poor persons and have social intercourse with them''.
The prophet of the Islam (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
عَليكَ بِحُبِّ المسَاكينَ وَ مُجالَسَتِهِم
'' You should love needy persons and have social intercourse with them''.
The prophet of the Islam (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
جالِسُ المساَكينَ
The prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) stated to Abi Zar'' have social intercourse with poor and needy persons''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
مُجالَسةُ اَهلِ الدُّنيا مَنساةٌ‌ الايمانِ و َقائِدَةٌ‌ اِليَ طاعَةِ الشَّيطانِ
''Do not have social intercourse with the people of the world makes persons not remember belief in God and obey Satan''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
لاَتصحَبَنَّ اَبناءَ الدُّنيا فَانَِّکَ اِن اَقللتَ اِستقَلُّوكَ وَ اِن اَكثَرتَ حَسدوُكَ
'' Do not make friendship with the worshippers of the world because they humiliate you if you become poor and if you become rich, they will envy you''.
The prophet of the Islam (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) states
'' There are three groups that if we social intercourse with them, they will kill your hearts: mean persons, rich persons and women''.
عن ابي جعفر (عليه السّلام) قال لرّجل:
( لا تُجالِسِ الاَغنياءَ، فَاِنَّ العَبدَ يُجالِسهُم وَ هُوَ يَري اَنَّ للهِ عَليهِ نِعَمةً فَما يَقومُ حتُّي يَري اَن لَيسَ للهِ عَليهِ نِعَمةً
'' Do not have social intercourse with rich persons because if you have social intercourse with them, you will see that blessings that God has given to the rich person will not valuable provided that he or she thinks that God has not granted any blessing to him or her''.
Consistent yearning
Uven Bin Abdullah said '' as long as I had social intercourse with rich persons, I was affected and sad because I saw better clothes and horses and I yearned for them. After a while I left them and kept my company with poor persons. Then I got rid of bad thoughts and yearning''.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) states
جالِسِ الفُقَراءَ‌ تَزدَد شُكراً
'' Keep your company with poor persons so that you can be more thankful of God''.
قال الصّادق (عليه السّلام):ايّاكُم و مُجالَسةَ اَبناءِ الدُّنيا فَفي ذِلكَ ذَهابُ دِينكُم وَ يُعَقّبُكُم نِفاقاً و ذلِكَ داءٌ دَويٌ لا شفاءَ لَهُ و يُورثُ قَساوةَ القَلبِ، و يَسلبُكُم الخُشُوعَ وَ عَليكُم بالاَشكالِ مِنَ النّاسِ و الاوساطِ مِنَ النّاسِ فَعِندهُم تَجِدوُن مَعادِنَ الجَواهر
Imam Sadeq (peace be upon him) states
'' Avoid having social intercourse with the lovers of the world because you will become indifferent toward your religion and will become two-faced. It is a deadly disease that cannot be cured and it makes you stone-hearted and proud. If you have social intercourse with persons that are in your social class and the people of middle class, you will find the mines of jewelries in them ( spirituality)''.
Do you make fun of me?
It has been narrated that a fox came to a camel that had slept, wanted to make friendship with him and expressed '' if you let, I would like to make friendship with you and tie my tail to your tail so that I always be with you, do not separate you and will be proud of this friendship''.
The camel said '' it is not your favor to make friendship with animals that are greater than you because it will trouble you, but you should make friendship with animals that are smaller than you so that you can feel relaxed, do not be in trouble and others do not make fun of you ''.
The fox did not pay attention to the advice of the camel and insisted on his friendship with him as much as the camel let him tie his tail to the tail of the fox. The camel stood up in order to graze. The fox clung to the tail of the camel. From time to time, the camel excluded his wastes and they hit on the head and face of the fox and when others saw the situation of the fox, they laughed at him.
When others laughed, the fox said '' it is my honor and pleasure to make friendship with the great. You are making fun of me instead of admiring me.
However, socializing and friendship with poor persons lead to the comfort of heart. Having social intercourse with thoughtless and faithless rich persons cause that we forget God, resort to Satan and we become jealous, mean, suspicious toward God, hypocritical, faithless, stone-hearted and cruel.