سورة الزخرف

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sulayman narrated: I was with Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) when Abu Basir entered ... When he took his seat, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to him: ... "O Abu Muhammad! The intended meaning of the verse: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard against evil] is you (the pious). By Allah, He did not intend by this anyone other than you."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Jabir said: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: Two believers who became brothers for the sake of Allah — when one of them attains a higher rank in Paradise than the other, he says: "O Lord! He was my brother and friend, he used to command me to obey You, restrain me from disobeying You, and encourage and urge me toward Your rewards. (These words are spoken by the one placed higher) [O Lord]! Place him too at this same rank beside me." Allah the Exalted accepts his request and places them both together. But of two hypocrites, when one is placed at a lower level of Hell, he says: "O Lord! So-and-so used to command me to disobey You, restrain me from obeying You, made me indifferent to Your rewards, and never made me fear meeting You. [Now that it is so], place me and him together in this lower level." Allah the Exalted places these two together in one place as well. Then the Imam recited this noble verse: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard against evil].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Harith reported from Imam Ali (peace be upon him) that regarding two believers who are friends with one another, two disbelievers who are bound by friendship with one another, and likewise the needy believer and the wealthy disbeliever and the poor disbeliever, he said: "Two believers who are friends with one another have, during their lifetime, been friends on the basis of obedience to the Lord, and along this path they have given generously to one another and loved one another. Whenever one of them departs this world before the other, Allah shows him his place in Paradise, and he intercedes for his friend and says: 'O Allah! My friend so-and-so used to call me to obedience to You and help me in it and forbid me from disobedience to You. So keep him firm upon the guidance upon which You kept me firm, until You show him what You have shown me.' Allah will respond favourably to him, until the two meet in the presence of the Lord. At that time they will say to one another: 'May Allah reward you well. You were a good friend to me! You used to call me to obedience to the Lord and to abstention from disobedience to Him.' But as for two disbelievers who are friends on the basis of disobedience and used to help one another along this path, and whose friendship was built on this basis — whenever one of them departs this world before the other, Allah will show him his place in the Fire. Consequently that person says: 'O Allah! My friend so-and-so used to call me to disobedience to You and to not carrying out Your commands. So just as he kept me firm upon sins, keep him firm upon committing sins as You did me, until You show him the punishment You have shown me!' They meet one another on the Day of Judgement, and each of them says to the other: 'May Allah inflict on you the severest punishment. You used to call me to disobedience to Allah and hold me back from obeying His commands!'" The Imam then recited this verse: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard against evil].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): One who loves for the sake of Allah is also a friend of Allah, and one who is loved for the sake of Allah is also beloved of Allah, because they love one another for the sake of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "A person is with the one he loves. Whoever loves a servant for the sake of Allah has loved Allah, and whoever loves Allah, Allah loves him." The Noble Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) said: "The best of people after the prophets are those who love Allah and, for His sake, take others too as their beloved. Every love apart from Allah has other causes that lead to estrangement, except these two loves. Love of Allah and love of individuals for the sake of Allah always bring benefit and an increase in grace, and no diminishment ever occurs in it. Allah the Exalted has said: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard against evil], because love is the disavowal of all besides the beloved."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): O son of Mas'ud! Your companions must be the righteous, and your brothers the pious and ascetics, because Allah the Exalted has said in His Book: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard (against evil)]. O son of Mas'ud! Know that they see the good as evil and the evil as good, so in that case Allah sets a seal upon their hearts, and thus among them there is neither one who bears witness to the truth nor one who upholds justice.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another] — meaning worldly friends shall on that day become enemies of one another.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): On the Day of Judgement, every friendship, except friendship for the sake of Allah, will turn into enmity.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Tomorrow, on the Day of Judgement, the wrongdoer will bite his own hand; the day of departure is near; the friends on the Day of Judgement will regret their friendship, except the pious.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Corruption of character comes about through the company of the foolish, and good character through the company of the wise. Character consists of forms; everyone acts according to his own way (and disposition). (Isra/84) People are brothers to one another; whoever takes a brother other than for the sake of Allah, it causes enmity and hostility. And this is the saying of Allah: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard against evil].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Three things are rare in every age: a brother for the sake of Allah, a good and affectionate wife in the way of Allah, and a wise and upright child. Whoever attains one of these three has attained the good of both worlds and the fullest share of the world. And beware of befriending one who seeks you out of greed, or out of fear, or out of desire, or for eating and drinking. Seek the brotherhood of the pious, even if it be in the darknesses of the earth, and even if you spend your life in seeking them, for Allah the Mighty and Majestic has not created upon the face of the earth anyone better than them after the prophets and the awliya. And Allah the Mighty and Majestic has not bestowed upon His servant a blessing like that of being granted the company of such people. Allah the Mighty and Majestic has said: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard against evil].

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): The best of people after the prophets are those who love Allah and, for His sake, take others as their friends too. Every love other than the love of Allah has other causes which lead to separation, except these two loves. The love of Allah and love of individuals for the sake of Allah always brings benefit and an increase of grace, and no diminution ever appears in it. Allah the Exalted has said: الْأَخِلَّاءُ یَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا المُتَّقِینَ [The friends shall on that day be enemies one to another, except those who guard (against evil)], because love is tabarri (disavowal) of anything other than the beloved.