When Friends Become Enemies

Allaah, the Most High, says:

الْأَخِلَّاء يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ

Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except the pious who fear Allaah (al-Muttaqoon).” az-Zukhruf (43):67

Indeed the enmity between these friends springs from the source of their worldly love of one another since they united upon evil, and were indulgent with regard to one another’s misguidance. So on that Day they will blame one another for the consequences of their misguidance and the result of their evil. On that Day they will become adversaries heaping abuse on one another when once they had been friends who exchanged secrets. On that Day the oppressor who loved unjustifiably will bite his hand in regret, remorse and distress – and regret will be of no benefit then.


وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًا

يَا وَيْلَتَى لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًا

لَقَدْ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءنِي وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِلْإِنسَانِ خَذُولًا

“And (remember) the Day when the wrongdoer will bite his hands, he will say: ‘Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger (Muhammad salAllaahu alayhi wasallam). Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a friend! He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (the Qur’aan) after it had come to me. And Satan is ever a deserter to man in the hour of need.’”

al-Furqaan (25):27-29

All his friends round about will be silent as he raises his grieving voice in mournful tones, but no one will respond to him, he has lost every loved one and close friend, so he begins to bite his hands in regret, remorse and sorrow … and biting on one hand will not suffice him, rather he bites one and then the other or both together due to severe anguish.

Whilst the former friends are lost in their recriminations and their regrets, those who loved one another for Allaah’s sake and formed ties for Him and were sincere towards each other will be surrounded with security, calm and tranquility.

يَا عِبَادِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَا أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ

“My worshippers! No fear shall be on you this Day nor shall you grieve.”

az-Zukhruf (43):68

‘O Allaah, gather our hearts upon your prescribed way, and make us from those who love You, and from those who love those who love You, since we know that a person will be raised up along with those he loves.’

From Anas ibn Maalik who said that a man said to the Prophet (salAllaahu alayhi wasallam), “When will the Hour be, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “What have you prepared for it?” He said: “I have not prepared for it a great deal of prayer, fasting or charity, but I love Allah and His Messnger.” He (salAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “You will be with those whom you love.”1

Footnote:

1. Reported by al-Bukhaaree [Eng. trans. 8/123-124/no.192] Muslim [Eng. trans. 4/1386/no.6378] and others, and there are similar narrations from ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood, Aboo Moosa al-Ash’aree and Safwaan ibn ‘Assaal, radiyallaahu ‘anhum.

Transcribed from: Love & Hate for the Sake of Allaah | Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee