—anything at all. Everyone’s reckoning lies with Allah, and each person will be repaid for what he has done.

“So do not drive them away, lest you become one of the wrongdoers” (al-Anʿām 52). The conjunctive fa (fa-) in the phrase fa-takūna (“lest you become”) refers back to His words fa-taṭrudahum (“so do not drive them away”), not to His words mā ʿalayka (“you are not accountable”). Thus the verse contains two occurrences of fa: the first in fa-taṭrudahum, which is linked to His statement, “You are not accountable for their deeds, nor are they accountable for yours”; and the second in fa-takūna mina ẓ-ẓālimīn, which is tied to His command, “And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening.” In other words, if you expel them, you will be counted among the wrongdoers.

From this report we learn that a person should choose for his companions people of righteousness—those who call upon Allah morning and evening, seeking His Face—and should not be overly concerned with sitting in the company of grandees, nobles, princes, ministers, or governors. One ought to sit with such figures only when there is a clear benefit: to enjoin them to what is right, forbid them what is wrong, or inform them of matters concerning the ummah that may be hidden from them. In that case the gathering is good and full of benefit.

As for keeping their company merely for social pleasure or for the prestige of having sat with dignitaries, ministers, princes, or officials—this is a motive for which a servant will not be praised. What is praiseworthy is to sit with whoever is most God-fearing, whether rich or poor, obscure or eminent. The entire matter turns on the pleasure of Allah and on loving those whom Allah loves.

He has truly tasted the sweetness of faith who shows loyalty to those whom Allah befriends, opposes those whom Allah opposes, loves for Allah’s sake, and hates for Allah’s sake. We ask Allah to make us and you like that, and that