its sister.” Allah, Exalted is He, also says, “When those who were followed disown those who followed them, and they all behold the punishment, every bond between them will be cut” (Q 2:166). Ibn ʿAbbās (d. 68 AH) explained: “The bonds of affection will be severed. The love that joined them in this world will vanish and be torn apart in the Hereafter.”

We must further realize that Allah, majestic and exalted, tries His servant. At times He makes matters easy for him by providing sincere companions who call him to goodness, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and support him in whatever lies beyond his strength. At other times He tests him with the very opposite sort of people. For this reason the Prophet ﷺ said, “A person follows the religion of his close companion, so let each of you consider carefully whom he befriends.” He ﷺ also said, “The likeness of a righteous companion is that of a musk-seller: he may sell you some musk, he may give you some as a gift, or at the very least you will smell a pleasant fragrance from him. By contrast, the evil companion—Allah’s refuge is sought—is like a blacksmith who stokes the bellows: he may burn your clothes with flying sparks, or at the very least you will breathe in a foul odor.”