Quran Verses about Companionship and choosing friends

وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّٰلِحِينَۚ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقٗا ٦٩

Wa may yuṭiʿillāha war-rasūla fa ulāʾika maʿal-ladhīna anʿamallāhu ʿalayhim minan-nabiyyīna waṣ-ṣiddīqīna wash-shuhadāʾi waṣ-ṣāliḥīn, wa ḥasuna ulāʾika rafīqā.

And whoever obeys Allāh and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allāh has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ ١١٩

Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanuttaqullāha wa kūnū maʿaṣ-ṣādiqīn.

O you who have believed, fear Allāh and be with those who are true.

وَٱصۡبِرۡ نَفۡسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلۡعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُۥۖ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَيۡنَاكَ عَنۡهُمۡ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَلَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ أَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهُۥ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُهُۥ فُرُطٗا ٢٨

Waṣbir nafsaka maʿal-ladhīna yadʿūna rabbahum bil-ghadāti wal-ʿashiyyi yurīdūna wajhah, wa lā taʿdu ʿaynāka ʿanhum turīdu zīnatal-ḥayātid-dunyā, wa lā tuṭiʿ man aghfalnā qalbahū ʿan dhikrinā wattabaʿa hawāhu wa kāna amruhū furuṭā.

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His face [i.e., acceptance]. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.¹

وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلٗا ٢٧

Wa yawma yaʿaḍḍuẓ-ẓālimu ʿalā yadayhi yaqūlu yālaytanittakhadhtu maʿar-rasūli sabīlā.

And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way.¹

يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلٗا ٢٨

Yāwaylatā laytanī lam attakhidh fulānan khalīlā.

Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one¹ as a friend.

لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ ٱلذِّكۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِيۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ خَذُولٗا ٢٩

Laqad aḍallanī ʿanidh-dhikri baʿda idh jāʾanī, wa kānash-shayṭānu lil-insāni khadhūlā.

He led me away from the remembrance¹ after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter."²

قَالَ قَآئِلٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ إِنِّي كَانَ لِي قَرِينٞ ٥١

Qāla qāʾilum minhum innī kāna lī qarīn.

A speaker among them will say, "Indeed, I had a companion [on earth].

يَقُولُ أَءِنَّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُصَدِّقِينَ ٥٢

Yaqūlu aʾinnaka laminal-muṣaddiqīn.

Who would say, 'Are you indeed of those who believe

أَءِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابٗا وَعِظَٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَدِينُونَ ٥٣

Aʾidhā mitnā wa kunnā turābaw wa ʿiẓāman aʾinnā lamadīnūn.

That when we have died and become dust and bones, we will indeed be recompensed?'"

قَالَ هَلۡ أَنتُم مُّطَّلِعُونَ ٥٤

Qāla hal antum muṭṭaliʿūn.

He will say,¹ "Would you [care to] look?"

فَٱطَّلَعَ فَرَءَاهُ فِي سَوَآءِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٥٥

Faṭṭalaʿa faraʾāhu fī sawāʾil-jaḥīm.

And he will look and see him¹ in the midst of the Hellfire.

قَالَ تَٱللَّهِ إِن كِدتَّ لَتُرۡدِينِ ٥٦

Qāla tallāhi in kidtta laturdīn.

He will say, "By Allāh, you almost ruined me.

وَلَوۡلَا نِعۡمَةُ رَبِّي لَكُنتُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُحۡضَرِينَ ٥٧

Wa lawlā niʿmatu rabbī lakuntu minal-muḥḍarīn.

If not for the favor of my Lord, I would have been of those brought in [to Hell].

ٱلۡأَخِلَّآءُ يَوۡمَئِذِۭ بَعۡضُهُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٦٧

Al-akhillāʾu yawmaʾidhim baʿḍuhum libaʿḍin ʿaduwwun illal-muttaqīn.

Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ بِطَانَةٗ مِّن دُونِكُمۡ لَا يَأۡلُونَكُمۡ خَبَالٗا وَدُّواْ مَا عَنِتُّمۡ قَدۡ بَدَتِ ٱلۡبَغۡضَآءُ مِنۡ أَفۡوَٰهِهِمۡ وَمَا تُخۡفِي صُدُورُهُمۡ أَكۡبَرُۚ قَدۡ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِۖ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ١١٨

Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū lā tattakhidhū biṭānatam min dūnikum lā yaʾlūnakum khabālaw waddū mā ʿanittum qad badatil-baghḍāʾu min afwāhihim wa mā tukhfī ṣudūruhum akbar, qad bayyannā lakumul-āyāt, in kuntum taʿqilūn.

O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves [i.e., believers], for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason.

هَٰٓأَنتُمۡ أُوْلَآءِ تُحِبُّونَهُمۡ وَلَا يُحِبُّونَكُمۡ وَتُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡكِتَٰبِ كُلِّهِۦ وَإِذَا لَقُوكُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوۡاْ عَضُّواْ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡأَنَامِلَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَيۡظِۚ قُلۡ مُوتُواْ بِغَيۡظِكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ١١٩

Hāʾantum ulāʾi tuḥibbūnahum wa lā yuḥibbūnakum wa tuʾminūna bil-kitābi kullihī wa idhā laqūkum qālū āmannā wa idhā khalaw ʿaḍḍū ʿalaykumul-anāmila minal-ghayẓ, qul mūtū bighayẓikum, innallāha ʿalīmum bidhātiṣ-ṣudūr.

Here you are loving them but they are not loving you, while you believe in the Scripture - all of it.¹ And when they meet you, they say, "We believe." But when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you in rage. Say, "Die in your rage. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of that within the breasts."

إِن تَمۡسَسۡكُمۡ حَسَنَةٞ تَسُؤۡهُمۡ وَإِن تُصِبۡكُمۡ سَيِّئَةٞ يَفۡرَحُواْ بِهَاۖ وَإِن تَصۡبِرُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ لَا يَضُرُّكُمۡ كَيۡدُهُمۡ شَيۡـًٔاۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ مُحِيطٞ ١٢٠

In tamsaskum ḥasanatun tasuʾhum wa in tuṣibkum sayyiʾatuy yafraḥū bihā, wa in taṣbirū watattaqū lā yaḍurrukum kayduhum shayʾā, innallāha bimā yaʿmalūna muḥīṭ.

If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and fear Allāh, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allāh is encompassing of what they do.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓاْ ءَابَآءَكُمۡ وَإِخۡوَٰنَكُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ إِنِ ٱسۡتَحَبُّواْ ٱلۡكُفۡرَ عَلَى ٱلۡإِيمَٰنِۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٢٣

Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū lā tattakhidhū ābāʾakum wa ikhwānakum awliyāʾa inistaḥabbul-kufra ʿalal-īmān, wa may yatawallahum minkum fa ulāʾika humuẓ-ẓālimūn.

O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among you - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ تُلۡقُونَ إِلَيۡهِم بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدۡ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ يُخۡرِجُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمۡ أَن تُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ رَبِّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ خَرَجۡتُمۡ جِهَٰدٗا فِي سَبِيلِي وَٱبۡتِغَآءَ مَرۡضَاتِيۚ تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيۡهِم بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنَا۠ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَآ أَخۡفَيۡتُمۡ وَمَآ أَعۡلَنتُمۡۚ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡهُ مِنكُمۡ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ١

Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū lā tattakhidhū ʿaduwwī wa ʿaduwwakum awliyāʾa tulqūna ilayhim bil-mawaddati wa qad kafarū bimā jāʾakum minal-ḥaqqi yukhrijūnar-rasūla wa iyyākum an tuʾminū billāhi rabbikum in kuntum kharajtum jihādan fī sabīlī wabtighāʾa marḍātī, tusirrūna ilayhim bil-mawaddati wa ana aʿlamu bimā akhfaytum wa mā aʿlantum, wa may yafʿalhu minkum faqad ḍalla sawāʾas-sabīl.

O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies,¹ extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allāh, your Lord. If you have come out for jihād [i.e., fighting or striving] in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection [i.e., instruction], but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.

إِنَّمَا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَٰتَلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَأَخۡرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ وَظَٰهَرُواْ عَلَىٰٓ إِخۡرَاجِكُمۡ أَن تَوَلَّوۡهُمۡۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٩

Innamā yanhākumullāhu ʿanil-ladhīna qātalūkum fid-dīni wa akhrajūkum min diyārikum wa ẓāharū ʿalā ikhrājikum an tawallawhum, wa may yatawallahum fa ulāʾika humuẓ-ẓālimūn.

Allāh only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies¹ of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

وَقَدۡ نَزَّلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أَنۡ إِذَا سَمِعۡتُمۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ يُكۡفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسۡتَهۡزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقۡعُدُواْ مَعَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُواْ فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيۡرِهِۦٓ إِنَّكُمۡ إِذٗا مِّثۡلُهُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ جَامِعُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا ١٤٠

Wa qad nazzala ʿalaykum fil-kitābi an idhā samiʿtum āyātillāhi yukfaru bihā wa yustahzaʾu bihā falā taqʿudū maʿahum ḥattā yakhūḍū fī ḥadīthin ghayrihī innakum idham mithluhum, innallāha jāmiʿul-munāfiqīna wal-kāfirīna fī jahannama jamīʿā.

And it has already come down to you in the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] that when you hear the verses of Allāh [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them.¹ Indeed, Allāh will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together -

وَإِذَا رَأَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِيٓ ءَايَٰتِنَا فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُواْ فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيۡرِهِۦۚ وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ فَلَا تَقۡعُدۡ بَعۡدَ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٦٨

Wa idhā raʾaytal-ladhīna yakhūḍūna fī āyātinā fa aʿriḍ ʿanhum ḥattā yakhūḍū fī ḥadīthin ghayrih, wa immā yunsiyannakash-shayṭānu falā taqʿud baʿdadh-dhikrā maʿal-qawmiẓ-ẓālimīn.

And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse¹ concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation. And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِي ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَٰتٖۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ١١

Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū idhā qīla lakum tafassaḥū fil-majālisi fafsaḥū yafsaḥillāhu lakum, wa idhā qīlanshuzū fanshuzū yarfaʿillāhul-ladhīna āmanū minkum wal-ladhīna ūtul-ʿilma darajāt, wallāhu bimā taʿmalūna khabīr.

O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies, then make space; Allāh will make space for you.¹ And when you are told, "Arise,"² then arise; Allāh will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.

۞ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَٰنٗا وَبِذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلۡجَارِ ذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡجَارِ ٱلۡجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلۡجَنۢبِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخۡتَالٗا فَخُورًا ٣٦

Waʿbudullāha wa lā tushrikū bihī shayʾā, wabil-wālidayni iḥsānaw wabidhil-qurbā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wal-jāri dhil-qurbā wal-jāril-junubi waṣ-ṣāḥibi bil-janbi wabnis-sabīli wa mā malakat aymānukum, innallāha lā yuḥibbu man kāna mukhtālan fakhūrā.

Worship Allāh and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side,¹ the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allāh does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful,

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٖ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ شُعُوبٗا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ أَكۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَىٰكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٞ ١٣

Yāʾayyuhan-nāsu innā khalaqnākum min dhakariw wa unthā wa jaʿalnākum shuʿūbaw wa qabāʾila litaʿārafū, inna akramakum ʿindallāhi atqākum, innallāha ʿalīmun khabīr.

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allāh is the most righteous¹ of you. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware.