Criteria for Choosing Friends from an Islamic Perspective and Their Relevance in the Modern Era

Abstract

The criteria for choosing friends from an Islamic perspective have become an urgent topic of discussion for today’s youth. As social beings by nature, forming friendships is a fundamental human need. Technological advancements have made it easier to interact and build social networks. However, the ease of finding friends on online platforms does not necessarily correlate with emotional closeness. The unlimited choice of friends actually leads to confusion regarding the criteria for selecting them. Therefore, guidelines and direction from authentic teachings are necessary to ensure one does not make mistakes in choosing friends. This study is a library-based research project using a qualitative approach. The results consist of data descriptions derived from both primary and secondary sources. The findings reveal that in this study, the researcher utilized several perspectives: first, from the Qur’an and hadith; second, from the opinions of renowned scholars, including those of Sheikh az-Zarnuji as cited in his book Ta’limul Muta’allim and Imam al-Ghazali as cited in his book Ihya’ Ulum al-Din. All of these perspectives are consistent with one another and do not contradict each other. They serve as relevant guidance for choosing good friends who can bring benefit and protect one from harm, as having good friends helps preserve one’s moral character and religious commitment.