Keep them for the rest of your life

Bismillah,

Assalamualaikum,

Surah Al-Furqan, 27-29. Allah warns regarding the company, friends, people we associate with.

وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلاً۬ (٢٧) يَـٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِى لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلاً۬ (٢٨) لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّڪۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِى‌ۗ وَڪَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ خَذُولاً۬ (٢٩)

And (remember) the Day when the Zâlim (wrong-doer, oppressor, polytheist) will bite at his hands, he will say: "Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger ( Muhammad SAW).(27) "Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a Khalil (an intimate friend)! (28) "He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (this Qur'ân) after it had come to me. And Shaitân (Satan) is to man ever a deserter in the hour of need." (29)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir:

Regarding ayat 27:Here Allah tells us of the regret felt by the wrongdoer who rejected the path of the Messenger and what he brought from Allah of clear truth concerning which there is no doubt, and followed another path. When the Day of Resurrection comes, he will feel regret but his regret will avail him nothing, and he will bite on his hands in sorrow and grief.

Regarding Ayat 28: The one among the propagators of misguidance who diverted him from true guidance and led him to follow the path of misguidance

Surah at-taubah -119,

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (١١٩)

O ye who believe! Be careful of your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful. (119)

Have taqwa and be with the truthful. By being with the truthful then we can gain taqwa.

Friends to look for and hold on them for the rest of your life:

1) looking at him/her will bring you closer to the remembrance of Allah.

2) His/her speech will increase you in knowledge.

3) When he/she sees your deeds, he/she reminds you of the hereafter.

Because they have put their life in this world for the life of the hereafter.

Look to your right, to your left, to your front, to your back.. think and ponder on this hadith:

The Holy Prophet [S] said: "Man is influenced by the faith of his friends. Therefore, be careful of whom you associate with."-Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 192