Benefits of keeping company with the Friends of GOD [Awliya] The Righteous, The Truthful.
 
By Abbas Wahbi
 
In our current times we are missing the benefits and have almost ignored or do not know of the importance in keeping ‘Companionship to better our inner self'.  
 
1) Companionship in the Quran.
 
• GOD, may He be glorified, says, “Oh you who believe, be aware of GOD and be with (in companionship) The Truthful”.  9:120  
 
• He, Almighty also says: “…And follow the Way of him who turns to me…” (In love).  
31:14  
 
• He, The exalted again says: “Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His Face, and do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attraction of this world. And do not obey someone whose heart we have made neglectful of Our Remembrance, then he followed his own whims and desires. So his life has transgressed all bounds”. 18:28.  
 
>> In this verse GOD is instructing us to keep our souls content by the company of those who are occupied by His Remembrance, seeking only His Face, and not attracted to worldly life and its glitter and pomp.  
 
 
• He, may He be glorified says: “They found a servant of Ours, whom We had granted Mercy from Us, and whom We had also given knowledge direct from Us. Moses said to him: may I follow you in condition that you teach me some of the right guidance you have been taught?” 18:64.  
 
>>This verse, is relating the story of Prophet Moses, Greetings of GOD be upon Him, that despite being a Prophet, he {Moses} asked to keep company of a man of GOD who, “We had granted Mercy from Us, and whom We had also given knowledge direct from Us”. Thus, his status as a Prophet of GOD has not stopped him from seeking fellowship, in order to obtain more knowledge, to approach GOD and thus to attain the ultimate goal; 'GOD MOST HIGH'.  
 
 
 
 
2) Companionship from the Sayings [Hadith] of the Prophet, may GOD bless Him and grant Him Peace.  
 
• On the authority of Abu Huraira, may GOD be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of GOD, may GOD grant Him Peace has said: “The man is on the religion/path of his companion, so let any of you find whose companion to be with”. It was related by Abu Dawud and Imam Thirmidi.
 
• On the authority of Anas Ibn Malik, may GOD be pleased with him, who said that:  
A Bedouin said to the Messenger of GOD [May GOD grant Him Peace]," When is the (last) Hour? i.e. the time when this life comes to an end. The Prophet [May GOD grant Him Peace] replied: what have you prepared for it? The man answered:  The love of GOD and His Messenger. The Prophet [May GOD grant Him Peace] said: You are with whom you love”.  
Bukhari and Muslim.  
 
• On the authority of Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari, may GOD be pleased with him, who relates that the Messenger of GOD [May GOD grant Him Peace] has said: “A person is with whom he has loved”  
 
 
 
 
3) The Companionship in the sayings of the Scholars and People of GOD.
 
• Imam Abdul-Wahed Ibn ‘Asher, may GOD be pleased with him said at the end of his poem of Maliki Jurisprudence in the Book of Tassawuf: “One must keep company with a Master, who has knowledge of the (spiritual) ways, who would protect him from the dangers of the Path.”  
 
• The well known Sufi Master Sidi Abu Madian El-Ghouth said in one of his inspired poems:  
“What delight is there in life, other than companionship of the Fuqara [those who seek GOD]? They are the Sultans, the Lords and the Princes.  
So befriend them and be mannered in their assemblies,  
And be happy no matter how they left you behind.  
Take advantage of the time and be always present with them,  
And know that (DIVINE) satisfaction distinguishes one who is present”.  
 
• The Sufi Master Sidi El-Haj El-‘Abbas, May GOD be pleased with him said in his WASIYA (SPIRITUAL COUNCIL):  
“Despite the fact that I had been brought up in the lap of the Qadiriyya Tariqa through my ancestry, my great grand fathers and particularly under the tutelage of my father, (Sidi El-Haj El-Mukhtar), who was known and famous for his righteousness, it did not provide the aspiration that comes from following a living spiritual guide, which is the sublime method of Suluk (spiritual wayfaring).