Friends are very important to every human beings. Humans are, by nature, created as societies, to live in communities. No man is an Island and no man can live alone. I remembered as a child, I used to cry everytime when a friend or someone mentioned "I don't want to friend you anymore." I see that happening to my children now. They feel sad if someone were to say that.

Even as we grow up, friends and friendships plays a significant part in our lives. Some of our friends may outgrew us or we outgrew them. We fall apart and yet, there will be a handful few, who we will bring with us, at every stage of our lifes. As we grow older, we will make new friends and yet keep some old ones.

Making a friend takes special chemistry. At times, the concoction yields a pungent smell with bitter after taste, we just let go and spit it out...at times, it smells so lovely and tastes so sweet that you just want it close to your hearts. BUT, does this mean that something that smells so good is DEFINITELY good for us? It is only the exterior we see, we smell and we taste. Have we looked deeper into their hearts to see who they really are?

Are true friends those who will only tell us sweet little things that we want to hear? OR are they those who will tell us the truth even though the truth hurts? Are true friends those who love to hear or tell juicy gossips OR are they those who refrain us from gossips? Are true friend those who ALWAYS agree with whatever we do or say OR are they the ones who will tell us when we ARE WRONG?

Our choice of friends is essential because the company that we keep has a deep influence on our "selves", be it feelings and intellect. We can gain enjoyment and comfort from our friendships; however, we can also gain distress and pain from them.

The prophet (SAW) is reported to have said, "Man is on his friend's religion. Therefore, man should see with whom he is making friends" (Abu Daud).

The number of friends we have is,thus, not important; what is important is the quality of those friendships. True friends are those who help us find and stay on the way of success....not just in this world but also in the Hereafter.