The Impact of Friendship on man

In the afore mentioned verse, God is talking about the “unjust”‌; the term unjust refers to those who persecute themselves either by being atheists, which leads to Hell; or by committing sins, leading to God’s wrath. Several Qur’anic verses, talk about how those who are punished by God have tyrannized themselves by rebelling against God and by being unbelievers, which is evident in God’s saying: “We did them no wrong, but they were used to wronging to themselves”‌

In the Qur’an, God relates the reaction of the self-tyrannical person when confronted with his sins. He feels beaten by remorse when witnessing how his sins have led him to Hell, and how the good deeds of the pious people who have abided by God's commands have led them to Heaven.

Deviating Away from the Prophet's line:

“The day that the wrong doer will bite his hands, and say: Ah! Woe is me! Would that I had never taken such a one a friend.”‌ Meaning that I wish I had taken the right path, the one taken by the Prophet: the path of faith, believing in God and obeying Him. But I haven't, and so I will not be given the promised rewards God presented to those who were dedicated to the Prophet(PBUH)’s line, then he remembers his friends; the unbelievers who used to commit sins and attempted to mislead him. Man, with the help of his friends, gets more inclined to take the wrong path because friends have a lot of impact on one another, due to the emotional bonds existing among them. And that is what we notice when a person befriends others in schools, clubs, on the street, in commerce, and even in so many political parties. In so many cases, man's morals, creed and political positions would be corrupted by his friends.

Friend's: Angels or Devils?

The person whom you benefit of your relation with is the trustworthy one, who is good-hearted, faithful and pious. You attain most of your emotions, thoughts, and attitudes from your friends, due to the factual psychological and practical impact friends have. The poet says: A blowing wind carries with it what it blows on. When the wind blows on fruitful and scented fields, it carries with it beautiful and relieving sweet-smells. On the other hand, if the field contains some rotten elements, the wind will smell bad.

This is why when man spends most of his time with corrupt and bad companies; he attains their same corrupt and perverted attitudes, life style, and emotions. But on Judgment Day, he will regret and say: I wish I haven't befriended this person for he had misled me after I was guided, he had misguided me into committing sins and perpetrating evil deeds.

“Ah! The Devil is but a traitor to man”‌

Such a friend is a devil, since the Devil is the one who leads people astray. But when his followers confront him with the fact that it is because of him that they are being punished, he declares himself innocent; and claims that he has nothing to do with the evil crimes committed by his own followers.

Some friends are just like the Devil: they trick people into misdoings, but then they claim themselves blameless; there happens to be a lot of criminals who go on corrupting people's life on political and moral positions, but then, abandon their friends.

Man's Dialogue with the devil in the Hereafter:

We have discussed earlier at some point the issue of man's talk with the Devil in the Hereafter, where people are in extreme confusion and all of a sudden, they rush towards the Devil to blame him for all their sins, misdoings, pointing fingers towards him and accusing him: “you are the one who misled me, you have misguided me. But the Devil defends himself.”‌

“You are nothing but an egregious delusion.”‌

“Then reproach me not.”‌ You have made me God's associate; you obey me and disobey Him! Where was your conscience that God granted you? Where was your sense of right and wrong? Why didn't you assess your losses and gains the same way you used to calculate your money gained and lost. Hence, these verses give us a notion of how to choose our friends, how to examine them thoroughly before befriending them since they might lead you to Hell. Therefore, on judgment Day when God asks man about his deeds, and then man blames his friends who misled him;”‌ this companion will say: Oh: hard I make him transgress, but he was himself far astray. He will say: Dispute not with each, other in my presence: I had already in advance sent you warning.”‌ “One day we will ask Hell: Art there filled to the fall? It will say: “Are there any more”‌.

Source: bayynat.org.lb

Other links:

Don’t take a decision at the time of anger

Orderliness, Key to Success

Finding Faults in Others