They were your best friend. Your ride-or-die. The person you told everything to, trusted completely, spent all your time with. When everyone else let you down, they were there.
But there was a problem. They were leading you away from Allah ﷻ—and you didn’t even realize it until it was too late.
They convinced you that skipping one prayer wasn’t a big deal. They normalized watching haram content together. They laughed when you felt guilty about sin, telling you “everyone does it.” They pulled you into relationships, habits, and mindsets that you knew were wrong—but you compromised because you didn’t want to lose them.
And now, on the Day of Judgment, you’re standing there watching your book of deeds being read. Sin after sin. Bad choice after bad choice. And you remember: most of these happened because of them.
You turn to them desperately: “Please, tell them it was your idea. Tell them you influenced me. Tell them I wouldn’t have done these things without you. Help me.”
And according to the Quran, they look at you and say: “I have my own problems to deal with.”
That’s it. Years of friendship. Gone. And you’re left facing the consequences of their influence alone.
The Verse That Describes This Exact Moment
Allah ﷻ warns you about this day in the Quran. He says:
[Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayah 67]
“Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous.”
Read that again. Friends will become enemies. Not strangers. Not people you barely knew. Your close friends—the ones you loved, trusted, and sacrificed for—will turn against you on Judgment Day.
Why? Because friendships built on anything other than righteousness can’t survive the reality of the Hereafter. When the truth is exposed, when everyone’s sins are on display, when accountability is absolute—fake friendships crumble instantly.
And in another verse, Allah ﷻ describes what happens when the wrongdoer realizes how his friends destroyed him:
The Quran says, translated at Quran.com:
[Surah Al-Furqan, Ayah 27-29]
“And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands, he will say, ‘Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way. Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend. He led me away from the remembrance after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter.'”
“I wish I had not taken that one as a friend.” That regret will be so intense that the person will literally bite their hands in anguish. Because they’ll finally see—crystal clear—how that friendship cost them Paradise.
The Friend Who Pulled You Down
Let’s be specific about what this looks like in real life.
They normalized sin. When you first felt guilty about something haram, they told you to relax. “It’s not that serious.” “Allah is forgiving.” “Everyone does it.” They made you feel weird for having standards.
They mocked your faith. When you tried to pray on time, they rolled their eyes. When you wanted to skip a haram gathering, they called you extreme. When you talked about religion, they made fun of you or changed the subject.
They pressured you into compromising. “Just this once.” “Don’t be boring.” “You’re being too strict.” And slowly, one compromise at a time, they eroded your relationship with Allah ﷻ.
They celebrated your sins with you. Instead of warning you or stopping you, they encouraged you. They participated. They made sin feel like bonding.
They distracted you from your purpose. Time is your most valuable asset. And they helped you waste it on things that didn’t bring you closer to Allah ﷻ—parties, gossip, entertainment, drama.
That person might have been fun. They might have made you laugh. They might have been there during hard times. But according to Islamic scholars, if their presence pulled you away from Allah ﷻ, they weren’t your friend—they were your enemy disguised as your friend.
The Hadith About Choosing Friends
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud: “A man follows the religion of his friend; so each one should consider whom he makes his friend.”
You become like the people you surround yourself with. Not might become. Not could become. Will become. It’s inevitable. Your friends influence:
Your priorities. If they care about dunya, you’ll start caring about dunya. If they care about akhirah, you’ll start caring about akhirah.
Your habits. If they pray, you’ll be more motivated to pray. If they skip prayers, you’ll find it easier to skip too.
Your language. If they gossip, you’ll gossip. If they curse, you’ll curse. If they speak with wisdom, you’ll speak with wisdom.
Your values. If they think certain sins are acceptable, you’ll slowly accept them too. If they hold firm to Islamic boundaries, you’ll be strengthened in yours.
Your eternity. If they lead you to Jannah through good influence, they’ll be with you in Paradise. If they lead you to Jahannam through bad influence, you’ll see them in the Fire—and you’ll curse them forever for it.
The Analogy the Prophet ﷺ Gave You
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Bukhari: “The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk and the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows. So as for the seller of musk, either he will grant you some, or you will buy some from him, or you will get a good smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows, either he will burn your clothes or you will get a bad smell from him.”
Think about that imagery:
A good friend is like a perfume seller. Even if they don’t give you anything directly, just being around them makes you better. You smell good. You leave their company improved. They make you want to be more righteous.
A bad friend is like working in a blacksmith’s shop. Even if you’re not actively doing anything wrong, the environment damages you. You leave with soot on your clothes and smoke in your lungs. Their influence contaminates you slowly, consistently, until you don’t even recognize yourself anymore.
Which type of friend are you surrounding yourself with? And which type of friend are you being to others?
When You Realize It’s Too Late
There will be a moment on Judgment Day when everything becomes clear. When you see your entire life displayed. When you see every choice, every influence, every consequence.
And you’ll see that friend. The one you valued so much. The one you chose over your relationship with Allah ﷻ. The one you sinned for, compromised for, wasted time for.
And you’ll realize: they’re in the same trouble you are. They can’t help you. They can’t defend you. They can’t take responsibility for what they influenced you to do.
You’ll beg them: “Remember when you told me to skip prayer? Remember when you convinced me that sin wasn’t a big deal? Remember when you laughed at me for trying to be better? Take some of this burden. You helped create it.“
And they’ll turn away. Because on that Day, according to the Quran, everyone is focused on their own salvation. Nobody has capacity to help anyone else—except those who built their relationship on righteousness.
Allah ﷻ says in the Quran:
[Surah ‘Abasa, Ayah 34-37]
“But when there comes the Deafening Blast, on the Day a man will flee from his brother, and his mother and his father, and his wife and his children. For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.”
Your closest relationships in dunya—spouse, parents, siblings—won’t be able to help you. How much less will that friend who was pulling you away from Allah ﷻ?
The Signs of a Toxic Friend in Islam
Here’s how you know if a friendship is destroying your akhirah:
You sin more when you’re with them. Simple test. Do you find yourself engaging in haram when you’re around them that you wouldn’t do alone? That’s your sign.
They don’t remind you of Allah ﷻ. A righteous friend, should naturally make you more conscious of Allah ﷻ. Not preachy. Not annoying. Just by their presence and character, you think about religion more. If your friend makes you forget Allah ﷻ, they’re dangerous.
They discourage your acts of worship. When you want to pray, fast, read Quran, or do anything good—they find ways to stop you. They make you feel weird. They guilt-trip you for “abandoning” them. According to Islamic teachings, that’s Shaytan working through them.
You feel guilty after spending time with them. Your fitrah (natural disposition) knows. If you consistently feel regret, discomfort, or spiritual emptiness after being with someone, listen to that feeling.
They don’t correct you when you’re wrong. Real friends, according to Islamic principles of brotherhood, stop you from evil. Fake friends enable you, encourage you, or participate with you.
Your relationship with Allah ﷻ has weakened since knowing them. Track it. Are you praying less? Reading Quran less? More involved in sin? That friendship is poison.
How to End a Toxic Friendship Islamically
This is hard. Ending a friendship—especially a long one—feels like a breakup. But your akhirah is more important than anyone’s feelings.
1. Make dua for guidance first. “Ya Allah, if this friendship is harmful for my deen, make it easy for me to distance myself. If it can be salvaged, guide both of us.”
2. Try to guide them first. Before you cut someone off, give them sincere advice. “I love you, but I feel like we’re both slipping. Can we help each other get better?” If they respond positively, the friendship might be saved. If they mock you or dismiss you, you have your answer.
3. Create distance gradually. You don’t need to announce a dramatic breakup. Just become less available. Respond slower. Decline invitations gently. Let the friendship fade naturally.
4. Don’t backbite them. According to Islamic ethics, even if they were bad for you, you don’t slander them. Cut them off, but don’t destroy their reputation.
5. Replace them with better companions. The empty space they leave needs to be filled. Find friends at the mosque, Islamic study circles, volunteer groups—places where righteous people gather.
6. Be prepared to be lonely temporarily. According to Islamic teachings at IslamQA, it’s better to be alone temporarily than to stay in a friendship that’s destroying your relationship with Allah ﷻ.
The Friends You Actually Need
So what does a real friend look like in Islam?
They remind you of Allah ﷻ. Not in a preachy way. But their character, their choices, their presence—makes you want to be better.
They stop you from sin. When you’re about to make a mistake, they speak up. They don’t enable. They don’t participate. They care about your akhirah more than your temporary happiness.
They make dua for you. Not just when you ask. Randomly, sincerely, consistently. They’re praying for your success in dunya and akhirah.
They celebrate your progress in deen. When you start praying more, they encourage you. When you make positive changes, they support you. When you’re struggling, they remind you of Allah’s mercy.
They’re honest with you. They tell you the truth even when it’s uncomfortable. Because according to Islamic teachings at SeekersGuidance, real love means wanting the best for someone’s eternity, not just their present comfort.
They cover your faults. They don’t expose your sins or gossip about you. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as documented at Sunnah.com: “Whoever covers (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will cover him (his faults) in this world and in the Hereafter.”
The Friendship That Will Last Forever
There’s only one type of friendship that survives Judgment Day: friendships built on taqwa (consciousness of Allah ﷻ).
The Quran says:
[Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayah 67]
“Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous.”
Those who were friends for the sake of Allah ﷻ—who helped each other worship, reminded each other of truth, supported each other’s faith—they’ll be together in Jannah. Their friendship won’t just survive; it will be perfected and made eternal.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Muslim: “On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say: ‘Where are those who loved one another for the sake of My glory? Today I will shade them in My shade, on the Day when there is no shade but Mine.'”
Imagine that. While everyone else is suffering in the heat of Judgment Day, those who befriended each other for Allah’s sake will be under His shade. Protected. Honored. Together.
That’s the friendship worth having. That’s the companion worth choosing.
What If You Were the Bad Friend?
Maybe you’re reading this and realizing: I was that friend. I pulled people into sin. I mocked their attempts at righteousness. I normalized haram. I influenced them negatively.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Repent sincerely. Every person you influenced toward sin—those sins are on your record too until you sincerely repent. Make tawbah now.
2. Reach out and apologize if possible. “I’m sorry for the times I discouraged you from good or encouraged you toward bad. I was wrong. May Allah forgive me.”
3. Change your behavior going forward. Start being the friend who pulls people toward Allah ﷻ, not away from Him.
4. Make dua for those you negatively influenced. “Ya Allah, forgive them for the sins I led them into. Guide them back to You. Don’t let my bad influence destroy their akhirah.”
If you do this sincerely, Allah ﷻ might not only forgive you but also reward you for helping guide others back to Him.
The Choice You Need to Make Today
You have friends right now. Look at them honestly. Ask yourself:
Since I started hanging out with them, am I closer to Allah ﷻ or further?
Do they encourage my prayers or make fun of them?
Do they help me avoid sin or participate in it with me?
When I think about Judgment Day, will I regret having chosen them?
If the answers scare you, you know what you need to do. It won’t be easy. They might be upset. You might be lonely for a while. But temporary loneliness in dunya is better than eternal regret in akhirah.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in authentic hadith: “The believer is the mirror of the believer, and the believer is the brother of the believer. He protects him from loss and guards him when he is absent.”
Find friends like that. Be a friend like that. And on Judgment Day, instead of turning on each other, you’ll turn toward Jannah—together.
The Bottom Line
That friend who’s pulling you away from Allah ﷻ? They won’t be there for you on Judgment Day. They won’t take responsibility. They won’t save you. They’ll be too busy trying to save themselves.
The time to choose your companions carefully is now—while you still have time to change direction.
Don’t wait until you’re standing before Allah ﷻ, biting your hands in regret, wishing you’d never befriended them. Don’t wait until it’s too late to realize that their laughter wasn’t worth your Jannah.
Choose friends who will be with you in Paradise. Not because they’re perfect—no one is—but because they’re trying. Because they care about Allah ﷻ. Because they want success for you in this life and the next.
And be that friend for others. Be the person whose companionship leads to Jannah, not Jahannam.
Because on Judgment Day, friendships will either save you or destroy you. There’s no in-between.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in presenting Islamic teachings, readers are strongly advised to consult qualified Islamic scholars in their local area for specific religious rulings, detailed interpretations, and matters requiring expert guidance.