Benefits of the Hadith: (The example of the good companion and the bad one is like the carrier of musk and the bellows blower . . . )

The Shaykh : The second point is to draw attention to the fact that a person should choose companions of good and righteousness, and that he will benefit from their company in any case. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is the lowest of the situations: he gives you without taking anything in return. This is the most beneficial type of gain. Or he sells to you, giving you in exchange for a price, which is less than the first; you benefit from his goodness, but he takes something from you. In the first case, you benefit from his goodness and he takes nothing in return. The third is that you find a pleasant scent from him; he neither gives to you nor sells to you, but his scent is pleasant. Is that not so? When a person passes by someone carrying musk, he is happy and pleased with the pleasant scent. As for the bad one, the bad companion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do you know the bellows? Do you know it? The bellows is what is blown into over the charcoal; the craftsmen blow it. It is not exactly like it, but it is wider in the belly, and they move it with both hands until a lot of air comes out of it. Yes, like the beats of the heart; they push this down and raise this, then push this down and raise this. This is the bellows, and strong air comes out of it that ignites the fire. Is the bellows blower a good companion or not? A bad companion. What is the harm in him? How does he burn your clothes? A spark flies from this bellows onto you and burns the clothes. And it is true, so beware of the bad companion; you will never be safe from the bad companion. Either he will burn your clothes and harm you with his badness, or you will find a foul smell from him and acquire some of his character traits. Therefore, we must choose righteous companions, and we must also choose companions who possess wisdom, opinion, and sound judgment, because not every righteous person is good in terms of awareness. One may be righteous but simple-minded, not knowing matters. Such a person benefits you in worship and obedience, but does not benefit you in matters of the head, planning, and guidance. How many people have gone astray in clear deviation due to a lack of guidance and wisdom! For this reason, he chose both qualities. Perhaps the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): includes the righteous in religion and in other matters. It is not necessary that the righteous one be righteous only in religion. The righteous one is righteous in religion, in opinion, and in chivalry. How many people are less than another in religion, but they have chivalry, generosity, and good character, and one benefits from their noble traits. So, if we apply the hadith in its generality, the one who is righteous in his religion, his character, his chivalry, and his intellect, it becomes comprehensive of everything. Good.