Life-of-Muhammad

236Life of Muhammad savirtue for a man to honour the friends of his father.Among the persons addressed was ‘Abdullah bin‘Umar ra . Many years after, while proceeding onPilgrimage, he met a Bedouin and he made over to himhis own mount and also presented him with his turban.One of his companions observed that he had been overgenerousas a Bedouin would be pleased with very little.‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar ra said: "This man's father was afriend of my father's and I have heard the Holy Prophet sasay that it is one of the highest virtues for a man tohonour his father's friends."KEEPING GOOD COMPANYHe always preferred to keep company with thevirtuous and if he observed any weakness in any of hisCompanions ra he admonished him gently and in private.Abu Musa Ash‘ari ra relates: "The Holy Prophet saillustrated the benefit to be derived from good friendsand virtuous companions and the injury to beapprehended from evil friends and vicious companionsby saying: ‘A man who keeps company with virtuouspeople is like a person who carries about musk withhim. If he partakes of it he derives benefit from it, if hesells it he makes a profit out of it and if he merely keepsit he enjoys its perfume. A man who keeps companywith evil persons is like one who blows into a charcoalfurnace; all that he can expect is that a spark may alightupon his clothes and set them on fire or that the gasemitted by the charcoal may upset his brain'." He usedto say that a man's character takes on the colour of thecompany he keeps and that therefore one should becareful to spend one's time in the company of the good(Bukhari and Muslim).SAFEGUARDING PEOPLE'S FAITHThe Holy Prophet sa was very careful to safe-guardagainst possible misunderstandings. On one occasion