Linguistic Gems from the Qur’an, Day Three: Good Company

Good company:

 

Allah says in Surah al-Nisaa’, verse 69

 

وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقًۭا Whoever obeys God and the Messenger will be among those He has blessed: the messengers, the truthful, those who bear witness to the truth, and the righteous- what excellent companions these are!

 

The word used for companion in the Arabic is رَفِيقًۭا rafeeq, which is derived from the root letters ر ف ق. This combination of letters connotes meanings of gentleness, kindness, courteousness and softness.

 

This in itself is a firm and clear guideline to us all - that in order to be classed as someone’s companion, one needs to first bear these qualities of character!

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