Arab Friendship

Friendship

It is co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more people. In this sense, Friendship means a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other. They will exchange advices and share hardships.

Arab Friendship

Most Arabs take friendship very seriously. The Arab concept of friendship is one of duration and intensity. Before an Arab enters into a friendship, he must find out all about a person to see how much influence one has and if the person might embarrass him.

Friendship in the Middle East is much more demanding. A true friend is someone you feel free to impose on at anytime, knowing that he will do his very best to help you, even if it means a personal sacrifice. On first meeting, Arabs like to smile and chat, personal questions, interest in them and in their thoughts and lives, and indicate full willingness to meet again and continue the friendship.

Once a friendship is formed, Arabs use all his influence to do things for his friend. Any Westerner who would like the benefits of a “real” Arab friend needs to realize the friendship has more intensity and involves a system of balancing favors against obligations. In general, it can be said that the maintenance of friendships takes priorities over most other needs of life.

Friendship in Islam

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "A true believer is a mirror to his brother. He prevents him from any harm." That means Friends wish well for their friends, and feel a strong grief when they see them in any kind of suffering. They work hard by all means to restore the rights of their friends, and give them all the help they need. They keep the secrets of their friends. This kind of friendship is the basic necessity of social life.

Islam approves associating with individuals who have violated moral and social laws for the purpose of helping them through beneficial guidance. Friends sympathies with their friends and they comfort each other. Friends exert each other toward piety and righteous deeds. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "Fear Allah and help each other for the sake of Allah. Have mercy upon each other. Visit each other and remember our matter and keep it alive."

Friendship in Bible

"And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" 

Arabian Proverbs about Friends and Friendship

" A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away." 

"A friend is known when needed"

By Nouran Radwan

References:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1997/arab_culture/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship

http://www.shabestan.net/en/pages/?cid=35

http://www.friendship-quotes.org.uk/