2:257 God is the friend of those who have faith.
God is the Lord of the faithful, their caretaker and helper, their guide, and open-hearted friend.
In a report, it has come that God’s Messenger said, “If someone were to destroy the eminent, great Kaaba, take apart its stones, and set it on fire, his disobedience would not be as much as if he were to denigrate one of God’s friends.”
A nomad was present. He said, “O Messenger of God! Who are these friends of God?” He replied, “All of the faithful are God’s beloved friends. Have you not recited the verse, ‘God is the friend of those who have faith?’”
In one more verse is where He says, “That is because God is the patron of those who have faith, and the unbelievers have no patron” [47:11]. He is the friend and caretaker of the faithful, not only in this world but also in the next, as He says: “We are your friends in this world’s life and in the next world” [41:31].
In the story of Joseph, He quotes his words, “Thou art my friend in this world and the next” [12:101]. There is a great difference between these two verses—We are your friends and Thou art my friend—though anyone who does not have the eyes to see is excused. We are your friends comes from togetherness itself, but Thou art my friend alludes to dispersion. This is not because the friend is superior to the prophet, for the end of the friend’s work is but the beginning of the prophet’s work.
However, the weak are shown greater benevolence, and the incapable are given more caresses, for they are not so bold as to claim familiarity. They see themselves as tainted, so they do not have the tongue to speak. Whoever is more helpless is closer to the Friend. Whoever is more broken is more worthy of love: “I am with those whose hearts are broken for Me.”
It has been reported that on the Day of Resurrection, one of the broken and burnt will be taken to the Presence. God will say, “My servant, what do you have?” He will say, “Two empty hands, a heart full of pain, and a spirit troubled and bewildered in the waves of grief and sorrow.”
He will say, “Go straight ahead to the house of My friends, for I love the broken and grieving. ‘The sinner’s sobs are more beloved to Me than the glorifier’s murmur.’”
David said, “O God, I take it that I must wash my limbs with water so that they may be pure of defilement. With what shall I wash my heart so that it may be pure of other than You?”
The command came, “O David! Wash the heart with the water of regret and grief so that you may reach the greatest purity.”
He said, “O God, where can I find this grief?”
He said, “We Ourselves will send the grief. The stipulation is that you bind yourself to the grieving and the broken.”
He said, “O God, what is their mark?”
He said, “They wait all day for the sun to go down, then they pull down the curtain of night and begin to knock at the door of the isolated cell of We are nearer [50:16]. Burning, weeping, and sighing all night long, needy and melting, their heads on the ground, they call on Us with a longing voice: ‘O Lord, O Lord!’
From the world’s Compeller comes the call, “O Gabriel and Michael! Leave aside the murmur of glorification, for here comes the sound of someone burning. Though he has the burden of disobedience, he has the tree of faith in his heart. He was kneaded with the water and clay of love for Me.
“The proximate angels, from the day they came into existence until the Day of Resurrection, have kept their hands serving Me. They place My command on their eyes and burn in hope for one glance. Then they put the fingers of longing in the mouth of bewilderment—‘What is this? We do the service, but the love goes there. We run and rush, but arrival and seeing are theirs!’”
The Exalted Unity answers them in the attribute of predetermination: “The work is done by burning and grief. They are the source of burning and the quarry of grief.”
