Who is your best friend?

Dear brothers and sister,
If you seek friendship we should look for three qualities in a person. The first quality is intellect. There is no benefit in friendship with a foolish person. An intelligent enemy is sometimes better than a foolish friend. The second quality is a good character. Do not befriend someone who cannot restrain their anger or control their desire. Nor, someone who is a liar or who is greedy for this world. The third quality is righteousness. Do not befriend someone who persists in major wrongdoings, for witnessing such actions on a regular basis makes wrongdoings seem insignificant. These three qualities rarely exist together. Keep interactions with your friends proportionate to the level of these qualities within them.
The friends are of three types. The first is like food. One cannot exist without them. They are for the sake of the hereafter. From them, seek support in religious practices. The second is like medicine. One needs them from time to time. They are for the sake of this World. From them, seek good character. The third is like a disease. It is never needed, but sometimes we are afflicted by it. These friends can only benefit you if you seek God’s help to perceive their flaws, so you may better yourself.
Keep in mind that you are responsible for fulfilling certain duties and friendship; such as defending them, assisting them financially, and forgiving their faults. In short, you are to behave with your friend just as you would like them to behave with you.
Jobayer Al Mahmud
Student, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.