The Educational System In Islam

among friends.
Friendshipleadtotheacquisitionofcustomsandtheinteractionwiththe
friends’ ethics, tendencies, and trends. Therefore, Islam has warned
against befriending the morally and mentally defected individuals.
Imam Ali (a), the great educator, instructs his son Imam Al-Hassan:
“Oson!Beware ofassociatingwith theidiot.They harmwhenthey in-
tendtobenefit.Bewareofassociatingwiththemisers.Theydepriveyou
of the very things that you need. Beware of associating with the li-
centious.Theyvendyouwithvalueless.Bewareofassociating withthe
liars. They look likea mirage that shows the remote as closeand the
close as remote.”
Manydamagesthatcausethelossofthebehavioralbalanceresultinas-
sociatingwithsuchindividuals.Thereferencebooksofhaditharefullof
many propheticand imamicsayings regardingthe qualitiesandinflu-
ences of friends. The Prophet (s) says, “Man pursues his friend’sreli-
gion.”.
Theyouththataccepttheirreligionanddoctrineareadvisedtobecare-
fulof the individualsthatare defectedmorally andbehaviorally,since
suchones lead to sinning anddepravity. The youthshouldalsoavoid
thosewhobearweakprincipals,suchasexistentialismandthelike,that
call for disintegration and the prevalence of the jungle law.
Unfortunately,theIslamicsocietyhasbeenaffectedbymanyofthosede-
viantswhodonotpossessanyIslamicornationalconscience,andignore
anyuprightsocialpurport.Hence,theyworkedpoisonouslyfordishon-
oring thisnation’s socialand spiritualdivines and values.The faithful
youthshouldbecarefulofsuchindividualsandshouldneverassociate
with them so that they would not be misguided.