Book Name:Harms of a bad company
younger people because they do not have the ability to differentiate between good and bad at a young age. If they are not looked after from childhood, then when they grow older, they become rebellious, stubborn, heretic, non-Salah offering, gambler, alcoholic, immodest, fashion lovers, interested in films and dramas, disobedient to their parents, and they get involved in usury, bribery and many other ill-habits, and tarnish the name of their parents and family.
Therefore, alongside providing the best education to their children, parents ought to take out time to edify them also; from time-to-time, they should inform their children regarding the benefits of good company and the harms of bad company, and by doing so, contribute to the success of their children in this world and the Hereafter and make them into upstanding individuals of the society.
A wise father became aware of his son becoming involved in a bad company. So instead of displaying heedlessness, he attempted to explain him. Let us listen to an account in relation to this and attempt to act upon it also:
A child from a righteous household began to associate with a bad company. When his father became aware of this, he explained him to beware lest the company of the evil makes him bad also. He replied and said, ‘Do not worry father, I will not become like them.’
The father intended to give a practical explanation to his son. So, he brought many plums home one day. The family members ate some of the plums, and when they were about to put the rest of the plums away, the son said, ‘Father! There is a rotten plum as well among them, take it out.’ The father said, ‘Leave it for now, we will see tomorrow.’
When the father and son looked at the plums the next day, they saw that the plums that were close to the rotten plum had also rotted. The father then explained to his son and said, ‘Did you see son! How much a company effects! The good plums also rotted due the company of one rotted plum!’ The child understood and turned away from the company of his bad friends. (Doodh Peeta Madani Munna, p. 27, with amendments)