Assalamu-alaykum, There was a new guy in my class.

He was really cool with his chains and his fancy hair do.

Everyone wanted to be his friend and wanted to play with him.

Guess what? I was the lucky one. We played together all the time and he would come to my house after school.

My mum told me I must stop hanging around with him but he was my best friend.

One day he said, "Lets go to the park, I have a surprise for you." I always loved going to the park and couldn't wait to find out what the surprise was.

He took me to one corner, reached into his pocket and pulled out a ciggy.

I was shocked and was so let down by him. I knew I had to say no.

My mum was right about him. At least I know you are good company  PP

We all know that we are influenced by the people we hang around with. If we keep the company of good and pious people then we will become good like them but if we keep company of bad people then we will become bad.

The prophet (pbuh) was the best of all people and he had the best manners and character. Abu Bakr was his close friend and was always in his company.

If we look at the life of Abu Bakr we find that he was also a very good, kind and generous person, just like the prophet (pbuh). He spend his time in good company and became a very good person.

If someone asked him a question his answers always reflected what Islam or the prophet taught him. This was because his thinking was also influenced by the good company of the prophet (pbuh).

Hind was the wife of Abu Sufyan, a chief of Makkah. In the early days of Islam she was against the prophet (pbuh) and the Muslims. She would do everything in her power to attack and hurt the Muslims.

She was so against Islam that she would even accompany the Makkan army to fight against the Muslims. She would beat drums and sing songs which encouraged the men to fight harder against the poor Muslims.

She hired Whashi, who was a master javelin thrower to track down Hamzah, the prophets uncle. She told him to kill Hamzah and in return she would free Whashi, who was a slave, and also make him very rich. When Whashi carried out this evil act, she went and cut off the ears and nose of Hamzah and made a necklace from it.

She had much bitterness and hatred inside her for Muhammad (pbuh) and the Muslims. She had spent most of her life in this evil state and everyone knew of her bad behaviour towards the Muslims.

When Muhammad (pbuh) returned to Makkah after many years, all of Makkah accepted the prophet into their city. They were terrified, especially Hind,  that the prophet (pbuh) would take his revenge because of their cruelty in the past.

The prophet (pbuh) forgave all the Makkans and Hind began to see Muhammad (pbuh) in his true light. As she spent a little time with Muhammad (pbuh) she became influenced by his wonderful character and became a Muslim. This was after spending only a short time in prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) good company.

Did you know that Allah sent many thousands of prophets to mankind and Muhammad (pbuh) was the last and final messenger. His message, the Qur'an, will be with us until the Judgement day.

Any one who claims to be a prophet after him is an impostor. Whoever follows this liar has strayed far from Islam and is no longer considered a Muslim.

How did Hind change her life?
Why is making friends hard?
What happened to Hamzah?
Who was Abu Bakr's close friend?
Who was Penpal's new friend?

HOMEWORK: Allah has given us parents who love and look after us. Make sure you always love and obey

Assalamu-alaykum, I always looked up to people that look 'cool'  but then I realised its not the way you look but it's the way you behave that matters. Its what inside what really counts. Its easy making friends but making the right friends is much harder.  PP

The Prophet dressed humbly with simple clothes.

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