In the era of social media platforms, the number of friends has increased and the goal has become to collect the largest number of friendships or followers, and this is different from spending time with real close friends, which in turn is reflected in the extent of human satisfaction with his social life.
And she continues, "A friend is a person you are happy when you spend your time with him, and you know that your love for him and his love for you are not conditional. You trust him and he trusts you. You find him and he finds you in time of need. If the relationship does not have these characteristics, then it is not a true friendship.”
Dr. Zabalawi explains that "friendship is not in quantity but rather in quality. If these friendships have the qualities mentioned previously, then their impact will be positive on the person, and therefore their presence improves his productivity, but if it is not a real friendship, then reducing it is better."
The role of true friends
Zabalawi says that "the presence of true friends leads to the presence of a permanent supportive element that eases the difficulty of what a person may go through and makes it easier for him to fall on him, and that his presence may be in the place of the advisor and mitigate the impact of what may happen without that advice, in addition to the fact that a true friend encourages his friend in all aspects of his life, social, psychological and practical.
And she concludes that the friendship between spouses "is one of the most beautiful things that can be, and it is the relationship of true friendship, and the real victor in the relationship is the one who befriends his wife, and for him she is the well of his secrets, his refuge, the bond he needs, the constant support and the source of unending love and the source of appreciation and encouragement."
Make friends is a need
For his part, family sociology consultant Mofeed Sarhan says that "making friendships is a need for a person at all ages, in all circumstances, in prosperity and distress, in wealth and poverty, regardless of the nature of work or social level."
He points out that "many people brag about the abundance and diversity of their friends, and they feel happy and comfortable. Wherever they go they make friends. Some people whose nature of work requires frequent travel and movement are keen to make friends in more than one country, and they do not feel alienated."
Sarhan states that "multiplicity of friendships is beneficial for man, because friendship is a necessary need for him, provided that they are true friendships based on sound foundations, because man cannot live without friends.
A friend does not come by chance
The consultant Sarhan stresses that being keen to increase the number of friends does not mean leniency in the characteristics of a friend. The Messenger - may God bless him and grant him peace - says that "a person is on the religion of his friend, so let one of you look at who he likes."
He points out that acquaintances are not friends, as some people have a lot of acquaintances at work and in the neighborhood and those who deal with them, but they are not necessarily all friends.
He continues that it is wise for a person to distinguish who is the true friend that he turns to, and this does not disgrace others or reduce their importance. Choice and experience, friendship should not be left to chance so that a person does not regret his friendships after it is too late, because a friend is a friend of a person in this world.