As the saying goes, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. People tend to nurture relationships with people who are most like them. If you want to achieve success in this dunya and the akhirah you have to make sure you get this one thing right. Surround yourself with people with the same ambitions and goals and you’ve increase the likelihood it will happen. In the Quran Surah Anfal ayat 58 it echos the similar sentiment, “And if you fear treachery from a people, break off the covenant with them in like manner. Verily Allah does not like the treacherous.” Watch who you let inside your circle. Now, does that mean you should only associate with people who are better than you so you can elevate yourself? Isn’t that selfish? What if the other person needs help? We should dedicate a certain percentage of our friendships to those who are on the wrong path. We should try and help and inform them of their errors, but if the people are toxic and non-receptive to your explanations then it may be time to cut ties. Our life on this planet is scarce and we can’t afford to let others hold us back. I hope we can agree on this, if you have opposing views please do comment below. There’s also mention in the hadith around a dua one can recite whenever you’re afraid or want to seek protection from another person. allahumma inna naj aluka fi nuhurihim dua in Arabic and English This dua in Arabic is given below,اَللّٰهُمَّ إنَّا نَجْعَلُكَ فِيْ نُحُوْرِهِمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شُرُورِهِمْ Transliteration Allahumma inna naj aluka fi nuhurihim wa na’udhu bika min shururihim English Meaning O Allah, we make Thee our shield against them, and take refuge in Thee from their dua was narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash’ari and was said when the Prophet ﷺ feared a group of people, he would recite this dua. This is a Sahih hadith Al-Albani from Sunan Abu Dawud Reference Book 8, Hadith 122 Benefit of Reciting This Dua This dua should be read whenever you fear for someone. It asks Allah to protect you, to shield you from them. Remember you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. It may be a hard pill to swallow but if you don’t like your current group you must take a deep look in the mirror. Only by self reflection and becoming aware you’ll be able to correct your current trajectory. Don’t just let anyone enter your life, be selective and choose the best. You often choose the best by becoming your best.