Question
My parents are friends with the parents of one of my old friends, they make me go out with that friend every once in a while, but that person does bad stuff, is it okay if i tell my parents what that person does so they stop making me be around that person? Or is that prohibited because I’d be exposing a Muslim’s sins?
Answer
Allah has commanded the parents to be responsible over their children.
The Prophet said: ‘All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of the people of his house and he is responsible. A woman is the shepherd of the house of her husband and she is responsible. Each of you is a shepherd and each is responsible for his flock.’
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 212; Authentic
Hence, it is a must that you tell your parents about your friend’s wrong habits so that they can help your friend’s parents discipline him so that he doesn’t grow up in disobedience of Allah and his parents. Allah said:
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah.
Ali ‘Imran: 110
And you should distance yourself from him, because bad friends have a negative impact on good people.
The Prophet said: ‘The similitude of good company and that of bad company is that of the owner of musk and of the one blowing the bellows. The owner of musk would either offer you some free of charge, or you would buy it from him, or you smell its pleasant fragrance; and as for the one who blows the bellows (i.e., the blacksmith), he either burns your clothes or you smell a repugnant smell.’
Sahih al-Bukhari 5534