The Etiquette of friendship

The Etiquette of friendship are: to give [your friend] preference in your wealth, or, if you cannot
do this, to give freely out of your surplus wealth when he is in need; to provide swift assistance
when he is in need, in person and and without having to request it; to keep his secrets; to conceal
his faults; not to pass on people’s criticism of him that would upset him; to pass on people’s
praises that would please him; to pay full attention when he speaks; not to pick apart his words
[in argumentation]; to call him by his names he likes most; to praise him for what you know of his
praiseworthy traits, to thank him for the favours he does for you; to defend him in his absence
from all infringements upon his honour and as you would defend yourself; to give advise with
gentleness and by subtle hints if he needs it; to pardon his slips and errors; and not to censure
him; to prayer for him in the ritual prayer, during his life and after his death; to remain loyal to
his family and relatives after his death; to choose to make things easy for him by not burdening
him with any of your own needs, so as to keep his heart free from your concerns; to express joy at
all the happy occasions in his life and sadness at all calamities that afflict him; to be in your
innermost heart just as you appear outwardly, so that you are truly sincere in your love for him, in
private and in public; to be the one who initiates the greeting of peace when you meet him; to
make room for him to sit in a gathering; to come out of the house to welcome him and; to see him
off when he leaves; to keep quiet while he is talking until he finishes, and to refrain from
interrupting him. 
In short, you should treat your friend exactly as you would like to be treated. For truly, the
brotherhood of a person who does not love for his brother what he loves for himself is mere
hypocrisy and will have evil consequences for him both in this world and the Hereafter. 
These are the courtesies due to people in general that you do not know, and to those close friends
who are your brothers.