How can competition over brands in school hurt a child’s friendships? 

Parenting Perspective 

When competition over brands enters a school environment, it can transform friendships from genuine connections into shallow comparisons. As soon as children begin to measure one another by who owns the newest trainers or the latest phone, their friendships risk becoming transactional instead of being based on sincere affection. 

Creating a Strain on Trust and Loyalty 

A child who is unable to keep up with the latest brands may feel left out or belittled by their peers. They might begin to question whether their friends truly value them as a person, or only for the things they own. This undermines trust and creates a deep sense of insecurity within the friendship. 

Fostering Jealousy and Rivalry 

Brand-focused competition can fuel jealousy among classmates, turning friends who should be supportive of one another into rivals. Instead of celebrating each other’s happiness, children may begin to resent one another over material possessions. 

Developing Shallow and Unhealthy Values 

When friendships are centred around consumer goods, children miss the opportunity to learn and practise vital social values like empathy, loyalty, and mutual respect. They may learn to prioritise status over sincerity, which leads to fragile relationships that can easily fall apart. 

Guiding Children Towards Healthier Friendships 

Parents can counteract these social pressures with intentional guidance. 

• Teach your child that real friends care about character, not possessions. 

• Place more emphasis on praising qualities like kindness and honesty than on material things. 

• Encourage friendships with peers who seem to share your family’s values of simplicity and sincerity. 

• Talk openly with your child about how brand competition makes them feel, helping them to separate their real self-worth from consumer pressure. 

These lessons can equip children to seek out meaningful relationships rather than chasing status-driven social acceptance. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches that the bonds of love and brotherhood should be founded on faith and sincerity, not on wealth or social status. Competition over brands introduces arrogance and envy into relationships, two traits that are destructive to both friendships and a person’s spirituality. 

A Warning Against Rivalry in Worldly Things 

The Quran explicitly warns that competing for material gain is a distraction that pulls people away from their true purpose. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Takaathur (102), Verse 1: 

‘ Are you diverted by the obsession of infinite (worldly wealth)?‘ 

This verse reminds us that a race for possessions can make us lose sight of what is truly important, such as our relationship with Allah and with others. 

Prophetic Guidance on True Brotherhood 

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ established a clear code of conduct for believers, emphasising mutual respect and support as the basis of all relationships. 

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2564, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he abandon him, nor does he look down upon him.’ 

This hadith teaches that respect and protection are the foundations of friendship, not rivalry or feelings of material superiority. 

By connecting the concept of friendship to the Islamic values of sincerity and mutual respect, parents can help their children rise above brand competition. This gives them the confidence to form lasting, meaningful bonds that are built on character and compassion, rather than on logos and price tags.