"Having plenty of friends is a sign of weakness in Dīn, i.e., Mudāhanat (compromise) in commanding the good.
This is because whichever person forbids and stops others from wrong in the matters of Dīn, people become displeased with him. He cannot have many friends."
-Maqālāt e Ṣūfiyyah by Mawlānā Ashraf Alī Thānawī (r.a) & Muftī Shaf'ī (r.a)
Imam Ibn Hajar says that Mudāhanat is taken from the word ad-Dahhān (the painter) who glosses over something and covers what is actually there. The scholars have explained it as lying with a sinner (by not pointing out his sin) and openly displaying happiness with what he is doing without forbidding him at all. (Fath ul-Bārī [Dār ur-Rayyān], vol.10, pg.545)
So, generally it's done to please the sinners in expectation of some Dunyawi benefits.
Since this compromises the Shariah and goes against the Hukm of Amr bil Maroof and Nahi anil munkar and displays lack of gheerah for Deen, it's prohibited.
Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah says that mudāhanat is a quality of a Munafiq (hypocrite). The mudāhin (compromiser) uses kindness in order for the person to remain established upon falsehood and leaves him upon his desires. (Ar-Rūh pg. 231)
Many modern 'social-media scholars' and 'Chocolate Daiees' fall into this error to gain followers & publicity on social media and end up creating a very imbalanced and one-sided concept of Dīn in the masses. May Allah protect us.
