I repented from past sins, but I sometimes fall into the sin of looking at women. Is it possible for me to be among the close friends of Allah?

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. The questioner says: I have past sins, and I have repented to Allah, praise be to Allah. Sometimes I disobey Allah the Exalted by looking at women or otherwise, but I repent immediately. Do I have hope of being among the predecessors and the close friends of Allah?

Answer:
If you possess their characteristics, you become like them; if you do not possess their characteristics, you do not. It is good for a person to sin and always repent; he is not considered infallible, but every time he commits a sin, he makes a repentance. He does not say, "I repented and then returned," nor does he despair and say, "I have no repentance." Satan says to him, "What repentance do you have? You did such and such." Allah is the One who accepts repentance, the Merciful. Every time a sin occurs from you, for a person is a human being and weak, so make a sincere repentance. Whoever repents, Allah accepts his repentance. Also, avoid the causes that lead you to sin. Looking at women, my brother, avoid the places where there is looking at women. Avoid going to markets where there are women. Avoid looking at screens where there are women who are uncovered, from those who do not care, and may Allah protect us, about covering. Avoid this; do not look at it.