Is it permissible for a man to take a close friend other than the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
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The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : As for us, we ask Allah to make us those who take Muhammad as our close friend. That is, we make the Messenger our close friend. However, for some of us to make themselves a close friend to one another is a matter of concern, because I fear that this intimacy may develop into a love that rivals the love of Allah. If it becomes a love that rivals the love of Allah—may Allah protect us and you from that—it becomes a type of shirk (associating partners with Allah), where they love them as they love Allah. Therefore, a person must control himself in these matters and not take a close friend from among the people other than Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and those whom Allah has taken as His close friends. For this reason, Abu Hurayrah said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3971Sahih (Darussalam), yes.
The Shaykh : As for us, we ask Allah to make us those who take Muhammad as our close friend. That is, we make the Messenger our close friend. However, for some of us to make themselves a close friend to one another is a matter of concern, because I fear that this intimacy may develop into a love that rivals the love of Allah. If it becomes a love that rivals the love of Allah—may Allah protect us and you from that—it becomes a type of shirk (associating partners with Allah), where they love them as they love Allah. Therefore, a person must control himself in these matters and not take a close friend from among the people other than Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and those whom Allah has taken as His close friends. For this reason, Abu Hurayrah said: