Combining His saying: "I disavow to Allah that I should take any of you as a close friend"

The Shaykh : This hadith is evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not take anyone from his Ummah as a close friend, because Allah took him as a close friend. If it is said that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) say "My close friend is Muhammad," as Abu Hurayrah said: We say: It is permissible for a person to take his Prophet as a close friend; what is prohibited is the reverse, that the Messenger takes a close friend, not that he is taken as a close friend. This is also evidence against the interpretation of those who interpreted *Khalil* as "the one in need," meaning the one who has needs, for this is false. If we said that there is no *Khalil* except Ibrahim and Muhammad, it would mean that all of creation do not need Allah except Ibrahim and Muhammad, and this is one of the most false of falsehoods. The correct view is that *khalalah* (intimacy) is the highest type of love. On this basis, the poet said about his beloved:
"You have penetrated the path of my spirit, *** And thus the *Khalil* was named *Khalil*"
So the *Khalil* is the beloved whose love has penetrated the paths of the spirit, meaning the blood and veins to the heart. This is also evidence of the virtue of Abu Bakr and that he was the most beloved of the Ummah to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). That is sufficient for Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as a source of pride, honor, and dignity, that the Messenger said, five days before he died, when he was parting with this world: In another narration, he said: This is a refutation of the Rafidah who say that Abu Bakr was an enemy of the Messenger; may Allah fight them. He said this statement at the end of his life. We say: Abu Bakr is the most beloved of the Companions to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), more beloved to him than 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Fatimah, and others. This is because Fatimah is included in his saying: But he did not say "I would have taken Fatimah." However, there is no doubt that the Messenger loved Fatimah with a paternal love more than he loved Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). But in terms of faith-based love and faith-based affection, no one equals Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).