حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي الْهُذَيْلِ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي الْأَحْوَصِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدْ اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 4182
It was narrated that Abul- Ahwas said; I heard 'Abdullah bin Mas'ood narrate that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “If i were to take anyone as a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend. But he is my brother and my companion. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has taken your companion (i.e., himself) as a dose friend."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020
Sanad
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي الْهُذَيْلِ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي الْأَحْوَصِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ