21 - ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us, saying: Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muhammad ibn ʿUmar ibn Hayyāj al-Hamdānī narrated to me, saying: Yahyā ibn ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn Mālik ibn al-Hārith al-Arhabī narrated to us, saying: ʿUbayda ibn al-Aswad narrated to us, from al-Mujālid ibn Saʿīd, from al-Shaʿbī, from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh, who reported that one day, while on the pulpit, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“My feet are upon one of the entrances to Paradise—or one of the approaches to the Reservoir. Allah has given a servant the choice between living in this world for as long as he wishes, eating whatever he wishes of its provisions, and meeting Allah, Mighty and Majestic. That servant has chosen to meet Allah.”

He said: Abū Bakr, who was near the pulpit, began to weep, until an elderly man of the Ansār said, “Why is this man weeping, if the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, has mentioned a man from the Children of Israel, or some other man?”

He said: Abū Bakr knew that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, meant himself. When his tears subsided, he said, “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! Indeed, we would ransom you with our fathers and our own lives.”

At that, he said:

“No one has a greater claim upon our gratitude for his companionship and wealth than Ibn Abī Quhāfa. Were I to take an intimate friend, I would take him as my intimate friend. Rather, ours is affection and brotherhood in faith.”