295 — ‘Abdullāh narrated to us, saying: I was informed on the authority of Abū Yahyā al-Himmānī, who said: ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn Āmīn narrated to us, from Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyib, from Abū Wāqid al-Laythī, who said:

One day, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah gave a servant the choice between this world and what is with Him, and he chose what is with Him.”

None of us understood what he meant except Abū Bakr, who wept and said: “May my father and mother be your ransom, O Messenger of Allah! We would ransom you with our lives and our wealth.”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “No one has been more generous to us in his companionship, through wealth or deeds of kindness, than Abū Bakr. Were I to take an intimate friend, I would take Abū Bakr as an intimate friend. But your companion is Allah’s intimate friend.”