73 — Abd Allāh narrated to us: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ayyūb narrated to us: Abū Bakr—that is, Ibn ‘Ayyāsh—narrated to us, from Abū al-Muhallab, from ‘Ubayd Allāh ibn Zahr, from al-Qāsim, from Abū Umāma, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Indeed, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has taken me as an intimate friend, just as He took Abraham as an intimate friend; and indeed, Abū Bakr is my intimate friend.”