Al-Bukhārī relates in his Ṣaḥīḥ (1): Sulaymān ibn Ḥarb told us—Shuʿbah narrated to us—from Ḥabīb ibn Jubayr, from ʿAmr ibn Maymūn, who said: When Muʿādh arrived in Yemen he led the people in the dawn prayer and recited, “And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend” (al-Nisāʾ 4:125). A man in the congregation exclaimed, “How delighted the eyes of Abraham’s mother must be!”
Ibn Mardawayh reports (2): ʿAbd al-Raḥīm ibn Muḥammad ibn Muslim told us—Ismāʿīl ibn Aḥmad ibn Usayd narrated to us—Ibrāhīm ibn Yaʿqūb al-Jawzajānī in Mecca narrated to us—ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥanafī narrated to us—Zamʿah ibn Ṣāliḥ, from Salamah ibn Wuhrām, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said:
Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were sitting together waiting for him. When he came out and drew near he heard them discussing and listened to what they were saying. One of them remarked, “How amazing that Allah should take someone from His creation as an intimate friend; Abraham is His intimate friend.” Another said, “What is more amazing—Allah spoke directly to Moses.” A third said, “Jesus is the Spirit of Allah and His Word.” A fourth said, “And Allah chose Adam.”
The Prophet ﷺ approached, greeted them with peace, and said:
“I have heard your conversation and your amazement. Yes indeed—Abraham is the intimate friend of Allah, and so it is; Moses is the one to whom Allah spoke, and so it is; Jesus is His Spirit and His Word, and so it is; and Adam is one whom Allah chose, and so it is. Now, be aware that I am the Beloved of Allah—without boast. I am the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted—without boast. I am the first to grasp the ring of the gate of Paradise, and Allah will open it for me; He will admit me, and with me will enter the poor among the believers. I am the most honored of the earlier and the later on the Day of Resurrection—without boast.”
This report is singular through this particular chain, though corroborated by other routes—Allah knows best.
Al-Ḥākim also recorded it in his Mustadrak (3) through Qatādah, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: “Do you deny that the khullah belongs to Abraham, that the direct speech belongs to Moses, and that the beatific vision belongs to Muhammad—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon them all?”
Ibn Abī Ḥātim said: My father told us—Maḥmūd ibn Khālid al-Sulamī told us—al-Walīd told us—from Isḥāq ibn Bishār, who said: When Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend He cast awe into his heart, so much so that the beating of his heart could be heard from afar like the fluttering of a bird’s wings in the air (4).
ʿUbayd ibn ʿUmayr said:
Abraham, peace be upon him, was ever hospitable. One day he went out seeking someone to host but found no guest, so he returned to his house and found a man standing inside. He asked, “Servant of Allah, how did you enter my house without permission?” The man replied, “I entered with the permission of its Lord.” Abraham asked, “And who are you?” He answered, “I am the Angel of Death; my Lord has sent me to one of His servants to give him the good news that Allah has taken him as an intimate friend.” Abraham said, “Who is he? By Allah, if you tell me who he is, even if he were in the furthest land I would go to him.”