as a close friend.” Thus he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explained that it was not fitting for him to take any created being as a close friend, and that, were this possible, Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, may Allah be pleased with him, would have been the most deserving of it. Yet he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stated that he loved particular people, as when he said to Muʿādh:

“By Allah, I truly love you.”

He said the same to the Ansār. Zayd ibn Hārithah was beloved to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as was Zayd’s son Usāmah, and there were other such examples.

ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs asked him, “Whom do you love most?” He replied, “ʿĀʾishah.” He asked, “And among men?” He replied, “Her father.”

He said to his daughter Fātimah, may Allah be pleased with her, “Do you not love what I love?” She replied, “Yes.” He said, “Then love ʿĀʾishah.”

He also said concerning al-Hasan:

“O Allah, I love him, so love him and love whoever loves him.”

There are many similar examples. Thus he stated that he loved particular people, yet said:

“I renounce the close friendship of every close friend. Were I to take anyone on earth as a close friend, I would take Abū Bakr as a close friend.”

It is therefore clear that close friendship is more specific than love in general: it is love in its perfection, wholly permeating the lover, so that the beloved is loved for his own sake, not for anything else. For someone loved for the sake of another is secondary in love to that other. Such is the perfection of close friendship that it admits neither sharing nor rivalry, because it wholly permeates the lover. It thus embodies perfect devotion to Allah alone and perfect love. Close friendship therefore excludes rivalry and gives the other precedence, so that the beloved is loved for his own sake