There is also his statement in the hadith of ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah:

“I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, who is with you in this matter?’ He replied, ‘A free man and a slave.’” (1)

The account in Sahīh Muslim accords with this; that is, he followed him as one of those to whom the message had been conveyed and who had been called to faith. He then mentioned his statement, “He supported me personally and with his wealth” (2). This was a distinction in which no one else shared.

The [Prophet]—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—mentioned this in the mass-transmitted hadiths concerning intimate friendship. Thus, the two Sahīh collections report from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī:

“The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—sat on the pulpit and said, ‘Allah gave a servant the choice between granting him some of the splendor of this worldly life and what is with Him, and he chose what is with Him.’ Abū Bakr wept and said, ‘May our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you!’

“He said: The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was the one given the choice, and Abū Bakr understood this better than any of us. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—then said, ‘Among (3) those who have been most generous to me with their companionship and wealth is Abū Bakr (4). Were I to take an intimate friend, I would have taken Abū Bakr as an intimate friend; but ours is the brotherhood of Islam. No small doorway into the mosque is to remain open except Abū Bakr’s.’”

In another narration recorded by al-Bukhārī (5):

“Were I to take an intimate friend other than my Lord (6), I would have taken (7) Abū Bakr as an intimate friend; but ours is the brotherhood of Islam