"لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخذًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ خَلِيلًا لاتَّخَذْتُ أبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلا وَلَكِنَّهُ أخِي وَصَاحِبى وَقَدْ اتَّخَذَ الله - ﷻ - صاحبَكُم خَلِيلا".
See similar narrations below:
Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Ṭabarānī, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, SuyūṭīThe Prophet ﷺ said, "If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is my brother and my companion (in Islam).
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنْ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي
If I were to choose a bosom friend I would have definitely chosen Abu Bakr as my bosom friend, but he is my brother and my companion and Allah, the Exalted and Gliorious. has taken your brother and companion (meaning Prophet himself) as a friend.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلاً وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ ﷻ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلاً
If I were to choose amongst the people of earth someone as my bosom friend, I would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafa as my friends but God has taken your companion as a friend.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ خَلِيلاً وَلَكِنْ صَاحِبُكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ
" Messenger of Allah ﷺ is reported to have said: Behold I am free from the dependence of all bosom friends and if I were to choose anyone as bosom friend I would have taken Abu Bakr as my bosom friend. Allah has taken your companion as a friend.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَلاَ إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خِلٍّ مِنْ خِلِّهِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلاً إِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'I have no need of the friendship of any Khalil (close friend) but if I were to have taken anyone as a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but your companion is the close friend of Allah,'" (One of the narrators) Waki' said: (by the phrase 'your companion'), he was referring to himself. (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 93)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَلَا إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خُلَّتِهِ وَلَوِ اتَّخَذْتُ خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا إِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ ﷻ
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'I have no need of the friendship of any Khalil (close friend) but if I were to have taken anyone as a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but your companion is the close friend of Allah,'" (One of the narrators) Waki' said: (by the phrase 'your companion'), he was referring to himself. (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 93)
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خُلَّتِهِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ ﷻ
that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "I free myself of the friendship of every Khalil, and if I were to take a Khalil then I would have taken Ibn Abi Quhafah as a Khalil. And indeed your companion is Allah's Khalil." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3655)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خِلِّهِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَخَلِيلًا وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ ﷻ
" Messenger of Allah ﷺ is reported to have said: Behold I am free from the dependence of all bosom friends and if I were to choose anyone as bosom friend I would have taken Abu Bakr as my bosom friend. Allah has taken your companion as a friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383e)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَلَا إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خِلِّهِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ ﷻ
If I were to choose a bosom friend I would have definitely chosen Abu Bakr as my bosom friend, but he is my brother and my companion and Allah, the Exalted and Gliorious. has taken your brother and companion (meaning Prophet himself) as a friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383a)
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللهُ ﷻ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا
If I were to choose a bosom friend I would have definitely chosen Abu Bakr as my bosom friend, but he is my brother and my companion and Allah, the Exalted and Gliorious. has taken your brother and companion (meaning Prophet himself) as a friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383a)
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللهُصَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا
ذِكْرُ إِرَادَةِ الْمُصْطَفَى ﷺ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ الصِّدِّيقَ خَلِيلًا
" Messenger of Allah ﷺ is reported to have said: Behold I am free from the dependence of all bosom friends and if I were to choose anyone as bosom friend I would have taken Abu Bakr as my bosom friend. Allah has taken your companion as a friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383e)
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ «أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خِلِّهِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ وُدُّ إِخَاءٍ وَإِيمَانٍ وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ»
ذِكْرُ إِثْبَاتِ الْمُصْطَفَى ﷺ الْأُخُوَّةَ وَالصُّحْبَةَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
If I were to choose a bosom friend I would have definitely chosen Abu Bakr as my bosom friend, but he is my brother and my companion and Allah, the Exalted and Gliorious. has taken your brother and companion (meaning Prophet himself) as a friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383a)
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا»
[Machine] Narrated by the Prophet ﷺ , he said, "If I were to take a close friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr as my friend. However, he is my brother and companion, but Allah has taken your companions as friends."
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللهُ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا»
[Machine] On the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , he said: "If I were to take a close friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr as my close friend. However, your close friend is Allah."
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ»
[Machine] On the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said: "If I were to take a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr but your companion (referring to Allah) is the close friend."
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ»
سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ عَنْ أَبِي وَاقِدٍ
If I were to choose as my bosom friend I would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafa (Abu Bakr) as my bosom friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383c)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ ﷻ»
If I were to choose a bosom friend I would have definitely chosen Abu Bakr as my bosom friend, but he is my brother and my companion and Allah, the Exalted and Gliorious. has taken your brother and companion (meaning Prophet himself) as a friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383a)
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «لَوِ اتَّخَذْتُ خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللهُ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا»
"أَلَا إِنِّى أَبْرَأ إِلى كُلِّ خِلٍّ مِنْ خُلَّتِهِ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَخِذًا خَلِيلًا لاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْر خَلِيلًا، وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ".
"بَرِئتُ إِلى خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خَليلهِ، فَلَوْ كنتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لاتَّخَذْتُ أبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، وإنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خليلُ الله- يَعْنِي بالصَّاحِبِ نَفْسَهُ".
"لَو اتَّخَذْتُ خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، وَلَكِنَّه أخِي وَصَاحِبِى، وَقَد اتَّخذَ اللهُ صَاحِبَكُم خَلِيلًا".
"لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا، لاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْر خَلِيلًا، وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا: كَمَا قَال الله: صَاحِبِى".
"لَوْ كنتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لاتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبى قُحَافَةَ خَليلًا، وَلكنَّ صاحِبَكُم خَلِيلُ الله - ﷻ".
"إِنِّى أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ ذى خُلَّة مِنْ خُلَّتهِ. وَلَوْ كنْتُ مُتَخِذًا مِنْ أَهْل الأَرْضِ خَلِيلًا لأَتخذْتُ أبَا بَكْر خَلِيلًا، ولَكِنَّه أَخِى وَصَاحِبِى فِى الغَارِ".