44/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2383d — Abu Bakr and the Friendship of Allah
The Virtues Of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (RA)
Abu Bakr Hadith: Khalil from the People of Earth
Sahih Muslim : 2383d
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2383d
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، عَنْ وَاصِلِ بْنِ حَيَّانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي، الْهُذَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ خَلِيلاً وَلَكِنْ صَاحِبُكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ " .
`Abdullah Narrated from:
Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2383dIn-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 7USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 31, Hadith 5874
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2383d
This narration gives another wording of the Abu Bakr khalil hadith. Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said that if he were to choose among the people of earth someone as a bosom friend, he would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafa. Then he said that their companion was the friend of Allah. The hadith highlights Abu Bakr's rank while also pointing to the Prophet's special relationship with Allah. The wording “people of earth” makes the praise broad in scope, but it still remains conditional: if he were to choose. A careful explanation should keep both parts together, so Abu Bakr's honor is clear and the Prophet's closeness to Allah remains central.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Bakr is praised as the one the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would have chosen as khalil.
- The wording mentions the people of earth, showing the strength of the praise.
- The hadith also states that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is the friend of Allah.
- Both Abu Bakr's virtue and the Prophet's special rank are kept together in the text.
