حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَلَا إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خُلَّتِهِ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا، لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، إِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ قَالَ وَكِيعٌ: يَعْنِي نَفْسَهُ.
It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: 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.
