Muhammad ibn Bashshar al-‘Abdi narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Ja‘far narrated to us, Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Isma‘il ibn Raja’ who said: I heard ‘Abdullah ibn Abi al-Hudhayl narrating from Abu al-Ahwas, who said: I heard ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud narrating from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: "If I were to take a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but he is my brother and my companion. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has taken your companion as a close friend."