Sahih al-Bukhari 3657

Arabic

حَدَّثَنَا مُعَلَّى، وَمُوسَى، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، وَقَالَ، ‏ "‏ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُهُ خَلِيلاً، وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ أَفْضَلُ ‏"‏‏.‏ حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، مِثْلَهُ‏.‏

English translation

Narrated Aiyub:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken him (i.e. Abu Bakr) as a Khalil, but the Islamic brotherhood is better

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 3657, Book of Companions of the Prophet. English translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan.