he said: "Then among the men?" He said: "Her father." And he said to ʿAlī (raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhu): "Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allāh and His Messenger, and whom Allāh and His Messenger love." And there are many examples like this. And He, the Exalted, has informed that He loves the pious, and loves the doers of good, and loves the just, and loves those who repent, and loves those who purify themselves, and loves those who fight in His cause in ranks as if they were a solid structure. And He said (al-Māʾidah, 54): "Allāh will bring forth a people He will love and who will love Him." Thus, He has informed of His love for His believing servants and the love of the believers for Him, until He said (al-Baqarah, 165): "But those who believe are stronger in love for Allāh." As for the intimate friendship, it is specific. And the statement of some people that Muḥammad is the beloved of Allāh and Ibrāhīm is the intimate friend of Allāh, and their assumption that love is above intimate friendship, is a weak statement. For Muḥammad is also the intimate friend of Allāh, as is established in the authentic and widespread ḥadīths. And what is narrated that al-ʿAbbās will be resurrected between the beloved and the intimate friend, and similar such things, are fabricated ḥadīths that are not suitable to be relied upon