Are some prophets superior to others? Does the fact that Abraham was taken as a close friend by Allah make him superior to the rest of the prophets? And why are some of them favored over others despite the unity of their message?

The preference (tafḍīl) among prophets is established by religious texts, and they differ in matters beyond the essence of prophethood itself. Taking Abraham as a close friend (khalīl) means singling him out for perfect love, but this does not imply his absolute superiority over all other prophets. The best of prophets, absolutely, is Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.