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What is the difference between an intimate friend (khalīl) and a companion (ṣāḥib) linguistically and according to Islamic law?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

'Khalil' (intimate friend) is derived from 'khullah,' which signifies love and affection that has permeated the heart and settled deep within it. 'Sahib' (companion), on the other hand, is derived from 'suhbah,' which means companionship or association. 'Khalil' denotes a deeper friendship than 'sahib,' as evidenced by the Hadith: "Had I taken a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a Khalil, but he is my brother and my Sahib. And Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has indeed taken your companion as a Khalil."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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