What did al-Ghazali say about true friendship?

"If it increases even more, it becomes closeness, and the friend becomes closer than the beloved, for love takes hold of the heart, while closeness permeates the core of the heart. Every close friend is a beloved, but not every beloved is a close friend. The variations in degrees of friendship are clear through observation and experience. As for closeness being higher than brotherhood, it means that the term closeness signifies a condition more complete than brotherhood, as understood from the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "If I were to take a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but your companion is the close friend of Allah.""

"Abu Bakr was brought closer to the eligibility for closeness had there been room for sharing in closeness, as indicated by his saying, "I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend. The Prophet, peace be upon him, was the beloved and the close friend of Allah, and it was narrated that he once ascended the pulpit joyfully, saying, "Verily, Allah has taken me as a close friend, just as He took Ibrahim as a close friend, so I am the beloved of Allah, and I am the close friend of Allah Almighty.""

"Etiquette with Brothers and Friends Regarding brothers and friends, you have two responsibilities, the requirements of companionship and friendship. Firstly, seek out the requirements of companionship and friendship. Only choose suitable individuals for brotherhood and friendship. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, A person follows the religion of his close friend, so let one of you look to whom he takes as a friend."

"himself to God while doing good, and follows the way of Ibrahim, inclining toward truth? And God took Ibrahim as a friend. This is an exhortation to follow Ibrahim peace be upon him, for he was upon the straight religion and path, and he fulfilled all that his Lord commanded him. God praised him for that, saying, And Ibrahim who fulfilled, thus God took him as a friend. Friendship is the pinnacle of love, as some say. You have permeated the path of the soul within me, and thus the friend is called a friend. Likewise this status was attained by the seal of the prophets and the master of the messengers, Muhammad, peace"

"It was a status held by two truthful friends, peace and blessings be upon them. These two are Ibrahim and Muhammad, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, Indeed, Allah has taken me as a close friend Khalil, just as he took Ibrahim as a close friend. In another authentic narration, the Prophet said, If I were to take a close friend from the people of the earth, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but your companion is the close friend of Allah."

"the people of the earth, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but your companion is the close friend of Allah. Additionally, he stated, Indeed, I declare absolution from every close friend concerning his friendship. When Ibrahim asked for a child and was granted one, his heart became attached to this love. Allah, being jealous for his close friend, did not want any place in Ibrahim's heart for other than him."

"Ibrahim is the close friend of Allah, while Muhammad is the beloved of Allah. This misunderstanding arises from ignorance. Love is general, while close friendship is specific and represents the pinnacle of love. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, informed us that Allah took him as a close friend and denied having any close friend other than his Lord, even while expressing his love for Aisha, her father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, and others."

"Amr and ibn Masud from the messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, who said, O people, indeed, Allah has taken me as an intimate friend, just as he took Abraham as an intimate friend. He also said in his last sermon, O people, if I were to take a close friend from the people of the earth, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but your companion is the intimate friend of Allah."

"and offering kindness. The definition of friendship, which turns upon the two limits of what it defines, is that a man is grieved by what grieves the other and gladdened by what gladdens him. Whatever falls below this is not friendship, and whoever bears this quality is a friend; and a man may be a friend to one who is not his friend."

"As for that which falls under the category of correlatives, that is the mutual friend — and this requires an act from two agents, since a man may love one who hates him, and this is most often so among fathers with sons, among brothers with their brothers, between spouses, and in one whose love has turned to passion. Not every friend is a counsellor, but every counsellor A friend in what they advise. The definition of advice is that a person is troubled by what harms the other, whether or not it troubles the other, and is pleased by what benefits them, whether or not it pleases them. This is an additional condition for advice beyond the conditions of friendship."