Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba 27:47

'Ali ibn Hafs narrated to us, from al-Mas'udi, from 'Asim, from Abu Wa'il, who said: 'Abdullah said: "Indeed, Allah took Ibrahim as a *khalil* (intimate friend), and your companion is the *khalil* of Allah, and indeed Muhammad is the most noble of creation to Allah." Then he recited: "It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised station."