THE ANSAR PRIDED THEMSELVES ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN DEEN

Before learning why the Aws and Khazraj tribes boasted to each other about their Ansar companions, first let’s get to know who were Ansar. The Muhajirin and Ansar are the Companions and students of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They are the best of this Ummah and, indeed, the best of humanity after the Prophets and Messengers. Their hearts were filled with love for Allah, may He be exalted, veneration of Him, fear of Him and faith in Him. They loved the Messenger ﷺ more than they loved themselves, and they showed the greatest of sincerity in that. They offered their lives and their wealth and all that they possessed in support of Islam, and in defending it, spreading it and calling people to it. They deserved the praise of Allah in many verses of the Holy Qur’an, and the praise of the Messenger ﷺ in many hadiths. In fact, the Prophet ﷺ described loving them as part of faith, and he described hating them as part of hypocrisy, because the one who studies their biographies and learns about their faith and character, and the sacrifices they made in supporting of Islam without any word he loves them, and the religion. If he hates them, then he is a hypocrite who hates this religion and hates to spread it and adhere to it. The Ansar are the people of Madinah who welcomed the Messenger ﷺ and his Companions, the Muhajirin. They gave them refuge in Madinah and shared their wealth with them, not withholding anything from them out of stinginess, and they strove in Allah’s cause, offering their wealth and their lives. Allah, may He be exalted, praises the Ansar, as He says:

“And [also for] those who were settled in Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their hearts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.”  (Hashr 59:9)

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Were it not for the Hijrah, I would have been one of the Ansar.” (narrated by Bukhari (4330)). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ established the brotherhood between the Muhajareen and Ansar in the house of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him). It involved 90 men, half from the Muhajareen and half from the Ansar. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Ansar said to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to divide the palm trees between them and their brothers. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied saying no. The Ansar said, “Alright.” You farm (the land) and we share the produce.” The Muharijeen answered, “We agree.” (related by Al-Bukhari)

The Ansar prided themselves on their accomplishments in deen. Why? Let’s learn the hadith about this incident. Hadhrat Anas r.a. says that on one occasion the Aws and Khazraj tribes boasted to each other. The Aws said, “Amongst us was the person whom the angels bathed (after his martyrdom). He was Handhala bin Raahib r.a. Also amongst us was the person for whom the throne of Allah shook (when he passed away). He was Sa’d bin Mu’aadh r.a. Amongst us was also the person who was protected by a swarm of wasps (when the Mushrikeen intended to mutilate his body). He was Aasim bin Thaabit bin Abil Aflah r.a. We also had in our ranks the person whose testimony was allowed (by Rasulullaah ﷺ) in place of the testimony of two people. He was Khuzayma bin Thaabit r.a. May Allah be pleased with all of them.” 

In response to this, the members of the Khazraj said, “We have four persons who memorised the entire Qur’an during the lifetime of Rasulullaah ﷺ. There were none besides them who achieved this honour. They were Zaid bin Thaabit r.a., Ubay bin Ka’b r.a., Mu’aadh bin Jabal r.a. and Abu Zaid r.a. May Allah be pleased with all of them.”

From this hadith we learn great lessons for ourselves. The first is the honour and virtue of the Ansar. They contributed to Islam by wielding the sword and the pen; fighting to preserve the religion and giving their best to the compilation of the Qur’an. We learn for whom the ‘Arsh of Allah shook, whose testimony equaled to two, whom the angels washed, and who divinely protected from the conniving plans of the disbelievers, those who fought to preserve the faith and were subsequently martyred, and those who protected the Qur’an after Rasulullah ﷺ. Why did the Khazraj boast by four and the Aws by four? Though others had many great qualities, these eight had received honours that were unsurpassed. Each had a virtue that was specific to them. This narration mentions such honour for the Ansar that no one to come after them could receive the same. They honoured Rasulullah ﷺ and so Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala gave them an honour unsurpassed. 

“Joybori Kalon” women’s secondary specialized Islamic college

Shomurodova Mukhayo Fayzullayevna