REFLECTIONS: Let Us Remember The Ansar

As we mark another year after the Hijrah, we should take this time as an opportunity to remember the Ansar who made the Hijrah possible. These great Sahabah selflessly dedicated their lives and limbs to provide their lands as the launching point for the Islamic dawah. The Ummah is in need of leaders of such caliber, who are willing to trade their positions and titles to give Nusrah (support) to Islam and follow the example of the Ansar.

During the Khilafah of Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra), the need to establish a calendar had become clear. The Sahabah (ra) debated on which calendar to use. The big question was which year the calendar would start from. After due consideration, Umar (ra) decided to adopt Ali’s (ra) opinion and opted for the Hijrah year as the start of the Islamic calendar – with Muharram as the first month of the Hijri year.

The Ansar: Those who gave Nusrah to Islam

The event of the Hijrah was a turning point in the history of Islam. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, in his book Fath Al-Bari, records that the Khaleefah Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) said:

“The Hijrah has separated truth from falsehood; therefore, let it become the starting point of the era.”

However, the Hijrah only became possible once the Ansar gave Bay’ah (pledge of allegiance) to the Prophet (saw). With the beginning of the new Islamic year, we should take this time to reflect on the example of the Ansar and recognize their vital role in the establishment of Islam as a way of life for the individual and for society, and provided their city Al-Madinah as the launching point of the Islamic da’wa – stretching from the borders of China to the borders of France within less than a century.

Virtues and Merits of those who provided the Nusrah

In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) has described the Ansar with qualities that every true believer aspires to attain. The Ansar are those who gave Nusrah (material support and protection) to Rasool Allah (saw). Allah (swt) was pleased with them and they were pleased with Him (swt), and He (swt) has prepared Jannah as their eternal dwelling. Allah (swt) has revealed:

'And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Madinah) and the Ansar (the people of Madinah who gave Nusrah to Islam) and also those who followed them exactly (in Iman) – Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.' [9:100]

Rasool Allah (saw) obligated upon us – as narrated in the Saheeh Ahadith – to love the Ansar:

'Love for the Ansar is a sign of Iman, and hatred for the Ansar is a sign of hypocrisy.' [Bukhari]

And the Messenger of Allah (saw) himself loved the Ansar:

'The Prophet (saw) saw the women and children (of the Ansar) coming forward. (The sub-narrator said, 'I think that Anas said, 'They were returning from a wedding party.'') The Prophet (saw) stood up and said three times, 'By Allah! You are from the most beloved people to me.' [Bukhari]

“A woman from the Ansar came to the Prophet (saw) along with her child and spoke to him, so the Prophet (saw) said: 'By the one who has my soul in His hand, you (the Ansar) are dearest to me of all people' he said this twice.” [Muslim]

Sa'ad ibn Mu'adh

From among the Ansar, Sa'ad ibn Mu'adh’s (ra) acceptance of Islam was pivotal in transforming Madinah into the launching point of the Islamic State. Prior to Mus’ab ibn Umayr (ra) inviting Sa’ad to Islam, his host from the Ansar, As’ad ibn Zurarah (ra), said:

“O Mu’sab, by Allah the leader who is followed by his people has come to you. If he follows you, no two of them will remain behind.”

After accepting Islam, Sa’ad (ra) returned to his tribe and asked them:

“O Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal, how do you rate my authority amongst you?” They replied, “You are our chief, the most active in our interests, the best in judgment and the most fortunate in leadership.” He said, “I will not speak to a man or woman among you until you believe in Allah and His Messenger.”

As a result, every man and woman among Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal embraced Islam!

Before the Battle of Badr, Rasool Allah (saw) consulted the Sahabah (ra) about whether they should confront Quraysh. Some of the Sahabah (ra) gave their opinion and he (saw) said: “Give me advice, O men!” After repeating this, the Ansar sensed that he (saw) meant for them to speak. Sa’ad ibn Mu’adh (ra) said:

“It seems as if you mean us, O Messenger of Allah.” He (saw) said, “Yes.” Sa’ad (ra) said, “We believe in you, we declare your truth, and we witness that what you have brought us is the truth, and we have given you our word and agreement to hear and obey; so go where you wish, we are with you; and by He who sent you, if you were to ask us to cross this sea and you plunged into it, we would plunge into it with you; not a man would stay behind. We do not dislike the idea of meeting our enemy tomorrow. We are experienced in war, capable of fighting. It may well be that Allah will let us show you something which will bring you joy, so take us along with Allah’s blessing.”

Truly, Sa’ad ibn Mu’adh (ra) played a vital role in supporting Rasool Allah (saw) and in establishing Islam as a way of life, and, indeed, Allah (swt) elevated his status; Al-Bukhari narrates on the authority of Jabir (ra) who said:

'I heard the Prophet (saw) say: 'the heavens trembled at the death of Sa'ad bin Mu’adh.' When the Muslims were carrying the body of Sa’ad they said, 'We have not carried a dead body lighter than this.' And the Prophet (saw) replied to them: “Nothing made his body lighter, but it was such and such number of angels who descended and carried him along with you. Those angels had never before descended.' This is narrated in the Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'ad.

When Sa’ad’s soul was carried to the Creator, Jibreel (as) came to the Prophet (saw) and said: 'Who was this good soul who died? The gates of the heavens were opened for him and the throne moved.' [Ahmed]

Seeking Nusrah: the Shar'iee method to reach authority

The Ansar attained their special status by giving Nusrah to the Messenger of Allah (saw); however, this support did not come accidentally. Rather, the Messenger of Allah (saw) had worked tirelessly to call the people of power to give him Nusrah. Rasool Allah (saw) approached over 15 tribes, but none of them accepted his (saw) call.

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas (ra) in Ibn Hajar's Fath ul-Bari, which quotes Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra), who says:

'When Allah (swt) ordered the Prophet to approach the Arab tribes, Abu Bakr and I accompanied the Prophet (saw) to Mina until the court of the Arab tribes...' [Al-Bayhaqi]

It is therefore established that the command to approach the Arab tribes and seek their material support came through revelation from Allah (swt). Among the tribes whom the Prophet (saw) sought Nusrah from was Thaqeef (from Ta'if), which was counted among the most powerful tribes in the Arabian Peninsula at the time; in fact, they rivaled Quraysh in terms of strength, prestige, and position. This was stressed by Al-Walid ibn Al-Mugheerah, when he questioned why the Qur’an was not revealed to the elite from Makkah and Ta’if:

'And they say: ‘Why was not this Qur'an sent down to some great man of the two towns (Makkah and Ta'if)?’' [43:31]

Where are the Ansar of today?

The underlying cause of the horrors and calamities we witness around the world today – whether in Syria or Iraq or Kashmir or elsewhere – is our need of a global Islamic solution. Just as the Prophet (saw) was in need of the Ansar during his time, we are need of the likes of the Ansar today. The condition of the Muslims today is similar to the situation of the Muslims prior to the Hijrah – they had no security and the enemies of Islam had the upper hand over them. Just as Sumayyah (ra) and other Muslims were brutally killed in Makkah, today we are slaughtered in Aleppo, Gaza, Kabul, Grozny, and countless other places.

However, once Rasool Allah (saw) received the Nusrah from the Ansar, he (saw) was able to provide sanctuary for the believers. Similarly, once the Ansar of today rise up and carry Islam as a priority above their wealth, family, and lives – they, by the Will of Allah (swt), will provide protection to the Muslims from the war machine of the colonial powers.

The Muslims must work to convince these influential people to give Nusrah to Islam. We must convince the people of power and influence that attaining Jannah is more important than their military ranks and medals. We must make them aware that such awards have no weight on the Day of Judgment – unless they were used for Allah’s (swt) cause.

 “Remember how He gave you shelter when you were a few in number and were oppressed in the land, fearing that the enemy would kidnap you; He made you strong with His help and provided you a safe asylum and gave you pure things for sustenance so that you may give thanks. [8:26]