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 رضي الله عنهم 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 calibre, 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 رضي الله عنه, the need to establish a calendar had become clear. The Sahabah رضي الله عنه debated on which calendar to use. The big question was which year the calendar would start from. After due consideration, Umar رضي الله عنه decided to adopt Ali’s رضي الله عنه opinion and opted for the hijra 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 is reported to have remarked:
“The Hijrah has separated truth from falsehood; therefore, let it become the Epoch of the Era.”
However, the hijrah only became possible once the Ansar gave bayah (pledge of allegiance) to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم. With the beginning of the new Islamic year, we should take this time to reflect on the example of the Ansar and recognize how their role was vital to the establishment of Islam as a political force that provided the launching point of the Islamic dawah – that spread from the borders of China to the borders of France within less than a century.
Virtues and Merits of those who provide the Nusrah
In the Glorious Quran, Allah سبحانه وتعالى has described the Ansar with qualities that every true believer aspires to attain. The Ansar are those who gave Nusrah (i.e. material support and protection) to Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم. Allah سبحانه وتعالى was pleased with them and they were pleased with Him سبحانه وتعالى and He سبحانه وتعالى has prepared Jannah as their eternal dwelling. Allah سبحانه وتعالى has revealed:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
“And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the people of Madinah who gave Nusrah to Islam) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). 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.” [TMQ 9:100]
In the saheeh hadith, it is narrated that we are obligated to love the Ansar:
“Love for the Ansar is a sign of faith and hatred for the Ansar is a sign of hypocrisy.”
[Bukhari & Muslim]
“None but the believer loves them, none but the hypocrite hates them. He who loved them loved Allah and he who hated them hated Allah.”
[Tirmidhi]
“No man who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment hates the Ansar.”
[Muslim]
Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم loved the Ansar:
“The Prophet 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 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 صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم along with her child and spoke to him, so the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم 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 رضي الله عنه
Amongst the Ansar, Sa’ad ibn Mu’adh’s رضي الله عنه acceptance of Islam was pivotal in allowing Madinah to become the Islamic State. Before Musab ibn Umayr رضي الله عنه invited Sa’ad to Islam, his host from the Ansar, As’ad ibn Zurarah رضي الله عنه, said:
“O Musab, 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 رضي الله عنه 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 amongst the Banu ‘Abd al-Ashhal embraced Islam!
Before the Battle of Badr, Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم consulted the Sahabah رضي الله عنه about whether they should confront the Quraysh. Some of the Sahabah رضي الله عنه gave their opinion and he صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said: “Give me advice O men!” (which he meant the Ansar who had pledged allegiance to him at al- ‘Aqabah). When the Ansar sensed that he صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم meant them, Sa’ad ibn Mu’adh رضي الله عنه said:
“It seems as if you mean us, O Messenger of Allah.” He صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said, “Yes.” Sa’ad رضي الله عنه 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 Muadh رضي الله عنه played a vital role in supporting Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم and in establishing Islam as a way of life. Indeed Allah سبحانه وتعالى elevated his status. Bukhari narrates on the authority of Jabir رضي الله عنه who says: “I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم say: “the heavens trembled at the death of Sa’ad bin Muadh.”
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 صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم 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 Tabaqat ibn Sa’ad. When Sa’ad’s soul was carried to the Creator, Jibreel عليه السلام came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم 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: Shara’i Method to Assume Authority
The Ansar attained their special status by giving nusrah to Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم. However, the support did not come from a vacuum. Rather, Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم had worked tirelessly to call the people of power to give him nusrah. Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم approached over 15 tribes, but none of them accepted his صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم call.
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه in Ibn Hajar’s Fath ul Bari, which quotes Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه who says:
“When Allah سبحانه وتعالى ordered the Prophet to approach the Arab tribes, I and Abu Bakr accompanied the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم to Mina until the court of the Arab tribes.”
It is therefore established that the command to approach the Arab tribes and seek their support, as well as the timing of this approach came from Allah سبحانه وتعالى, as is evident from the above narration of Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه. The timing of this command coincides with the loss of protection & support of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم. Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم was no longer safe and protected, the Quraysh would not allow him to carry the call of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and at the same time the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم had no hopes that the society in Makkah would accept his authority since the public opinion itself in Makkah was not favourable to Islam.
Thus the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم was ordered to seek nusrah at that point in time in order to encourage the da’wah and bring Islam to a position that befits it in terms of ruling, authority and a comprehensive implementation of its Ahkam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم began this task of seeking nusrah from Ta’if which was counted among the most powerful tribes in the Arabian Peninsula at the time. In fact, it rivaled the Quraysh in terms of strength, prestige and position. This was stressed by Walid ibn Mughairah when he questioned why the Quran was not revealed to the elite from Makkah and Taif – (i.e. instead of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم):
وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
“And they say: “Why is not this Qur’an sent down to some great man of the two towns (Makkah and Ta’if)?” [TMQ 43:31]
Where are the Ansar of today?
As we watch with horror, we see the streets of Gaza flowing with the blood of this noble Ummah. However, the underlying problem is a global problem that is in need of a global solution. We are once again in need of leadership of the likes of the Ansar who were willing to follow the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم – even if he صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم led them into the ocean.
The condition of the Muslims today is similar to the situation of the Muslims prior to the hijrah – the Muslims have no security and the enemies of Islam have the upper hand. Just as Sumayiah and other Muslims were brutally killed in Makkah, we are slaughtered in Gaza, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya, and many other places. However, once Rasul’Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم got the nusrah from the Ansar, he صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم was able to provide sanctuary for the believers. Similarly, once the Ansar of today rise up and see Islam as more important than their wealth, family, and lives – they, by the Will of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, will provide protection to the Muslims from the war machine of the disbelieving 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 things have no weight on the Day of Judgment – unless they were used for Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى cause.
May Allah سبحانه وتعالى help us to work as the Sahabah رضي الله عنه did and invite the people of power and influence to Islam. May Allah سبحانه وتعالى guide the influential people amongst the Muslims. May Allah سبحانه وتعالى change our state of poverty and fear to one of security and prosperity.
وَاذْكُرُواْ إِذْ أَنتُمْ قَلِيلٌ مُّسْتَضْعَفُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ تَخَافُونَ أَن يَتَخَطَّفَكُمُ النَّاسُ فَآوَاكُمْ وَأَيَّدَكُم بِنَصْرِهِ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
“Call to mind how He gave you shelter when you were a few in number and were oppressed in the land, ever fearing lest 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.” [TMQ 8:26]