Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar)

كتاب مناقب الأنصار

Chapter 3: Brotherhood between the Ansar and the Muhajirun

Narrated Anas

When `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf came to us, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) made a bond of fraternity between him and Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi` who was a rich man, Sa`d said, "The Ansar know that I am the richest of all of them, so I will divide my property into two parts between me and you, and I have two wives; see which of the two you like so that I may divorce her and you can marry her after she becomes lawful to you by her passing the prescribed period (i.e. 'Idda) of divorce. `Abdur Rahman said, "May Allah bless you your family (i.e. wives) for you." (But `Abdur-Rahman went to the market) and did not return on that day except with some gain of dried yogurt and butter. He went on trading just a few days till he came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) bearing the traces of yellow scent over his clothes. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked him, "What is this scent?" He replied, "I have married a woman from the Ansar." Allah's Apostle asked, "How much Mahr have you given?" He said, "A date-stone weight of gold or a golden date-stone." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Arrange a marriage banquet even with a sheep."

Chapter 4: To love the Ansar is a sign of Faith

Narrated Al-Bara

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying (or the Prophet (ﷺ) said), "None loves the Ansar but a believer, and none hates them but a hypocrite. So Allah will love him who loves them, and He will hate him who hates them."

Narrated Anas bin Malik

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The sign of Belief is to love the Ansar, and the sign of hypocrisy is to hate the Ansar."

Chapter 7: The superiority of the families of the Ansar

Narrated Abu Usaid

That he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "The best of the Ansar, or the best of the Ansar families (homes) are Banu An-Najjar, Bani `Abdul Ash-hal, Banu Al-Harith and Banu Sai'da."

Narrated Abu Humaid

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best of the Ansar families (homes) are the families (homes) of Banu An- Najjar, and then that of Banu `Abdul Ash-hal, and then that of Banu Al-Harith, and then that of Banu Saida; and there is good in all the families (homes) of the Ansar." Sa`d bin 'Ubada followed us and said, "O Abu Usaid ! Don't you see that the Prophet (ﷺ) compared the Ansar and made us the last of them in superiority? Then Sa`d met the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! In comparing the Ansar's families (homes) as to the degree of superiority, you have made us the last of them." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "Isn't it sufficient that you are regarded amongst the best?"

Chapter 8: “Be patient till you meet me at Al-Haud (Al-Kauthar)”

Abdullah bin Zaid said about the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him.
Narrated Yahya bin Sa`id

That he heard Anas bin Malik when he went with him to Al-Walid, saying, "Once the Prophet (ﷺ) called the Ansar in order to give them the territory of Bahrain they said, 'No, unless you give to our emigrant brethren a similar share.' On that he said 'If you do not agree to it, then be patient till you meet me, for after me others will be given preference to you."'

Chapter 14: The virtues of Mu’adh bin Jabal رضي الله عنه

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "Learn the recitation of Qur'an from four persons: Ibn Mas`ud, Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, Ubai and Mu`adh bin Jabal."

Chapter 16: The virtues of Ubayy bin Ka’b

Narrated Anas bin Malik

The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Ubai, "Allah has ordered me to recite to you: 'Those who disbelieve (Surat-al- Bayina 98).' " Ubai said, "Has He mentioned my name?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes." On hearing this, Ubai started weeping.

Chapter 17: The virtues of Zaid bin Thabit (رضي الله عنه)

Narrated Qatada

Anas said, "The Qur'an was collected in the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) by four (men), all of whom were from the Ansar: Ubai, Mu`adh bin Jabal, Abu Zaid and Zaid bin Thabit." I asked Anas, "Who is Abu Zaid?" He said, "One of my uncles."

Chapter 18: The virtues of Abu Talha رضي الله عنه

Narrated Anas

On the day of the battle of Uhud, the people ran away, leaving the Prophet (ﷺ) , but Abu- Talha was shielding the Prophet (ﷺ) with his shield in front of him. Abu Talha was a strong, experienced archer who used to keep his arrow bow strong and well stretched. On that day he broke two or three arrow bows. If any man passed by carrying a quiver full of arrows, the Prophet (ﷺ) would say to him, "Empty it in front of Abu Talha." When the Prophet (ﷺ) stated looking at the enemy by raising his head, Abu Talha said, "O Allah's Prophet! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please don't raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy should hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours." (On that day) I saw `Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr and Um Sulaim both lifting their dresses up so that I was able to see the ornaments of their legs, and they were carrying the water skins of their arms to pour the water into the mouths of the thirsty people and then go back and fill them and come to pour the water into the mouths of the people again. (On that day) Abu Talha's sword fell from his hand twice or thrice.

Chapter 19: The virtues of ‘Abdullah bin Salam رضي الله عنه

Narrated Qais bin Ubad

While I was sitting in the Mosque of Medina, there entered a man (Abdullah bin Salam) with signs of solemnity over his face. The people said, "He is one of the people of Paradise." He prayed two light rak`at and then left. I followed him and said, "When you entered the Mosque, the people said, 'He is one of the people of Paradise.' " He said, "By Allah, one ought not say what he does not know; and I will tell you why. In the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) I had a dream which I narrated to him. I saw as if I were in a garden." He then described its extension and greenery. He added: In its center there was an iron pillar whose lower end was fixed in the earth and the upper end was in the sky, and at its upper end there was a (ring-shaped) hand-hold. I was told to climb it. I said, "I can't." "Then a servant came to me and lifted my clothes from behind and I climbed till I reached the top (of the pillar). Then I got hold of the hand-hold, and I was told to hold it tightly, then I woke up and (the effect of) the handhold was in my hand. I narrated al I that to the Prophet (ﷺ) who said, 'The garden is Islam, and the handhold is the Most Truth-worthy Hand-Hold. So you will remain as a Muslim till you die." The narrator added: "The man was `Abdullah bin Salam."

Chapter 20: The marriage of the Prophet (saws) with Khadija رضي الله عنها and her superiority

Narrated `Aisha

I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) as much as I did of Khadija though I did not see her, but the Prophet (ﷺ) used to mention her very often, and when ever he slaughtered a sheep, he would cut its parts and send them to the women friends of Khadija. When I sometimes said to him, "(You treat Khadija in such a way) as if there is no woman on earth except Khadija," he would say, "Khadija was such-and-such, and from her I had children."

Chapter 1: The merits of Al-Ansar

{And those who have become the house and faith before them, they love those who have been migrated to them, and they do not find in their breasts a need for what they are. ”
Narrated `Aisha

The day of Bu'ath (i.e. Day of fighting between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Aus and Khazraj) was brought about by Allah for the good of His Apostle so that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) reached (Medina), the tribes of Medina had already divided and their chiefs had been killed and wounded. So Allah had brought about the battle for the good of H is Apostle in order that they (i.e. the Ansar) might embrace Islam.

Chapter 6: Followers of Ansar

Narrated Abu Hamza

(A man from the Ansar) The Ansar said, "Every nation has followers and (O Prophet) we have followed you, so invoke Allah to let our followers be considered from us (as Ansar like ourselves)." So the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Allah! Let their followers be considered as Ansar like themselves."

Chapter 11: “Accept the good of the good-doers amongst them, and excuse the wrong-doers.”

Narrated Anas bin Malik

Abu Bakr and Al-`Abbas passed by one of the gatherings of the Ansar who were weeping then. He (i.e. Abu Bakr or Al-`Abbas) asked, "Why are you weeping?" They replied, "We are weeping because we remember the gathering of the Prophet (ﷺ) with us." So Abu Bakr went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him of that. The Prophet (ﷺ) came out, tying his head with a piece of the hem of a sheet. He ascended the pulpit which he never ascended after that day. He glorified and praised Allah and then said, "I request you to take care of the Ansar as they are my near companions to whom I confided my private secrets. They have fulfilled their obligations and rights which were enjoined on them but there remains what is for them. So, accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrongdoers amongst them."

Narrated Ibn `Abbas

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (in his fatal illness) came out wrapped in a sheet covering his shoulders and his head was tied with an oily tape of cloth till he sat on the pulpit, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said, "Then-after, O people! The people will go on increasing, but the Ansar will go on decreasing till they become just like salt in a meal. So whoever amongst you will be the ruler and have the power to harm or benefit others, should accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrongdoers amongst them."

Chapter 16: The virtues of Ubayy bin Ka’b

Narrated Masruq

`Abdullah bin Masud was mentioned before `Abdullah bin `Amr who said, "That is a man I still love, as I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying 'Learn the recitation of Qur'an from four from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud -- he started with him--Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudaifa, Mu`adh bin Jabal and Ubai bin Ka`b."

Chapter 19: The virtues of ‘Abdullah bin Salam رضي الله عنه

Narrated Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas

I have never heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying about anybody walking on the earth that he is from the people of Paradise except `Abdullah bin Salam. The following Verse was revealed concerning him: "And a witness from the children of Israel testifies that this Qur'an is true" (46.10)

Narrated Abu Burda

When I came to Medina. I met `Abdullah bin Salam. He said, "Will you come to me so that I may serve you with Sawiq (i.e. powdered barley) and dates, and let you enter a (blessed) house that in which the Prophet (ﷺ) entered?" Then he added, "You are In a country where the practice of Riba (i.e. usury) is prevalent; so if somebody owe you something and he sends you a present of a load of chopped straw or a load of barley or a load of provender then do not take it, as it is Riba."

Chapter 20: The marriage of the Prophet (saws) with Khadija رضي الله عنها and her superiority

Narrated `Ali

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying (as below)

Narrated `Ali:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best of the world's women is Mary (at her lifetime), and the best of the world's women is Khadija (at her lifetime).