Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar)

كتاب مناقب الأنصار

Chapter 9: “O Allah! Improve and make right the state of the Ansar and the Muhajirun

Narrated Anas bin Malik

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "There is no life except the life of the Hereafter; so, O Allah! Improve the state of the Ansar and the Muhajirun." And Anas added that the Prophet (ﷺ) also said, "O Allah! Forgive the Ansar."

Narrated Anas bin Malik

On the day of the battle of the Trench (i.e. Ghazwat-ul-Khandaq) the Ansar used to say, "We are those who have given the pledge of allegiance to Muhammad for Jihad (i.e. holy fighting) as long as we live." The Prophet (ﷺ) , replied to them, "O Allah! There is no life except the life of the Hereafter; so please honor the Ansar and the Emigrants."

Narrated Sahl

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to us while we were digging the trench and carrying out the earth on our backs. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then said, "O Allah ! There is no life except the life of the Hereafter, so please forgive the Emigrants and the Ansar."

Chapter 10: “... (they) give them (emigrants) preference over themselves ...”

Narrated Abu Huraira

A man came to the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing except water. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Who will take this (person) or entertain him as a guest?" An Ansar man said, "I." So he took him to his wife and said to her, "Entertain generously the guest of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) " She said, "We have got nothing except the meals of my children." He said, "Prepare your meal, light your lamp and let your children sleep if they ask for supper." So she prepared her meal, lighted her lamp and made her children sleep, and then stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it off. Then both of them pretended to be eating, but they really went to bed hungry. In the morning the Ansari went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who said, "Tonight Allah laughed or wondered at your action." Then Allah revealed: "But give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that And whosoever is saved from the covetousness Such are they who will be successful." (59.9)

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."

Narrated Anas bin Malik

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Ansar are my near companions to whom I confided my private secrets, People will go on increasing but the Ansar will go on decreasing; so accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrong-doers amongst them. "

Chapter 12: The merits of Sa'd bin Mu’adh رضي الله عنه

Narrated Al-Bara

A silken cloth was given as a present to the Prophet (ﷺ) . His companions started touching it and admiring its softness. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Are you admiring its softness? The handkerchiefs of Sa`d bin Mu`adh (in Paradise) are better and softer than it."

Narrated Jabir

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "The Throne (of Allah) shook at the death of Sa`d bin Mu`adh." Through another group of narrators, Jabir added, "I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) : saying, 'The Throne of the Beneficent shook because of the death of Sa`d bin Mu`adh."

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri

Some people (i.e. the Jews of Bani bin Quraiza) agreed to accept the verdict of Sa`d bin Mu`adh so the Prophet (ﷺ) sent for him (i.e. Sa`d bin Mu`adh). He came riding a donkey, and when he approached the Mosque, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Get up for the best amongst you." or said, "Get up for your chief." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Sa`d! These people have agreed to accept your verdict." Sa`d said, "I judge that their warriors should be killed and their children and women should be taken as captives." The Prophet said, "You have given a judgment similar to Allah's Judgment (or the King's judgment).

Chapter 13: The merits of Usaid and ‘Abbad رضي الله عنهما

Narrated Anas

Two men left the Prophet (ﷺ) on a very dark night. Suddenly a light came in front of them, and when they separated, the light also separated along with them.

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 15: The virtues of Sa'd bin ‘Ubada رضي الله عنه

Aisha said, "Before that, he (i.e. Sa`d) was a pious man."

Narrated Abu Usaid

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The best of the Ansar's houses are those of Bani An-Najjar, then those of Bani `Abdul Ash-hal, then those of Bani Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj, then those of Bani Saida; but there is goodness in all the houses of the Ansar." Sa`d bin Ubada who was one of those who embraced Islam early, said, "I see that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is giving others superiority above us." Some people said to him, "But he has given you superiority above many other people."

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."

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 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 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."

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."