Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar)

Adam narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us: Abu Iyas narrated to us, from Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah said, “There is no life but the life of the Hereafter, so grant well-being to the Helpers and the Emigrants.” From Qatada, from Anas, from the Prophet, a similar report has the wording, “Forgive the Helpers.”

Adam narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us, from Humayd al-Tawil, who said: I heard Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, say: On the day of the Trench, the Helpers used to chant, “We are the ones who pledged allegiance to Muhammad for struggle, as long as we live.” He would reply, “O Allah, there is no life but the life of the Hereafter; honor the Helpers and the Emigrants.”

Muhammad ibn ʿUbaydullah narrated to me: Ibn Abi Hazim narrated to us, from his father, from Sahl, who said: The Messenger of Allah came to us while we were digging the Trench and carrying earth on our shoulders. The Messenger of Allah said, “O Allah, there is no life but the life of the Hereafter; forgive the Emigrants and the Helpers.”

Musaddad narrated to us: ʿAbdullah ibn Dawud narrated to us, from Fudayl ibn Ghazwan, from Abu Hazim, from Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him: A man came to the Prophet, who sent word to his wives. They said, “We have nothing but water.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Who will take this man in or host him?” A man from the Helpers said, “I will.” He took him to his wife and said, “Honor the guest of the Messenger of Allah.” She said, “We have nothing but food for our children.” He said, “Prepare your food, light your lamp, and put your children to sleep when they ask for supper.” She prepared the food and lit the lamp, then put the children to sleep. She got up as if to adjust the lamp and extinguished it. The two of them pretended to eat, while their guest ate, and they went to bed hungry. In the morning, the man went to the Messenger of Allah, who said, “Allah laughed—or wondered—last night at what the two of you did.” Then Allah revealed: “They give them preference over themselves, even though they are in need. Whoever is protected from the stinginess of his own soul—it is they who are successful.”

Muhammad ibn Yahya Abu ʿAli narrated to me: Shadhan, the brother of ʿAbdan, narrated to us: My father narrated to us: Shuʿba ibn al-Hajjaj informed us, from Hisham ibn Zayd, who said: I heard Anas ibn Malik say: Abu Bakr and al-ʿAbbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, passed by a gathering of the Helpers while they were weeping. He asked, “What makes you weep?” They said, “We remembered the Prophet’s gatherings with us.” He went to the Prophet and told him. The Prophet came out with the edge of a cloak bound around his head. He climbed the pulpit—and did not climb it again after that day—praised Allah, and extolled Him. Then he said, “I urge you to care for the Helpers, for they are my inner circle and confidants. They have fulfilled what was due from them, and what is due to them remains. Accept the good from those among them who do good, and overlook the wrongs of those among them who do wrong.”

Ahmad ibn Yaʿqub narrated to us: Ibn al-Ghasil narrated to us. I heard ʿIkrima say: I heard Ibn ʿAbbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, say: The Messenger of Allah came out wearing a mantle draped over his shoulders and a dark, oily headband, then sat on the pulpit. He praised Allah and extolled Him, then said, “To proceed, people, people will increase while the Helpers will decrease, until they are like salt in food. So whoever among you is entrusted with authority that can harm or benefit someone should accept the good from those among them who do good, and overlook the wrongs of those among them who do wrong.”

Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us: Ghundar narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us. He said: I heard Qatada narrate from Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, who said: “The Helpers are my inner circle and confidants. People will increase while they decrease, so accept the good from those among them who do good, and overlook the wrongs of those among them who do wrong.”

Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to me: Ghundar narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us, from Abu Ishaq, who said: I heard al-Baraʾ, may Allah be pleased with him, say: A silk garment was presented to the Prophet. His Companions began touching it and admiring its softness. He said, “Are you amazed by how soft this is? The handkerchiefs of Saʿd ibn Muʿadh are better than it”—or he said, “softer.” Qatada and al-Zuhri also transmitted it: they heard Anas narrate it from the Prophet.

Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to me: Fadl ibn Musawir, the son-in-law of Abu ʿAwana, narrated to us: Abu ʿAwana narrated to us, from al-Aʿmash, from Abu Sufyan, from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him: I heard the Prophet say, “The Throne trembled at the death of Saʿd ibn Muʿadh.” From al-Aʿmash, Abu Salih narrated to us, from Jabir, from the Prophet, similarly. A man said to Jabir, “Al-Baraʾ says that the bier trembled.” Jabir said, “There was hostility between these two groups. I heard the Prophet say, ‘The Throne of the Most Merciful trembled at the death of Saʿd ibn Muʿadh.’”

Muhammad ibn ʿArʿara narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us, from Saʿd ibn Ibrahim, from Abu Umama ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf, from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him: Some people submitted to the judgment of Saʿd ibn Muʿadh. The Prophet sent for him, and he came riding a donkey. When he drew near the mosque, the Prophet said, “Stand for the best among you”—or “your leader.” He said, “Saʿd, these people have submitted to your judgment.” Saʿd said, “I judge that their fighting men be killed and their dependents taken captive.” The Prophet said, “You have judged according to Allah’s judgment”—or “the judgment of the King.”

ʿAli ibn Muslim narrated to us: Habban narrated to us: Hammam narrated to us: Qatada informed us, from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him: Two men left the Prophet on a dark night, with a light before them. When they parted, the light parted with them. Maʿmar reported from Thabit, from Anas, that they were Usayd ibn Hudayr and a man from the Helpers. Hammad reported to us from Thabit, from Anas, that Usayd ibn Hudayr and ʿAbbad ibn Bishr were with the Prophet.

Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to me: Ghundar narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us, from ʿAmr, from Ibrahim, from Masruq, from ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr, may Allah be pleased with them both: I heard the Prophet say, “Learn the Quran from four: Ibn Masʿud, Salim the freedman of Abu Hudhayfa, Ubayy, and Muʿadh ibn Jabal.”

Ishaq narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Samad narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us: Qatada said: I heard Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, say: Abu Usayd said that the Messenger of Allah said, “The best quarters of the Helpers are Banu al-Najjar, then Banu ʿAbd al-Ashhal, then Banu al-Harith ibn al-Khazraj, then Banu Saʿida; and there is good in every quarter of the Helpers.” Saʿd ibn ʿUbada, who had long-standing precedence in Islam, said, “I think the Messenger of Allah has preferred others over us.” Someone said to him, “He has preferred you over many people.”

Abu al-Walid narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us, from ʿAmr ibn Murra, from Ibrahim, from Masruq, who said: ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud was mentioned in the presence of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr, who said, “That is a man whom I will always love. I heard the Prophet say, ‘Take the Quran from four: ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud”—and he began with him—“Salim, the freedman of Abu Hudhayfa; Muʿadh ibn Jabal; and Ubayy ibn Kaʿb.’”

Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to me: Ghundar narrated to us. He said: I heard Shuʿba say: I heard Qatada narrate from Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him: The Prophet said to Ubayy, “Allah has commanded me to recite to you, ‘Those who disbelieved did not…’” He asked, “And He named me?” He said, “Yes.” So Ubayy wept.

Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to me: Yahya narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us, from Qatada, from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: Four people compiled the Quran during the Prophet’s lifetime, all of them from the Helpers: Ubayy, Muʿadh ibn Jabal, Abu Zayd, and Zayd ibn Thabit. I asked Anas, “Who was Abu Zayd?” He said, “One of my paternal uncles.”

Abu Maʿmar narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Warith narrated to us: ʿAbd al-ʿAziz narrated to us, from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: On the day of Uhud, the people fled from the Prophet, while Abu Talha stood in front of him, shielding him with his leather shield. Abu Talha was a skilled archer with a powerful draw; that day he broke two or three bows. Whenever a man passed by carrying a quiver of arrows, the Prophet would say, “Spread them out for Abu Talha.” The Prophet looked out over the people, and Abu Talha said, “Prophet of Allah, may my father and mother be your ransom, do not expose yourself, lest an arrow from the people strike you. My chest before yours.” I saw ʿAʾisha daughter of Abu Bakr and Umm Sulaym with their garments hitched up—I could see the anklets on their shins—as they hurried with waterskins on their backs, pouring water into the people’s mouths. Then they went back, filled the skins, returned, and poured water into the people’s mouths again. Abu Talha’s sword fell from his hand two or three times.

ʿAbdullah ibn Yusuf narrated to us. He said: I heard Malik relate from Abu al-Nadr, the freedman of ʿUmar ibn ʿUbaydullah, from ʿAmir ibn Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas, from his father, who said: I never heard the Prophet say of anyone walking on earth that he was one of the people of Paradise, except ʿAbdullah ibn Salam. He said, “And concerning him this verse was revealed: ‘A witness from the Children of Israel has testified…’” He said, “I do not know whether Malik said ‘the verse’ or whether it was part of the hadith.”

ʿAbdullah ibn Muhammad narrated to me: Azhar al-Samman narrated to us, from Ibn ʿAwn, from Muhammad, from Qays ibn ʿUbad, who said: I was sitting in the mosque of Medina when a man entered with signs of reverent humility on his face. The people said, “This is a man of Paradise.” He prayed two brief units and then left. I followed him and said, “When you entered the mosque, they said, ‘This is a man of Paradise.’” He said, “By Allah, no one should say what he does not know. I will tell you why they said that. During the Prophet’s lifetime I had a dream and told it to him. I dreamed I was in a garden”—and he described its vastness and greenery—“with an iron pillar in its middle, its base in the earth and its top in the sky. At the top was a loop. I was told, ‘Climb it.’ I said, ‘I cannot.’ Then an attendant came to me, lifted my garment from behind, and I climbed until I reached the top and grasped the loop. I was told, ‘Hold on firmly.’ I awoke with it still in my hand. I told the Prophet the dream, and he said, ‘That garden is Islam, that pillar is the pillar of Islam, and that loop is the firmest handhold. You will remain in Islam until you die.’” That man was ʿAbdullah ibn Salam. Khalifa also said: Muʿadh narrated to us: Ibn ʿAwn narrated to us, from Muhammad. Qays ibn ʿUbad narrated to us, from Ibn Salam, who said “a servant” instead of “an attendant.”

Sulayman ibn Harb narrated to us: Shuʿba narrated to us, from Saʿid ibn Abi Burda, from his father, who said: I came to Medina and met ʿAbdullah ibn Salam, may Allah be pleased with him. He said, “Come, so I can feed you sawīq and dates, and take you into a house.” Then he said, “You are in a land where usury is widespread. If you are owed something by a man and he gives you a gift—a load of straw, a load of barley, or a load of fodder—do not take it, for that is usury.” Al-Nadr, Abu Dawud, and Wahb did not mention “the house” in their reports from Shuʿba.