Did you know? (Inspirational Islamic Stories)

The best example of equality and brotherhood

When the migrants of Makkah reached Madinah, they were not familiar with Medina’s climate, customs and working conditions. They did not bring anything with them while leaving Mecca.

For this reason, they needed to be familiarized with Medina’s working conditions and with Muslims of Medina, who came to be called the Ansar (the helpers) because they offered all kinds of help to them.

Therefore, the Messenger of God gathered the Ansar and the migrants together five months after migrating to Medina.

He appointed ninety Muslims, the forty-five of whom were from the Ansar and the other forty-five from the migrants, as brothers.

This foundation of brotherhood established by the Prophet was based on mutual economic and psychological support and the principle of being inheritors to each other, which in turn aimed to provide migrants with support to get over the sorrow and misery they felt because of homesickness. 

The Ansars, the Medina Muslims, embraced the Muhajirun as if they were their real family, wanting to share with them whatever they had. Providing them with accommodation in their homes, they shared their food with them; they even wanted to divide their orchards and share their property rights with them.

However, the Prophet encouraged the Ansars to share products, but to maintain their property rights.

Actually, the Muhajirun did not want property, but preferred to have a share of the income that was earned through work and trade in the market place. 

Because of such behavior and attitudes on the part of the Ansar, Prophet Muhammad had a deep respect for them, and expressed his feelings by saying, 

"You are from the people I love most."

The Ansars of Medina showed the best example of self-denial and heroic sacrifice.

Allah (SWT) praised their unique sincerity, hospitability, gratitude, generosity, and self-sacrifice which they showed to their immigrant brothers.

Narrated Abu Huraira (Ra):

‘A (Muhajir) man came to the Prophet. The Prophet (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) said,

'Who will take this (person) or entertain him as a guest?’ An Ansar man said, ‘Me.’ So he took him to his wife and said to her,

‘Entertain generously the guest of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh).’ 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 (pbuh) who said,

‘Tonight Allah laughed or wondered at your action.’

Then Allah revealed 9th Ayat of Sura Al Hashr:

“But give them (emigrants) …… Such are they who will be successful.” (Sahih Muslim).

This is a striking example of what Islaamic brotherhood should be and we might never find such examples in the history of mankind again.

Despite this brotherhood and sharing of wealth, the Ansaar didn’t envy the Muhajirrun for what was given to them, rather they loved them and prayed for them.

Allaah says in the Qur’an:

"And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the booty of Bani An-Nadir), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful. [Q59:9]