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The Meaning of “Ansar”
The people who first welcomed the Prophet ﷺ and the persecuted Muslims to their city were given a special name in the Quran and Sunnah. They were called al‑Ansar, which means “the Helpers”. They were from the tribes of Aws and Khazraj in Yathrib, later known as Madinah.
They were not called Ansar because they helped a tribe or a nation. They were called Ansar because they helped the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and assisted the religion of Allah. Allah praised them along with the first emigrants from Makkah, the Muhajirun, in clear verses of the Quran:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ
وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
“And the first forerunners among the Muhajirun and the Ansar,
and those who followed them with excellence,
Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.”
(Surah at‑Tawbah 9:100)
In another ayah Allah described what truly made them Ansar:
وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ
وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا
وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
“And those who had settled in the Home and in faith before them,
they love those who emigrated to them,
and find no desire in their hearts for what the others have been given,
and they give [others] preference over themselves even though they are in poverty.”
(Surah al‑Hashr 59:9)
The “Home” in this verse is Madinah, and those who had “settled” there with faith before the Hijrah were the Ansar. Their role was not only to offer shelter, but to embody love for the believers, generosity, and selflessness for the sake of Allah.
Core idea: The Ansar are those residents of Madinah who believed in the Prophet ﷺ, pledged to support him, and gave up their comfort, wealth, and even lives to protect Islam and the Muslims.
The Ansar in the Pledges of ‘Aqabah
The role of the Ansar became clear in the two Pledges of ‘Aqabah. Men from Yathrib had already heard from their Jewish neighbors that a prophet was expected, and they were tired of long tribal wars. When they met the Prophet ﷺ at ‘Aqabah during Hajj seasons, they saw in him the messenger they had been warned about, and also a hope for unity and justice.
In the First Pledge of ‘Aqabah, a small group of people from Yathrib accepted Islam and promised to abandon open sins like idolatry, killing, and immorality. At this stage they were mainly pledging personal obedience and simple Islamic morals.
In the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah, their role took a new and very serious form. They promised not only to believe, but to protect the Prophet ﷺ as they would protect their own families. This was the real beginning of the Ansar as “Helpers” in the political and physical sense. Al‑Bara’ ibn ‘Azib رضي الله عنه described how they pledged, and how the Prophet ﷺ took their word as a covenant:
قَالَ الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ عَازِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
“قَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْعَقَبَةِ:
بَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ تَمْنَعُونِي مِمَّا تَمْنَعُونَ مِنْهُ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ”
Al‑Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us at al‑‘Aqabah:
“Pledge allegiance to me that you will protect me as you protect your women and your children.”
(Sahih al‑Bukhari)
They knew that this meant war with Quraysh and great sacrifice, yet they accepted. One of them, al‑Abbas ibn ‘Ubadah, even warned his people that this bay‘ah would bring swords and enemies. Still, they stood firm. Their role was to turn Yathrib into a safe base for Islam and a shield for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Welcoming the Hijrah and Sharing Everything
When the Prophet ﷺ finally migrated to Madinah, the Ansar did not limit themselves to kind words. They turned their city into a home for those who had been driven out of Makkah. They shared houses, crops, and businesses. The Quran described their hearts:
يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ
“They love those who emigrated to them.”
(Surah al‑Hashr 59:9)
One of the clearest examples of their role is seen in the story of Sa‘d ibn ar‑Rabi‘ and ‘Abdur‑Rahman ibn ‘Awf رضي الله عنهما. When the Prophet ﷺ established brotherhood between the Muhajirun and the Ansar, Sa‘d, who was from the Ansar, said to ‘Abdur‑Rahman:
“I am the wealthiest of the Ansar. I will divide my wealth between me and you, and I have two wives, so look which of them you like more, I will divorce her and when her ‘iddah is over you can marry her.”
This hadith is in Sahih al‑Bukhari. It shows the extreme generosity and role of the Ansar in practically rebuilding the lives of the emigrants. ‘Abdur‑Rahman politely replied, “May Allah bless your family and your wealth. Just show me where the market is,” but the offer itself shows the spirit of the Ansar.
Their fields and palm groves were opened to the Muhajirun. They offered work, food, and housing. They did not look at the newcomers as a burden or a threat. They saw them as brothers in faith and guests of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Important: The Ansar did not merely “tolerate” the Muhajirun. They loved them, honored them, and preferred them over themselves, which is the highest level of faith and generosity described in the Quran.
Military Support and Protection
From the moment of the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah, the Ansar accepted the duty of protecting the Prophet ﷺ with their lives. This meant that they were ready to fight anyone who attacked Islam in or around Madinah, and later to join the Prophet ﷺ in battles.
At the Battle of Badr, many of the fighters were Ansar. This battle was outside Madinah, so the Prophet ﷺ consulted them, because their pledge at ‘Aqabah had been primarily about fighting for him inside their city. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh رضي الله عنه, a leader of the Ansar, stood and said:
“By Allah, if you were to march us to the sea and enter it, we would enter it with you. We will not say to you as the people of Musa said to him, ‘Go, you and your Lord and fight, we are sitting here.’ Rather we say, ‘Go, you and your Lord and fight, we are fighting with you.’”
This statement, related in the books of Seerah, shows their understanding of their role as protectors and soldiers of Islam. Because of such words and such hearts, the Prophet ﷺ relied on them with full confidence.
At Uhud, Khandaq, and other battles, the Ansar continued to stand as the shield of Madinah. When enemies surrounded their city during the Battle of the Trench, the Ansar did not waver. They dug the trench, guarded the fronts, and remained loyal in fear and hunger.
Allah mentioned the sincere believers in that moment:
وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ
قَالُوا هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
“And when the believers saw the confederates, they said,
‘This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.’”
(Surah al‑Ahzab 33:22)
Many of those “believers” were from the Ansar who kept their pledge to defend the Prophet ﷺ no matter what came.
Emotional Loyalty and Love for the Prophet ﷺ
Beyond physical protection and material support, the Ansar held a deep emotional loyalty and love for the Prophet ﷺ. Their city became radiant by his arrival. Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه said:
قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَدِينَةَ فَأَضَاءَ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ
“When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, everything in it became illuminated.”
(Ahmad, at‑Tirmidhi)
Their children memorized his words, their families served him, and they cried at the thought of being separated from him. When the Prophet ﷺ distributed war gains after the Battle of Hunayn, he gave large gifts to some new Muslims from the tribes in order to soften their hearts, and gave less to the Ansar. Some young men from the Ansar felt hurt.
The Prophet ﷺ then gathered them alone and reminded them of their special role and favor in Allah’s sight. He said, as narrated by al‑Bukhari and Muslim:
“O assembly of Ansar,
did I not come to you while you were astray, and Allah guided you through me?
You were poor, and Allah enriched you through me.
You were enemies, and Allah united your hearts through me.”
They replied, “Allah and His Messenger are most gracious and best.”
Then he said words that show their unique place:
“If all people were to go in a valley and the Ansar were to go in a mountain pass,
I would go in the mountain pass of the Ansar.
The Ansar are the inner garment and people are the outer garment.”
(Sahih al‑Bukhari)
He also told them:
“Are you not pleased that people take home sheep and camels,
and you return home with the Messenger of Allah in your midst?”
This made the Ansar weep, because they understood that their true gift was his presence and their closeness to him. The Prophet ﷺ’s love for them was a direct response to their role in serving and protecting his mission.
Key status: The Prophet ﷺ declared his personal loyalty to the Ansar, chose to be with them, and taught the Ummah to respect them. Loving the Ansar is a sign of true faith.
Special Status of the Ansar in Hadith
Many authentic narrations give the Ansar a special status that no later group can claim. Their role in the early days of Islam was so important that the Prophet ﷺ connected love for them with faith, and hatred for them with hypocrisy.
In Sahih al‑Bukhari and Sahih Muslim it is narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
آيَةُ الْإِيمَانِ حُبُّ الْأَنْصَارِ
وَآيَةُ النِّفَاقِ بُغْضُ الْأَنْصَارِ
“The sign of faith is love for the Ansar,
and the sign of hypocrisy is hatred for the Ansar.”
He also said:
لَا يُحِبُّهُمُ الرَّجُلُ حَتَّى يَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّهُمْ
“A man does not love them except that he meets Allah while loving them.”
(Meaning that true love for them is part of sincere faith.)
These texts show that their role was not simply one of hospitality in a historical sense. It was a foundational service to Islam, and Allah chose them for it. No one today can become part of the Ansar in that original sense. However, a Muslim can share their qualities: love of the believers, generosity, and readiness to help the religion of Allah with all that one has.
Lessons from the Role of the Ansar
The unique role of the Ansar carries lessons for every Muslim community. They show how a group can transform their city, their economy, and their own hearts for the sake of Allah.
First, their example teaches that supporting the truth may require real sacrifice. They accepted the possibility of war with Quraysh, disruption of trade, and loss of life, yet they still pledged to protect the Prophet ﷺ.
Second, their generosity to the Muhajirun shows that building an Islamic society needs open hearts, not just rules and structures. They did not merely rent rooms or sell food. They shared everything, even imagining splitting their families and wealth if it would help their brothers.
Third, the way the Prophet ﷺ praised and loved them shows that Allah honors those who honor His religion. People who aid the truth from their homes, their cities, and their resources have a special place in the sight of Allah and His Messenger.
Allah summarized their qualities in a powerful verse:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ
وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَّنَصَرُوا
أُولَٰئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ
“Those who believed and emigrated and strove in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives,
and those who gave shelter and helped,
they are allies of one another.”
(Surah al‑Anfal 8:72)
The phrase “those who gave shelter and helped” is a direct description of the Ansar. Their role was to open their hearts and homes to Islam and its people, and to stand as helpers of Allah’s religion in the most difficult years of the Prophet’s life ﷺ.
For beginners studying the Seerah, remembering who the Ansar were and what they did explains how Islam moved from fear in Makkah to strength in Madinah. It was through a community that chose to be “Helpers”, so Allah made them the honored companions of His final Messenger.