Table of Contents
A New Kind of Brotherhood
When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah, he was not simply changing his place of residence. A completely new type of community had to be built. The Muslims who migrated from Makkah, called the Muhajirun, had left behind homes, families, wealth, and security. The Muslims of Madinah, known as the Ansar, received them. To turn this fragile situation into a strong and united society, the Prophet ﷺ established a unique relationship: the brotherhood between the Muhajirun and the Ansar.
This brotherhood, called “Mu’akhah,” was not only emotional. It had social, economic, and sometimes even legal consequences. It created a model of solidarity that has rarely been seen in human history.
Allah Most High says:
وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
“And those who, before them, had homes and had adopted the faith, love those who migrated to them and find no desire in their hearts for what the others were given, and they prefer others over themselves even though they themselves are in need.”
(Surah al-Hashr 59:9)
This verse describes the Ansar, but it also explains the spirit of the brotherhood: love, sharing, and preferring others over oneself.
The brotherhood between the Muhajirun and Ansar was a deliberate, organized act by the Prophet ﷺ to weld individuals from different cities and tribes into one united Ummah, where faith became more important than blood and tribe.
Formal Establishment of Brotherhood
The Prophet ﷺ did not leave the formation of this new community to chance. After building the masjid, he set about building relationships. He gathered the Muhajirun and Ansar in groups and paired them in twos, each pair becoming “brothers” in faith.
Authentic narrations mention that this occurred in the house of Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه. The Prophet ﷺ paired each Muhajir with an Ansari so that no migrant felt unsupported, and no inhabitant of Madinah felt detached from the newcomers.
Among the famous pairings were:
Ali ibn Abi Talib with an Ansari companion according to some reports, or with the Prophet ﷺ himself in a special spiritual sense, as mentioned in some narrations.
Abdur Rahman ibn Awf with Sa‘d ibn ar-Rabi‘.
Others from Makkah and Madinah, whose lives and resources became closely linked.
In this formal brotherhood, both sides knew that they carried responsibilities toward each other. It was not a casual friendship. It was a covenant, created under the leadership of the Prophet ﷺ, and understood as part of obeying Allah.
It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said when establishing this brotherhood:
«تَآخَوْا فِي اللَّهِ أَخَوَيْنِ أَخَوَيْنِ»
“Become brothers in Allah, two by two.”
(Reported in the Seerah works with similar wording)
This phrase captures the essence of the event: brotherhood “in Allah,” meaning based on faith, obedience, and seeking His pleasure, not on shared blood or worldly interest.
Social and Economic Sharing
The migration to Madinah created a practical crisis. Many of the Muhajirun arrived with very little. Some came only with the clothes they were wearing. They had lost businesses, homes, and wealth in Makkah. The Ansar responded in a way that the Qur’an later praised.
Narrations describe that many Ansar offered half of their property to their Muhajir brothers. Some even proposed to divide their orchards and businesses so the migrants could have stable means of income rather than temporary charity.
One of the clearest examples is the story of Sa‘d ibn ar-Rabi‘ and Abdur Rahman ibn Awf. Sa‘d, an Ansari, said to Abdur Rahman, who had migrated from Makkah:
“I am one of the wealthiest of the Ansar. I will divide my property between me and you, and I have two wives, so see which of them is more pleasing to you. I will divorce her, and when her waiting period is over you may marry her.”
This astonishing statement shows the depth of sincerity in this brotherhood. Sa‘d was willing to share not only material wealth, but also to rearrange his personal life for the benefit of his brother in faith.
Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, however, replied with equal dignity:
“May Allah bless your family and your wealth. Show me the way to the market.”
He preferred to work and earn for himself. The brotherhood did not turn the Muhajirun into dependents. It provided a safety net, while still encouraging effort and self-reliance.
The generosity of the Ansar was not a one-time gesture. They continued to share their homes, food, clothing, and gardens. Some Ansar hosted Muhajirun for months and even years, until the community became more stable.
This brotherhood was not built on charity alone. It was built on mutual support, dignity, and shared responsibility, where help was given generously and received respectfully.
Legal Effects of Brotherhood in the Early Period
In the earliest phase in Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ allowed this brotherhood to carry certain legal implications. Among these was the right of inheritance between some of the paired brothers in faith. This meant that if one of them died and had no relatives in Madinah, his Muslim brother from the pact could inherit from him.
This temporary rule served an important purpose. Many Muhajirun had been cut off from their families and tribal protection in Makkah. By granting inheritance rights, the Prophet ﷺ ensured that migrants would not die alone and abandoned, with their property returning to hostile relatives in Makkah who opposed Islam.
However, this legal aspect was later abrogated when the Muslim community became stronger and more established. The Qur’an restored inheritance to blood relatives again, while keeping brotherhood in faith as a spiritual and social bond.
Allah says:
وَأُولُوا الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ
“Blood relatives are nearer to one another in the Book of Allah.”
(Surah al-Ahzab 33:6)
So the brotherhood remained, but the special inheritance privilege was no longer needed. This is an important example of how the early Muslim society was guided step by step, according to its needs, under revelation.
Removing Tribal and Racial Barriers
Arab society at that time valued tribe, bloodline, and status. Non-Arabs, freed slaves, and poorer people were usually placed at the bottom of the social structure. The brotherhood between Muhajirun and Ansar directly challenged this.
When the Prophet ﷺ paired people, he did not always match them according to status or wealth. He linked them by faith. This meant that a poor man could become the “brother” of a wealthy man, and a former slave could be paired with a noble Arab. What united them was Islam.
Allah says:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ
“The believers are but brothers.”
(Surah al-Hujurat 49:10)
The word “ikhwah” in this verse is the same concept that the Prophet ﷺ brought to life in Madinah. It was not only a slogan. It became a lived reality in housing, financial support, and cooperation.
The Prophet ﷺ described this bond in many ahadith. Among them:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ، لَا يَظْلِمُهُ وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ وَلَا يَحْقِرُهُ»
“A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He does not wrong him, nor abandon him, nor look down on him.”
(Sahih Muslim)
This hadith summarized the attitude that the Muhajirun and Ansar were expected to show to each other. They had to remove old habits of tribal arrogance, and learn to see each other as equal believers.
In Madinah, the true identity of a person became “believer” before “Makkan,” “Madinan,” “Arab,” or anything else.
Emotional Support and Spiritual Comfort
The migration was a heavy test, not only materially but also emotionally. Many Muhajirun had left parents, spouses, and children. Some never saw their families again. The Ansar were not just hosts who gave food and shelter. They became family in a deeper sense, giving emotional and spiritual support.
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged this closeness. He spoke of the love between believers as a sign of faith and as something beloved to Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ، وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ، مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ، إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ، تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ، بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى»
“The example of the believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion is the example of a single body. When one limb suffers, the rest of the body responds with sleeplessness and fever.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
This image of one body was realised in Madinah. When a Muhajir was sick, his Ansari brother cared for him. When one needed help, the other responded. The feelings of loneliness and loss that the migrants naturally felt were lightened by this constant support.
In this way, the brotherhood was also a spiritual medicine. It helped heal the hearts of those who had been cut off from their former lives, and gave them new bonds of love for Allah’s sake.
The Attitude of the Ansar
The Qur’an praises the Ansar in special terms, because their behavior during this period was truly extraordinary. The verse mentioned earlier describes three key qualities of the Ansar:
They loved those who migrated to them.
They did not feel any jealousy or discomfort in their hearts because of what the Muhajirun were given.
They preferred others over themselves, even when they were in need.
Allah says about them:
يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ
“They love those who migrated to them.”
(Surah al-Hashr 59:9)
This love was not only a feeling. It became action: hosting strangers, sharing land, and accepting the Prophet ﷺ as the central leader of their city. Even when resources were limited, they did not resent what the Muhajirun received. Instead, they rejoiced that they could help.
A well known example shows how deeply they internalized this attitude. When Allah later revealed that the spoils of war from certain battles would go mainly to the Muhajirun, the Ansar did not object. Some even said that as long as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to live among them, they were content, even if the wealth went to others.
Their sacrifice became part of their permanent honor. The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لَوْلَا الْهِجْرَةُ لَكُنتُ امْرَأً مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ»
“If it were not for the Hijrah, I would have been one of the Ansar.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)
And he also said:
«اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمِ الْأَنْصَارَ، وَأَبْنَاءَ الْأَنْصَارِ، وَأَبْنَاءَ أَبْنَاءِ الْأَنْصَارِ»
“O Allah, have mercy on the Ansar, and the children of the Ansar, and the children of the children of the Ansar.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)
These duas are a direct response to their acceptance of the brotherhood, their sacrifices, and their loyalty.
The Response of the Muhajirun
The Muhajirun did not take this generosity for granted. Their response was marked by gratitude, effort, and deep love for the Ansar. They worked hard, used their skills, and tried not to remain dependent any longer than necessary.
They also recognized the virtue of the Ansar. The companions later narrated many statements of the Prophet ﷺ praising the Ansar, and the Muhajirun carried these memories with them wherever Islam spread.
Among the expressions of appreciation is the hadith:
The Prophet ﷺ said about the Ansar:
«لَا يُحِبُّهُم إِلَّا مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلَا يُبْغِضُهُم إِلَّا مُنَافِقٌ، فَمَنْ أَحَبَّهُمْ أَحَبَّهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُمْ أَبْغَضَهُ اللَّهُ»
“None loves them except a believer, and none hates them except a hypocrite. Whoever loves them, Allah loves him, and whoever hates them, Allah hates him.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
The Muhajirun learned from this that part of their faith was to love the Ansar, to respect their sacrifice, and never to forget what they had done. This reinforced the brotherhood in both directions, so that it was not one-sided giving, but mutual loyalty.
Brotherhood as a Foundation of the New Society
The brotherhood between Muhajirun and Ansar was not an isolated program. It was one of the foundations upon which the entire society of Madinah was built. Without it, the new Islamic state would have been fragile and divided: city dwellers and newcomers, natives and migrants, each group suspicious of the other.
Instead, through Mu’akhah, the Prophet ﷺ turned these differences into strength. When they stood together, the Quraysh in Makkah and other enemies saw not two groups but one united Ummah.
Allah describes this unity:
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah, all of you together, and do not be divided.”
(Surah Al Imran 3:103)
The practical expression of “holding firmly” in early Madinah included this structured brotherhood. Through it, the Muslims could share knowledge, organize defense, support one another in hardship, and spread Islam to visitors and tribes with a united voice.
The brotherhood also helped prevent:
Economic jealousy between those who had lost everything and those who still had property.
Social isolation of the Muhajirun, who could otherwise have formed a frustrated and separate group.
Old tribal rivalries within Madinah, because the Aus and Khazraj (the two main tribes of the Ansar) were now linked together with the Muhajirun.
Thus, Mu’akhah was a wise step that solved several potential problems at once.
The Prophet ﷺ did not build the Islamic society on laws and institutions alone. He built it on hearts that were connected in sincere brotherhood.
Lasting Lessons from the Brotherhood
Even though the formal pairings between individuals belong to that specific time and place, the spirit behind them is meant to remain valid until the Day of Judgment.
From the example of the Muhajirun and Ansar we learn that faith creates a bond stronger than blood and tribe.
We learn that generosity and selflessness can transform a community under pressure into a community of strength.
We see that new members of a community, especially those who have sacrificed for their faith, must be warmly supported, included, and honored.
We understand that true brotherhood is practical: it involves time, resources, hospitality, and emotional care, not words alone.
The Prophet ﷺ summarized this ethic in a simple standard:
«لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ»
“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
This hadith was lived by the Ansar when they shared their homes and wealth, and by the Muhajirun when they responded with gratitude and effort. Together, they built a society where this teaching was not only quoted, but practiced.
In the story of brotherhood between the Muhajirun and Ansar, we see how the Seerah provides a living picture of what Islamic brotherhood means. It shows how a simple city in Arabia became the heart of a global Ummah, starting with sincere hearts that were ready to say to each other, “You are my brother in Allah.”