Respecting The Sahābah
﴿ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ الْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمْ وَأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنًا وَّيَنصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ج أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ الصَّـٰدِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ
وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚوَمَن يُّوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴾
For the poor emigrants, those who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking bounty from Allah and pleasure and helping Allah and
His Messenger, those are the people of truth.
And those who were settled in the home and accepted faith before them
love those who emigrated to them, and they do not find in their breasts
any lack in what they were given, but rather, they prefer them over themselves, even though poverty was with them. And whoever is saved from the
stinginess of his soul, then those are the successful ones. [59:8-9]
The above verses are referring to the Muhājirūn (those people who migrated from Makkah Al-Mukarramah to Al-Madīnah Al-Munawwarah) and the Anṣār (those who helped their Muhājirūn brothers).
These verses were revealed regarding the spoils of war, known as Fai’ (spoils of war that the Prophet g was entitled to). The Prophet g was at liberty to give them to whoever he wanted, and Allah f had stipulated the paths in which it can be spent.
Generally, the spoils of war are distributed equally among the participants of war. This is when the war is won after a battle. If, however, the enemy surrenders without a battle, the spoils return only to the Prophet g.
The Prophet g decided to give the spoils of Tabūk (name of the place where this battle took place and its people surrendered without a battle) to the Muhājirūn. Allah f mentioned the reasons for this, and thereafter He praised the Anṣār.
THE MUHĀJIRŪN CHARACTERISED IN THE QUR’ĀN
In the above verses, four key features are mentioned of the Muhājirūn, followed by those of the Anṣār.
- Firstly, the Muhājirūn were ‘expelled and driven out from their homes and wealth’.
These individuals left all their wealth behind for Islam. There were Ṣaḥābah j who would tie stones around their stomachs out of extreme hunger. There were those who would dig holes in the ground and cover themselves with earth to keep themselves warm during the bitter cold weather.
- Secondly, what these individuals did was for no other reason than to attain the ‘Pleasure of Allah f.’
The sacrifices they made were not for wealth or fame. The Prophet g was also offered unimaginable wealth but he g gave preference to his mission of calling to Allah f. The Ṣaḥābah j, in the main, followed in his footsteps.
- Thirdly, they devoted their lives to ‘helping Allah f and his Messenger g’ through their faith and by spreading the word of Allah f.
Allah f promised that He would protect this religion. In the process, He used the Ṣaḥābah j.
- Fourthly, they were truthful.
Anyone who claims that the Ṣaḥābah j, as a whole or even a single individual, is a liar, is going against what Allah has said about them.
THE ANṢĀR CHARACTERISED IN THE QUR’ĀN
With regards to the Anṣār, Allah f shares their four characteristics with us:
- Their first quality is that they ‘were settled in the home’.
The word ‘Dār’ refers to Madīnah which has a special distinction.
Therefore, Imām Mālik from one point of view, regarded Madīnah Tayyibah as the most distinguishable of all the cities in the world. He used to say that wherever Islam reached any city that was conquered, it was conquered by means of physical struggles – including Makkah Mukarramah. Madīnah Tayyibah is the only exception, for it was conquered by means of Imān. [1]
- Secondly, they loved the Muhājirūn.
The love they had for them was expressed in a beautiful manner – they shared everything they had with them. They went above and beyond to help the Muhājirūn.
When the Muhājirūn migrated to Madīnah, many of the Anṣār lined up, wanting to take home a Muhājir (singular of Muhājirūn).
They did this out of love for Allah f and his Messenger g.
- Thirdly, despite being poor and destitute, they did not envy what the Muhājirūn were given from the spoils of war; rather, they expressed heartfelt happiness for them.
They did not find in their breasts any lack in what they were given.
- Fourthly, the Anṣār would give ‘preference to the Muhājirūn over themselves.’
It is recorded in ‘Tirmidhī’, on the authority of Abū Hurairah h, that one night a guest came to an Anṣārī’s house. The latter had only as much food as he and his children could eat. He said to his wife:
“Put the children to sleep somehow and put out the lamp. Then place the food in front of the guest and sit next to him so that our guest may be under the impression that we too are eating, but we will not eat so that he may be able to eat comfortably.”
At this, the present verse was revealed. [2]
Muslim records another narration on the authority of Abū Hurairah h that a person came to the Messenger of Allah g and said:
“I am hungry and distressed.” The Holy Prophet g sent a message to one of his blessed wives, but she replied:
“We do not have anything except water.” Then, he sent a message to his other wife, and she gave the same reply. Then to a third, and then to a fourth, until the message went to all the mothers of the faithful, and they all replied that they had nothing besides water.
Then he addressed the congregation and asked if any of them would be willing to entertain the guest, in response to which a respected Anṣārī said:
“O Messenger of Allah, I will entertain him.” So, he took him with him and asked his wife whether there was anything to eat. She replied:
“Only as much as our children could eat.” He asked his wife to put the children to sleep and then said:
“Place the food in front of the guest, sit and then get up and put out the lamp. The guest should not feel that we are not eating.” The guest ate the food. In the morning, the Companion went to the Holy Prophet g who informed him that Allah f was very pleased with the way he handled the situation the previous night. [3]
THE STORY OF THE GOAT’S HEAD
Qushairī r cites a story on the authority of ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar k who reports that a person sent the head of a goat as a gift to a venerable personality from among the blessed Companions j. He thought about another Muslim brother thinking that he and his family were more in need of it, so he sent the head to him. When the second venerable Companion received it, he sent it to a third person who in turn sent it to a fourth person. In this way it circulated within seven houses and eventually it returned to the first venerable personality. On this occasion, 59:9 was revealed. [4]
THE CHARITY OF A PIECE OF BREAD
It is recorded in the ‘Muwaṭṭā’ of Imām Mālik, on the authority of ‘Ā’ishah i, that a poor person wanted something to eat. She had only one piece of bread, and she was fasting that day.
She asked her maid to give him the bread, and the maid replied that if it was given away, there would be nothing left for her to break her fast in the evening. ‘Ā’ishah i insisted and gave the bread to the poor person. The maid said:
“It so happened that after this, a person who was not accustomed to send any gifts sent a whole roasted goat which was completely covered with batter on the outside, which is thought to be the best Arab dish.” ‘Ā’ishah i called the maid and said:
“Come, eat this. This is better than that bread of yours.” [5]
May Allah f give us the ability to become like the Ṣaḥābah j. May He f give us the ability to also respect the Ṣaḥabah j. Āmīn.
[1] Al-Qurṭubī M. A., Al-Jāmi‘ li Aḥkām Al-Qur’ān, 18:23.
[2] Tirmidhī, 3304; Bukhārī, 3798.
[3] Muslim, 2054.
[4] Al-Qurṭubī M. A., Al-Jāmi‘ li Aḥkām Al-Qur’ān, 18:25.
[5] Anas, M. Al-Muwaṭṭā, 6:997.
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“The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him)
