The Ansar (the Helpers of Madinah)

“The Helpers” — the Muslims of Madinah from the Aws and Khazraj tribes who pledged to protect the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, received him at the Hijra, and hosted the emigrant Muhajirun.

How they appear in the Seerah (EP 024–026)

• The Aws and Khazraj were Qahtani (Yemeni) Arabs of Yathrib, exhausted by the civil war of Bu’ath and familiar — through their Jewish neighbours — with tawhid, scripture, and an awaited prophet.
• Six Khazraj met the Prophet ﷺ at Aqabah; then the First Pledge (12), Mus’ab’s year of teaching, and the Second Pledge (~73) — culminating in the invitation to migrate. Islam united two tribes a century of war could not.

Their virtue (EP 026)

• Eager beyond the letter of their pledge: though the Second Pledge was defensive, they volunteered for the offensive of Badr.
• After Hunayn (8 AH) the Prophet ﷺ consoled them: “Are you not content that the people return with sheep and camels, and you return with the Messenger of Allah?” — and “Were it not for the Hijra, I would be a man of the Ansar.”
• Hadith: “Love of the Ansar is a sign of faith; hatred of them a sign of hypocrisy.”

Cross-references

The Muhajirun (the Emigrants) · Madinah (Yathrib) · The Hijrah (Emigration to Madinah) · The First Pledge of Aqabah (Bay'at al-Aqaba al-Ula) · The Second Pledge of Aqabah (Bay'at al-Aqaba al-Thaniya) · Mus'ab ibn Umayr (ra) · Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra) · Usayd ibn Hudayr (ra) · As'ad ibn Zurarah (ra) · Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (ra) · Muhammad ﷺ

Sources

• S005 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 024–030. Draws on Sahih Bukhari & Muslim.