The Book of the Merits of the Companions

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that it was concerning them (the Ansar) that this verse was revealed, that when the two groups amongst you were about to lose heart and Allah was the Guardian of them both. This concerned Banu Salama and Banu Haritha and we did not like that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, should not have revealed this verse for the fact that Allah (gave an assurance) of being the Guardian of both.

O Allah,, grant forgiveness to the Ansar, the offspring of the Ansar and the offspring of the offspring of the Ansar. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shulba with the same chain of transmitters.

I think (he also sought forgiveness) for the children of the Ansar and the slaves and the freed men of the Ansar. I have no doubt about it.

O Allah, (bear witness) (and addressing the Ansar), said: You are dearest to me amongst people, (and said: O Allah (bear witness) (and addressing the Ansar), said: You are dearest to me amongst people. And he meant Ansar.

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, you are dearest to me amongst the people. He repeated it thrice.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Shu’ba with the same chain of transmitters.

The Ansar are my family and my trusted friends. and the people would increase in number whereas they (the Ansar) would become less and less, so appreciate the deeds of those from amongst them who do good and overlook their failings.

The worthiest clans of the Ansar are Banu Najjar, thereafter Banu al-Ashhal; thereafter Banu Harith b. Banu Khazraj; thereafter Banu Sa’idah and there is goodness in all clans of the Ansar. Sa’d said: I see that he (the Holy Prophet) has placed others above us. It was said to (him): He has placed you above many others.

Abu Usaid Ansari has reported this hadith through another chain of transmitters. When the Prophet (ﷺ) was marching towards Badr in order

Anas reported a hadith like this from Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) but he has made no mention in the hadith of the words of Sa’d.

I heard Abu Sa’ld delivering an address in the presence of Abu ‘Utba that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The worthiest settlements of the Ansar are those of Banu Najjar, then of Banu ‘Abu al-Ashhal and then of Banu Harith and then of Banu Khazraj and then of the clan of Banu Sa’idah, and if I were to give preference to anyone besides them I would have given preference to my relatives.

I bear witness to the fact that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: The best settlements of the Ansar are of those of Banu Najjar, then of Banu ‘Abu al-Aslihal and then of Banu Harith b. Khazraj, then of Banu Sa’ida and there is in every settlement of the Ansar good. Abu Salama reported that Abu Usaid said: Can I tell a Iie about Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)? And if I were a liar, I would have started with my tribe Banu Sa’ida. This was conveyed to Sa’d b. ‘Ubida and he found (rankling) in his mind and said: We have been left behind (in the sense) that we have been (mentioned) last of the four. He (Sa’d) sid: Saddle my pony so that I should go to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). His nephew saw him and said: Are you going to contradict (the order of) precedence set by Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), whereas Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) has the best knowledge of it? Is it not sufficient for you that you are the fourth amongst the four (best tribes of the Ansar)? So he returned and said: Allah and His Messenger know best, and he commanded that his pony should be unsaddled.

The worthiest of the Ansar or the worthiest of the settlements and the clans of Ansar; the rest of the hadith is the same, but there is no mention of the story of Sa’d b. ‘Ubida (Allah be pleased with him).

Should I not tell you of the best clans of the Ansar? They said: Allah’s Messenger, (kindly) do this. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger said: That is Banu Abd al-Ashhal. They said: Allah’s Messenger, then next? He said: Banu Najjar. They again said: Allah’s Messenger, then next? He said: Then of Banu Harith b. Khazraj. They then said: Allah’s Messenger, then next? He said. Then of Banu Sa’ida. They said: Allah’s Messenger, then next? He said: There is good in all the clans of the Ansar. It was upon this that Sa’d b. Ubida stood up in annoyance and said: Are we the last of the four as Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) has determined (the order of precedence) of their clans? He decided to talk with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) on this issue, but the people Of his tribe said to him: Be seated, are you not happy with this that Allah’s Messenger’ (ﷺ) has mentioned your clan as one of the four (best) clans and those whom he left and did not mention (the order of their precedence) are more than those whom he mentioned? And Sa’d b. ‘Ubada dropped the idea of talking to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (on this issue).

I set out along with Jabrir b. ‘Abdullah al-Bajali on a journey and he used to serve me. I said to him: Don’t do that. Thereupon he said: I have seen Ansar doing this with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). I swore by Allah whenever I accompany any one of the Ansar, I would serve him and Ibn Muthanni, and Ibn Bashshir made this addition in their narrations: Jarir was older than Anas, and Ibn Bashshir said: He was of a more advanced age as compared with Anas. Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) invoked blessings for the tribes of Ghifar and Aslam.

Go to your people and say that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) says: Ghifar (is a tribe) to whom Allah granted pardon, and Aslam (is the tribe) to whom Allah granted safety.

To the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety and to the tribe of Ghifar Allah has granted pardon.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Shu’ba with the same chain of transmitters.

To the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety and to the tribe of Ghifar Allah has granted pardon.

To the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety and to the tribe of Ghifar Allah has granted pardon. Verily it is not I that say this, but (it is) Allah the Exalted and Glorious. (who) says this.

O Allah, hurl curse upon the tribe of Lihyan and Ri’l aid Dhakwan and Usayya for they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger, (and for) Ghifar Allah has granted pardon and for the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety.

Allah has granted pardon to the tribe of Ghifar and to the tribe of Aslam Allah has granted safety and as for Usayya tribe, they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Umar with a slight variation of wording (and the wording) that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said this on the pulpit.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Ibn Umar but through another chain of transmitters.

The tribes of Ansar, Muzaina and Juhaina and Ghifar and Ashja’ and those from Banu ‘Abdullah, they are my friends amongst the people and Allah and His Messenger are their protectors.

Quraish, Ansar, Muzaina, Juhaina and Ghifar, they are my friends and there is no friend of theirs besides Allah and His Messenger.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Sa’d b. Ibrahim with a slight variation of wording.

The tribes of Ashja’, Ghifar and Muzaina and from the tribe of Juhaina they are better than Banu Tamim, Banu Amir and the allies of Asad and Ghatfan.

By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, (the tribes of) Ghifar, Aslam, Muzaina, or from the tribe of Juhaina or from the tribe of Muzaina, they would be better in the eye of Allah than Asad, Tayyi, and Ghatfan on the Day of Resurrection.

Aslam, Ghifar or some people from Muzaina, Juhaina (with the variation of words) are better in the eye of Allah than Asad, Ghatfan, Hawizin and Tamim. The narrator said: I think he also said:” On the Day of Resurrection.”

How did the tribes of Aslam, Ghifar, Muzaina (and I think he also said Juhaina and the narrator is in doubt about it) owe allegiance to you, whereas they plundered the pilgrims? Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:” you were to say that Aslam, Ghifar, Muzaina and I think Juhaina are better than Banu Tamim, Banu ‘Amir and Asad, Ghatfan, then would these people (of latter group of tribes) be in loss? He said: Yes. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, these people are better than Banu Tamim, Banu Amir, Asad and Ghatfan, and in this hadith of Abu Shaiba (these words are not found) that Muhammad (the narrator) had a doubt about.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Ya’qub Dabbi with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

Abu Bakra reported from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that Aslam, Ghifar, Muzaina and Juhaina are better than Banu Tamim, Banu Amir and their allies Banu Asad and Ghatfan.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Bishr with the same chain of transmitters.

What is your view if Juhaina, Aslam, Ghifar were better than Banu Tamim, Banu ‘Abdullah b. Ghatfan and ‘Amir b. Sa’sa’a’ respectively (then what would be status of the latter one)? He said this in a loud voice. They said: Allah’s Messenger, they would be definitely at a loss and disadvantage. Thereupon he said: They (the first group) are decidedly better than the others; and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Abu Kuraib the words are: It you were to find that Juhaina, Muzaina and Aslam and Ghifar (are better than…).

I came to Umar b. Khattab and he said to me: The first consignment of Sadaqa brought to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) which brightened the face of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and the faces of his Companions was that of Tayyi.

Allah’s Messenger, the tribe of Daws has disbelieved and has belied you, so invoke curse upon them. It was said: Let Daws be destroyed, whereupon he (Allah’s Messenger) said: Allah guide aright the tribe of Daws and direct them to me.

The other hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a slight variation of wording.

There are some distinguishing features of Banu Tamim which I heard from Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and my love for them is never on the decline after that and the words are: They are the bravest amongst people in the battlefield and there is no mention of (the word)” Dajjal”.

You would find people like those of mine, the good amongst you in the Days of Ignorance would be good amongst you in the days of Islam, provided they have an understanding of it and you will find good amongst people the persons who would be averse to position of authority until it is thrust upon them, and you will find the worst amongst persons one who has double face. He comes with one face to them and with the other face to the others.

This hadith has been transmitted through other chains of transmitters. The chain of of Abu Zur’a has a slight variation of wording.

Good amongst the women are those who ride camels. One of them said: They are pious women of the Quraish, and the other one said: The women of the Quraish are kind to the orphans in their childhood and look after the wealth of their spouses.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a slight variation of wording and there is no word” orphan”.

I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The women of the Quraish are good amongst the womenfolk. They ride camels and show affection to their children and zealously guard the wealth of their husbands. Abu Huraira said at the end of this narration that Mary, the daughter of Imran, never rode the camel.

Allah’s Messenger, I am of an advanced age with a (large) family. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: The best women are those who ride (the camels) ; the rest of the hadith is the same but with this difference that, instead of the word Ar’a the word Ahna has been used (and the complete sentence is like this): That they treat children in their childhood with affection.

The best women who ride the camels are the pious women of the Quraish; they treat with affection children in their childhood and keep a strict watch on the wealth of their spouses.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Huraira with the same chain of transmitters.

Anas reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) established fraternity between Abu Ubaida b. Jarrah and Abu Talha.

You must have heard this that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: There is no alliance (hilf) of brotherhood in Islam. Anas said: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) established the bond of fraternity between the Quraish and the Ansar in his home.

Anas reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) established fraternity between the Quraish and the Ansar in his house at Medina.

There is no alliance (hilf) in Islam but (the hilf) established in the pre-Islamic days (for good). Islam intensifies and strengthens it.