men_around_the_prophet

202 / 255

More info and Downloads at Page 202 of 255
as to help them discipline themselves by this privilege. He did not give anything to the Muslims in whom
Islam was deeply rooted, as he thought that their Islam sufficed them. He gave to the warriors who were
in need. The Prophet's mere bounty was an honor most people competed for. The war booty became an
important source of revenue on which the Muslims lived. Therefore, the Ansaar bitterly wondered what
made the Prophet deprive them of the booty.
Hassan Ibn Thaabit, the poet of the Ansaar, recited lines of poetry that mean: Go to the Prophet and
say you are the best among all human beings. Why should you invite Sulaim tribe to take a share of war
spoils although they are mere Muhaajiruun while you deprived the Ansaar who gave shelter, support and
help to Muhaajiruun. Allah called them the Ansaar because they believed in and supported the religion of
guidance in the time of fierce struggle and war. They rushed to strive in the way of Allah and endured
difficulties and hardships without getting weary or losing faith.
In those lines, the poet of the Prophet and the Ansaar expressed quite eloquently the embarrassment
and disappointment the Anaar felt when the Prophet gave his Companions the spoils of war and did not
give them anything.
The leader of the Ansaar, Sa'd Ibn `Ubaadah, realized the dilemma they were in, as he heard people
talk about it secretly. This did not appeal to him, so urged by his candor, he went immediately to the
Prophet (PBUH) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, this group of the Anaar are displeased with what you
did with the spoils of war. You have distributed war booty among your people and were most generous
to the Arab tribes, but you did not give the Ansaar anything."
Thus, the frank man got it off his chest and gave the Prophet a candid account of the situation. The
Prophet (PBUH) asked him, "What is your opinion about it?" Sa'd answered with the same bluntness, "I
have the same viewpoint as my people." Then the Prophet (PBUH) asked him to gather the Ansaar. We
must narrate the story to its very end as it is irresistibly fascinating.
When the Prophet (PBUH) came where the Ansaar gathered, he looked at their disgruntled faces,
and his smile brightened with gratitude and appreciation. Then he said, "O Ansaar, I heard that an
incident that happened recently made you feel ill at ease. Now, didn't I find you ignorant and guided you
to the way of Allah. Didn't I find you poor and Allah enriched you of His bounty? And didn't I find you
enemies and Allah joined your hearts together?"
They answered, "Indeed, Allah and His Prophet are far more generous and better."
The Prophet then said, "Don't you have anything to say?"
They answered, "There is nothing to be said but that Allah and His Prophet have the grace and
bounty."
The Prophet (PBUH) then said, "By Allah, you could have justly said, We believed in you at a time
when all called you a liar. We supported you at a time when you were frustrated. We gave you our
money at a time when you were poor and we even sheltered you at a time when you were homeless. O
Ansaar, are you upset for a thing so trivial and worldly that I gave to some people so as to join their
hearts to Islam and left you out of it, believing that your Islam sufficed you? Is it not enough for you that
the rest of the people will go home with a sheep or a camel, whereas you will return accompanied by the
Prophet's love and appreciation? By Allah, if I were not one of the Muhaajiruun I would rather be one of
the Ansaar, and if people moved in different ways, I would choose the way taken by the Ansaar. Allah,
do have mercy on the Ansaar, their children, and their children's children."
By the time the Prophet (PBUH) concluded his words, their beards were wet with tears, for the words of
the great Prophet filled their hearts with tranquility and enriched their souls. All of them including Sa'd
cried out, "It is enough for us to have the Prophet's love as our reward."