Those Who deserve the Fai'; and the Virtues of the Muhajirin and Al-Ansar
Allah states the categories of needy people who also deserve a part of the Fai',
الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِمْ وَأَمْوَلِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَناً
(who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking bounties from Allah and (His) good pleasure,) meaning, departed their homes and defied their people, seeking the acceptance of Allah and His favor,
وَيَنصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الصَّـدِقُونَ
(and helping Allah and His Messenger. Such are indeed the truthful.) meaning, `they are those who were truthful in statement and deed, and they are the chiefs of the Muhajirin.' Allah the Exalted praised the Ansar next and emphasized their virtue, status and honor, preferring to give to others over themselves, even though they were in need, and not feeling enviousness. Allah the Exalted said,
وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالإِيمَـنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
(And (it is also for) those who, before them, had homes and had adopted the faith,) referring to those who resided in the city to which the migration occurred, before the emigrants arrived at it, and who embraced the faith before many of the emigrants. `Umar said, "I recommend the Khalifah, who will come after me, to know the rights and virtues of the foremost Muhajirin and to preserve their honor. I also recommend him to be kind to the Ansar, those who resided in the city of Hijrah and embraced the faith beforehand, that he accepts the good that comes from those who do good among them and forgives those among them who commit errors." Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith. Allah said,
يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ
(love those who emigrate to them,) indicates that they, on account of their generosity and honorable conduct, loved those who emigrated to them and comforted them with their wealth. Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Muhajirin said, `O Allah's Messenger! We have never met people like those whom we emigrated to; comforting us in times of scarcity and giving us with a good heart in times of abundance. They have sufficed for us and shared their wealth with us so much so, that we feared that they might earn the whole reward instead of us.' He said,
«لَا، مَا أَثْنَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَدَعَوْتُمُ اللهَ لَهُم»
(No they won't, as long you thanked them for what they did and invoked Allah for them.)" I have not seen this version in the other books. Al-Bukhari recorded that Yahya bin Sa`id heard Anas bin Malik, when he went with him to Al-Walid, saying, "The Prophet called Ansar to divide Al-Bahrayn among them. The Ansar said, `Not until you give a similar portion to our emigrant brothers.' He said,
«إِمَّا لَا، فَاصْبِرُوا حَتْى تَلْقَوْنِي، فَإِنَّهُ سَيُصِيبُكُمْ بَعْدِي أَثَرَة»
(Perhaps, no; but you will soon see people giving preference to others, so remain patient until you meet me (on the Day of Resurrection).)" Al-Bukhari was alone with this version. He also recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Ansar said (to the Prophet ), `Distribute our date-palms between us and our emigrant brothers.' He replied, `No.' The Ansar said (to the emigrants), `Look tend to the trees and share the fruits with us.' The emigrants said, `We hear and obey."' Al-Bukhari, but not Muslim, recorded it.
The Ansar never envied the Muhajirin
Allah said,
وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ
(and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given,) meaning, the Ansar did not have any envy for the Muhajirin because of the better status, rank, or more exalted grade that Allah gave the Muhajirin above them. Allah's statement,
مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ
(that which they have been given,) refers to what the Muhajirin were favored with, according to Qatadah and Ibn Zayd.
Selflessness of the Ansar
Allah said,
وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
(and give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.) meaning, they preferred giving to the needy rather than attending to their own needs, and began by giving the people before their own selves, even though they too were in need. An authentic Hadith stated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ جُهْدُ الْمُقِل»
(The best charity is that given when one is in need and struggling.) This exalted rank is better than the rank of those whom Allah described in His statements,
وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ
(And they give food, inspite of their love for it.)(76:8), and,
وَءَاتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ
(And gives his wealth, in spite of love for it.)(2:177) The latter give charity even though they love the wealth they give, not that they really need it, nor that it is necessary for them to keep it. The former prefer others to themselves even though they are in need and have a necessity for what they spend in charity. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq gave away all his wealth in charity and Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked him,
«مَا أَبْقَيْتَ لِأَهْلِكَ؟»
(What did you keep for your family,) and he said, "I kept for them Allah and His Messenger." `Ikrimah (bin Abi Jahl) and two other wounded fighters were offered water when they were injured during the battle of Al-Yarmuk, and each one of them said that the sip of water should be given to another of the three wounded men. They did so even though they were badly injured and craving water. When the water reached the third man, he and the other two died and none of them drank any of the water! May Allah be pleased with them and make them pleased with Him. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "A man came to the Prophet and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Poverty has stuck me.' The Prophet sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing. Then Allah's Messenger ﷺ said,
«أَلَا رَجُلٌ يُضَيِّفُ هَذَا، اللَّيْلَةَ، رَحِمَهُ الله»
(Who will invite this person or entertain him as a guest tonight; may Allah grant His mercy to him who does so) An Ansari man said, `I, O Allah's Messenger!' So he took him to his wife and said to her, `Entertain the guest of Allah's Messenger ﷺ generously.' She said, `By Allah ! We have nothing except the meal for my children.' He said, `Let your children sleep if they ask for supper. Then turn off the lamp and we go to bed tonight while hungry.' She did what he asked her to do. In the morning the Ansari went to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who said,
«لَقَدْ عَجِبَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَوْ ضَحِكَ مِنْ فُلَانٍ وَفُلَانَة»
(Allah wondered (favorably) or laughed at the action of so-and-so and his wife.) Then Allah revealed,
وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
(and they give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that). " Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith in another part of his Sahih. Muslim, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith. In another narration for this Hadith, the Companion's name was mentioined, it was Abu Talhah Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him. Allah said,
وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
(And whosoever is saved from his own greed, such are they who will be the successful.) indicating that those who are saved from being stingy, then they have earned success and a good achievement. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظُّلْمَ، فَإِنَّ الظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَاتَّقُوا الشُّحَّ، فَإِنَّ الشُّحَّ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، حَمَلَهُمْ عَلى أَنْ سَفَكُوا دِمَاءَهُمْ وَاسْتَحَلُّوا مَحَارِمَهُم»
(Be on your guard against committing oppression, for oppression is a darkness on the Day of Resurrection. Be on your guard against being stingy, for being stingy is what destroyed those who were before you. It made them shed blood and make lawful what was unlawful for them.) Muslim collected this Hadith. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Al-Aswad bin Hilal said that a man said to `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud),"O Abu `Abdur-Rahman! I fear that I have earned destruction for myself." `Abdullah asked him what the matter was and he said, "I hear Allah's saying,
وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
(And whosoever is saved from his own greed, such are they who will be the successful.) and I am somewhat a miser who barely gives away anything." `Abdullah said, "That is not the greed Allah mentioned in the Qur'an, which pertains to illegally consuming your brother's wealth. What you have is miserliness, and it is an evil thing indeed to be a miser." Allah said,
وَالَّذِينَ جَآءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَنِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإَيمَـنِ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلاًّ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
(And those who came after them say: "Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.) This is the third type of believers whose poor most deserve to receive a part of the Fai'. These three types are the Muhajirin, the Ansar and those who followed their righteous lead with excellence. Allah said in another Ayah,
وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَـجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَـرِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ
(And of the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirin and the Ansar and also those who followed them exactly, Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him.)(9:100) The third type are those who followed the Muhajirin and Ansar in their good works, beautiful attributes and who invoke Allah for them in public and secret. This is why Allah the Exalted said in this honorable Ayah,
وَالَّذِينَ جَآءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ
(And those who came after them say), meaning, the statement that they utter is,
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَنِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإَيمَـنِ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلاًّ
(Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred), meaning, rage or envy,
لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
(against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.) Indeed, it is a beautiful way that Imam Malik used this honorable Ayah to declare that the Rafidah who curse the Companions do not have a share in the Fai' money, because they do not have the good quality of those whom Allah has described here that they say,
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَنِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإَيمَـنِ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلاًّ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
(Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `A'ishah said, "They were commanded to invoke Allah to forgive them, but instead, they cursed them!" She then recited this Ayah,
وَالَّذِينَ جَآءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَنِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإَيمَـنِ
(And those who came after them say: "Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed.")