Ansar (Arabic: الأنصار‎ al-Aná¹£Är, "The Helpers") is an Islamic term that literally means "helpers" and denotes the Medinan citizens that helped the Islamic prophet, Muhammad and the Muhajirun on the arrival to the city after the migration to Medina and waged war for the cause of Islam. They belonged to two main tribes, the Banu Khazraj and the Banu Aus.
List
The following Ansari are known by name:
Banu Khazraj
Banu Aus
Uncategorized
Battles where they helped Muhammad
The Ansar helped Muhammad in several battles. One of the earliast battles they helped him in was the Invasion of Buwat. A month after the raid at al-Abwa that was ordered by Muhammad, he personally led two hundred men including Muhajirs and Ansars to Bawat, a place on the caravan route of the Quraysh merchants. A herd of fifteen hundred camels was proceeding, accompanied by one hundred riders under the leadership of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a Quraysh. The purpose of the raid was to plunder this rich Quraysh caravan. No battle took place and the raid resulted in no booty. This was due the caravan taking an untrodden unknown route. Muhammad then went up to Dhat al-Saq, in the desert of al-Khabar. He prayed there and a mosque was built at the spot. This was the first raid where a few Ansars took part.
After the death of Muhammad
During the tenure of Caliphates after Muhammad they are mainly became an important military elements in many conquests, as indicated with the appointing of Thabit, bin Qays bin Shammas, an orator of Ansar, to lead Ansaris in support of Khalid Ibn Al-Walid in the Battle of Buzakha at the time of Caliph Abu Bakr. later they also played prominent role on in the Battle of Yamama where Ansars under Al Bara bin Malik Al Ansari charging in the perilous moment of the battle and became the turning point of the battle, the battle of Yamama were also where Abu Dujana, prominent warrior of Ansar was fallen
at the time In the year 24/645, during the caliphate of Uthman Ibn Affan, a prominent Ansaris were also holds major positions like Al-Bara' ibn `Azib who being made governor of al-Ray (in Persia). He eventually retired to KÅ«fÄ and there he died in the year 71/690.
During Umayyad era they are became somewhat opposing political faction of the regime which are described they are closely affiliated with Makhzum Clan Contingent rather than with the incumbent Umayyad. such Ansar-Makhzums connection are described forming a new elite local political Hegemony in Hejaz
See also
- Ansari (nisbat)
- Brotherhood among the Sahabah
- Ansar-e Hezbollah
- Sahabah
- Ansar al-Sharia
- Qais
References
