Abu Dharr
Readers of this column would have noticed that in unpacking some of the details of our early Islamic history, we have placed appropriate emphasis on the position and character of both the Muhajireen and Ansar – the critical mass of the Prophetic Islamic society and state. This was done because much of the divisive historical and “religious” information that has been handed down from generation to generation is virtually void of the integrity and the temperament of both these central building-blocs of our Prophetic contemporaries.
In this exposé you will find out why the Muhajireen and Ansar can never be omitted from any discussion or analyses of those first 40 years following our Prophet’s heavenly ascension.
Numerically speaking, the Muhajireen were much less than the Ansar. And numerically speaking, the Ahl al-Bayt were much less than the Muhajireen. This triangulation among Ahl al-Bayt, the Muhajireen and Ansar is missing whenever most religious preachers and teachers explain that first chapter in our common Islamic history.
This prevailing community sacrificed life and limb to have an Islamic social order with Allah’s Prophet (pbuh) as their leading light and person in charge. They were the turbo-charge of the following generations that went out into the world to liberate it from subjugation and oppression – a liberation that had its worldwide effects felt for more than ten centuries.
Granted, in the centuries that followed, political corruption found its way into the castles of kings and the strongholds of sultans but that earlier popular energy originating from al-Madinah was still there. This Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajireen, and Ansar friendship and fellowship preserved for us the Qur’anic text: word-for-word, and also passed on to us certain reliable information about the Prophetic paradigm.
This group of people with its cooperative spirit should not be extended to include all the Muslims in Arabia nor should it be shrunk to merely the Prophet’s biological family. It definitely included the Prophet’s family as it definitely excluded the Prophet’s antagonists even after they made believe they are committed Muslims.
What is to follow is not an exhaustive citation of ayats in the Qur’an that vouch for the team spirit of the Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajireen and Ansar. I will need to quote Allah’s words somewhat at length so that this issue is laid to rest in the Muslim public mind and to roadblock the sectarians some of whom underestimate the sincerity of many of the Prophet’s companions and others who draw into the Prophet’s esprit de corps those who do not belong.
Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; and those who are with him [Ahl al-Bayt, al-Muhajireen and Ansar] are stern against the God-denying antagonists and kind hearted toward one another. You can see them bowing down [in humbleness], prostrating themselves [in humility], seeking abundance from Allah and [His] favorable acceptance; their appearances identify their humbleness born of [dignifying] prostration… Al-Fat-h, 29.
Indeed, Allah is well satisfied with the committed Muslims [specifically included are Ahl al-Bayt, al-Muhajireen, and Ansar] who pledged their allegiance to you [O Muhammad] under that tree, for He knew what was in their hearts; and so He placed steadying tranquility upon them, and rewarded them with [the good news of] an impending [military] breakthrough… Al-Fat-h, 18.
And when the committed Muslims [particularly Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajireen and Ansar] saw the [grand alliance of anti-Islamic] allies [and their material military superiority] they said: “This is what Allah and His Messenger have promised us – and Allah and His Messenger have stated the truth!” And all of this did nothing but boost their commitment and their compliance with Allah. Among the committed Muslims [especially, Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajireen and Ansar] are men who are true to their [life-and-death] pledge to Allah: some of them [in the course of honoring their pledge] have passed on and some of them still await without having wavered in the least—Al-Ahzab, 22-23.
With all this, [remember that] those who are notionally antagonistic [to Allah’s power and authority] are allies of one another; and unless you act likewise [among yourselves], oppression will reign on earth, and enormous corruption. And they [Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajireen and Ansar] who are committed to Allah some of whom have forsaken the domain of civic iniquity and are striving hard in Allah’s cause, as well as those who shelter and support [each other] – it is they who are truly committed [to Allah]! Forgiveness of sins awaits them, and a most excellent sustenance. And as for those who henceforth come to commit [to Allah], and who leave the territory of civic injustice [in Makkah] and strive hard [in Allah’s cause] together with you [members of the budding Islamic society in Madinah] – these, too, shall belong to you; and they who are closely related [by family ties] have priority claims on one another in [accordance with] Allah’s decree. Indeed, Allah has full knowledge of everything—Al-Anfal, 73-75.
And as for the first and foremost of the Muhajireen and Ansar as well as those who follow them [latter Muhajireen and latter Ansar] in [the way of] righteousness – Allah is well pleased with them, and well pleased are they with Him. And for them has He readied gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide forever: this [seemingly distant accomplishment] is the triumph supreme! - Al-Tawbah, 100.
The solidarity of these segments of society during the lifetime of our cherished Prophet (pbuh) is instantly recognizable. The loosening of that solidarity began to come into view after our memorable Prophet joined heavenly company. But, still, the Islamic social order remained intact because it had more reason to remain united than to be divided.
To put some of the above 40 years (of Khilafat and Imamat) into context after our Prophet (pbuh) passed away, we should realize that the overall number of Muslims (committed and not committed) was around 120,000 out of a total population of Arabia of about one million. The total population of the empires around Arabia (Persia, Byzantium, Egypt, etc…) was in the tens of millions.
The Ahl al-Bayt, the Muhajireen and Ansar along with some other committed Muslims may have been no more than 10,000. It was up to these 10,000 or so to close ranks and carry their responsibilities as outlined in the enlightening Qur’an and the Prophet’s lifelong instructive illustrations.
None of them, as far as this writer knows, had any acrimonious argument or discordant disagreement about “ritual performances” such as we can see with our own eyes among today’s worn out “Sunnis” and worn out “Shi‘is”. The contentious issue was administrative: who shall be “the executive leader”?
Without malice they (Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajireen and Ansar) were sincerely caught between the Qur’anic principle of Shura and the Prophetic commendation and recommendation of Imam ‘Ali. There is no contradiction between the two – it’s that how do you honor a consensus shura that is meant to keep the Ahl al-Bayt, Muhajireen and Ansar together while keeping and respecting the honorific Prophetic appreciation of the unique qualities of Imam ‘Ali?
With all due respect and admiration for that unique generation of Ahl al-Bayt, the Muhajireen and Ansar, with hindsight we can inoffensively say that those who tipped the balance of Shura did so inefficiently but innocently and those who advocated for Imam ‘Ali did so dismissingly and also innocently. This sincere, serious and straight approach was altogether torpedoed during the reign of Imam ‘Ali by the Umayyads who turned the coevolution of Khilafat and Imamat into a monarchy.
And who stay away from major sins and flagrant immoralities; and [who], if they become angry, turn out to be forgiving; and who respond to their Sustainer, and effectuate the salat, and reflect on their [civic] affair through deliberation among themselves, and spend out of what We provided for them… Al-Shura, 37-38.
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