186 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMADare first and foremost, of the muhajrrin, the Emigrants and the aqar, 'the
Helpers', and those who followed them in goodness, God is pleased with them,
and they are with Him. He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers
flow; they will live in them forever. That is the mighty success" (sarat al-Tawba
or al-Bar2a; IX, v.100). And God also stated, "And (give also) to those who lived
in this area and had faith before them, loving those who emig~ated to them, and
they do not find in themselves any grudge because of what others were given,
rather, prefemng others over themselves, though they may themselves be in
need. Those spared from the meanness of their selves shall be those who succeed"
(%rat al-Hashra; LIX, v.9).
The Messenger of God (SAAS) stated, "Had I not been compelled to perform
the emigration personally, I would have been an an@ri, a Helper; and if people had
gone to any valley or detle, I would have gone to the valley or defile of the Helpers.
The Helpers are as an undergarment, the people at large as an overgarment."
He also said, "The Helpers are my household and my own family."
And he said, "I am peace to those who make peace with them and war to those
who make war upon them."
Al-Bukhzri stated that Hajjaj b. Minhd related to him, quoting Shu'ba, quot-
ing 'Adi h. Thzbit, as follows, "I heard al-Bar2 b. 'Azib say, 'I heard the
Messenger of God (SAAS) say' - or he said - 'the Messenger of God (SAAS),
said, "The aqdr are loved only by those who believe and hated only by those
who are hypocritical. Whoever loves them is loved by God, and whoever hates
them is hated by God.""'
The other hadith authorities also give this, except for Abii Dzliid, from an
account of Shu'ba.
Al-Bukhzri also stated, "Muslim b. Ibrzhim related to us, quoting Shu'ba,
from 'Abd al-RabZn b. CAhd Allah b. Jubayr, from Anas b. Mdik, from the
Prophet (SAAS) who said, 'A sign of faith is love for the Helpers; a sign of
hypocrisy is hatred for the Helpers."'
Al-Bukhzri also related it from Abii al-Walid, al-Taydisi and Muslim, from a
hadith of Khalid b. al-H%rith and 'Abd al-wman b. Mahdi, all four of them
quoting Shu'ba's account.
There are numerous verses of the Qur'm and Prophetic Traditions that make
reference to the virtues of the an$&-.
How fine are the verses spoken by Aha Qays Sirma b. Aha Anas, mentioned
above, a poet from the Helpers, concerning the amval of the Messenger of God
(SAAS) among them, and of the help and comfort they gave to him and to his
Companions, God bless them all.
Ibn Isbq stated, "Abii Qays Sirma b. Ahn Anas also spoke the following,
making reference to how God had honoured them by bringing them Islam and
His Messenger (SAAS),
'A decade or so he stayed among Quraysh, preaching in
hopes of finding agreeable friends,