Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:

The Ansar are the earliest supporters of Islam; in this regard, they hold a great status. Therefore, whoever loves the Ansar has attained the light of faith through love for Islam, and whoever harbors enmity towards such servants of Allah has harbored enmity towards Islam, because such an evil trait is a sign of hypocrisy.

Hadith Commentary:
The Ansar gave the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the Muhajirun a place to stay and helped them with their lives and wealth. Because of this, the other Arab tribes became their enemies. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) warned against harboring enmity towards them and encouraged love for them.

The distinction and greatness attained by the Ansar naturally led to malice and envy arising in the hearts of others. For this reason, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made loving them a part of faith and declared that harboring enmity towards them is a sign of hypocrisy.

Although all the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) share equally in this honor and respect, loving the Ansar is a prominent characteristic because these individuals were the earliest helpers of Islam. In this regard, they have a great rank and lofty status.

Explanation:
The esteemed Imam has also cited this narration here to refute the Murji’ah. The Ansar is the title given to the people of Madinah, which they received as a reward for their assistance and support to the Muslims who migrated from Makkah. When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) migrated to Madinah and a large number of Muslims came with him, the way the people of Madinah aided him and the other Muslims is unparalleled in history. It was a tremendous achievement, which was accepted by Allah in such a way that until the Day of Judgment, Muslims will continue to mention them with the honorable name of Ansar. Had the people of Madinah not stood up to support Islam at that critical time, there would have been no opportunity for Islam to emerge in Arabia. This is why love for the Ansar has been made a part of faith. In the Noble Qur’an as well, the virtues of the Ansar and the Muhajirun are mentioned repeatedly, and they are remembered with «رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه».

There are many other hadiths narrated regarding the virtues and merits of the Ansar, the mention of which would be lengthy. Regarding their mutual conflicts and battles, Allamah Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says: «وانماكان حالهم فى ذلك حال المجتهدين فى الاحكام للمصيب اجران وللمخطي اجرواحد والله اعلم»—that in this matter, they will be compared to those mujtahids whose ijtihad, if correct, earns them double reward, and if they err, they are not deprived of a single reward. «المجتهد قديخطي ويصيب» For us, it is best to remain silent regarding this matter and remember all of them with respect.

For the virtues of the Ansar, it is sufficient that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself said regarding himself: «لولا الهجرة لكنت امرا من الانصار» [بخاری شریف] If there were no virtue in migration, I would have counted myself among the Ansar. Allah the Exalted granted the Ansar this honor that until the Day of Judgment, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is resting with them in their city of Madinah.

Once, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also said that if all people were to walk in one valley and the Ansar in another valley, I would choose the valley of the Ansar. This too is intended to express the status and rank of the Ansar.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The Ansar are the people of Madinah Munawwarah who gave refuge to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and supported him at a time when no other nation was prepared to help him. Had the people of Madinah not stood up to support Islam at that critical moment, there would have been no opportunity for Islam to emerge in Arabia. Previously, these people were known by the name Banu Qaylah. Because of their support for Islam and the people of Islam, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave them the title "Ansar." In this hadith, loving the Ansar refers to loving them as helpers and supporters of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam); personal disagreements or disputes with individuals do not contradict this love.

➋
The Muhajirun sacrificed their beloved homeland for Islam, disregarded their wealth and properties, and turned away from all adornments and comforts. The virtue of migration (hijrah) itself is so great that no other virtue can match it. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said that if it were not for the virtue of migration, he would have counted himself among the Ansar. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Akhbar al-Ahad, Hadith: 7244) Therefore, there is no need to even discuss those who made such sacrifices, for there is no ambiguity in loving them. However, regarding the Ansar, the thought of otherness could have arisen, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said that love for the Ansar is a sign of faith, meaning to love the Ansar because they supported and aided the religion of Islam. In such circumstances, only one who loves the religion and its bearer can truly love them, and likewise, only one who harbors enmity towards the religion and its bearer will harbor enmity towards them. It should be clear that in matters of love and enmity for the Ansar, their selfless services and their status as supporters must be kept in view.

➌
It appears that the intention of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is to show that, along with affirmation of the heart, its effects and other actions are also necessary; for salvation in the Hereafter, their presence is essential, and among them is love for the Ansar. This hadith also supports the hadith: (al-hubbu fi Allah wa al-bughdu fi Allah) — "Love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah." Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has considered love for the Ansar as a part of faith; thus, in the chapter on the virtues of the Ansar, he has established a heading in these words: (Ayatu al-iman hubbu al-Ansar) — "Love for the Ansar is a sign of faith." In the hadith it is stated that whoever loves the Ansar, Allah will love him, and whoever harbors enmity towards them, Allah the Exalted will harbor enmity towards him. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Manaqib al-Ansar, Hadith: 3783)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
Whoever recognizes the status and rank of the Ansar—that they supported and aided the religion of Islam, strove and exerted themselves for its dominance and propagation, gave shelter and refuge to the Muslims, took an active part in fulfilling the important tasks of Islam, loved the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and were loved by him, spent their lives and wealth generously, took enmity with all people for the sake of Islam and fought battles against them—and then, on the basis of these very things, expresses hatred and enmity towards them, then this is certainly disbelief (kufr) and hypocrisy (nifaq).

And if, due to some personal reason—which can arise among people living together—or due to a difference of opinion in some ijtihad (independent reasoning) or political matter, resentment and enmity arise, as happened in some differences among the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) themselves, or after the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) passing, when there was displeasure between the Muhajirun and Ansar regarding the issue of selecting a caliph, then such a difference is not a sign of hypocrisy.

In other words, hatred and enmity towards the Ansar specifically because of their being helpers and supporters of the religion is itself a sign of hypocrisy.

“It is a sign,” but this is only when love or hatred for the Ansar is due to their being Ansar (helpers of the Prophet). If love is due to some personal relationship, or displeasure is due to some quarrel, then such cases do not fall under this hadith, because their name ‘Ansar’ was given to them on account of their help and support of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; otherwise, they were (originally) Aws and Khazraj.