Ansar

The Muslims of Medina who supported Muhammad and the emigrants from Mecca after the Hijra in 622 CE. Their name means “helpers” and distinguishes them from the Meccan Muhajirun.

Hijra: Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar. The migration brought the Meccan Muslims whom the Ansar welcomed and supported.
Constitution of Medina: An early agreement setting out relations and obligations among Muhammad’s community and other groups in Medina. It provides a framework for understanding how the Medinan community was organized.
Saqifah: A meeting after Muhammad’s death at which some Ansar and Muhajirun debated who should lead the Muslim community. The meeting exposed competing views of leadership between Medinan supporters and Meccan emigrants.
Surah Al-Hashr: The 59th chapter of the Quran, which praises Medinan believers for preferring others over themselves. Its description of generous hosts is traditionally associated with the Ansar.
Sira: The biographical tradition recounting Muhammad’s life and mission. Sira accounts supply many narratives about the Ansar, though they were compiled after the events.
Medina: A city in western Arabia that became the center of Muhammad’s community after his migration from Mecca. The Ansar were the city’s Muslims who backed Muhammad and the emigrants.
Mu'akhāt: The bond of brotherhood Muhammad established between members of the Ansar and the Muhajirun. It formalized mutual support between Medinan hosts and Meccan emigrants.
Abu Bakr: A close companion of Muhammad who became the first caliph after Muhammad’s death. He secured allegiance at Saqifah amid debate involving the Ansar.
Ansar (Islamic political movements): The name “Ansar” is used by various later Muslim groups and movements, distinct from Muhammad’s Medinan supporters. The shared name can obscure the historical Ansar’s specific identity.
Ibn Ishaq: An eighth-century Muslim scholar whose biography of Muhammad survives mainly through later revisions and quotations. His work is a major source for accounts of the Ansar’s early history.

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