of Allaah arrived inAl-Madeenah on Friday, Rabee' Al-Awwal 12, 1 AH,
i.e. September 27, 622 CE and took the lower portion of the house of
Abu Ayyoob as a temporary residence.
The first task to which the Prophet attended on his arrival in
Al-Madeenah was the construction of a Mosque,at the very site where
his camel knelt down. The land, which belonged to two orphans, was
purchased. The Prophet himself contributed tobuilding the Mosque by
carrying adobe bricks and stones.
The ground was cleared of weeds and shrubs, palm trees and rubbish;
the graves of the polytheists were dug up and then leveled, and trees
were planted. The Qiblah (the direction in which the Muslims turn
their faces in prayer) wasconstructed to face Jerusalem ; two beams
were also erected to support the ceiling. It was square in form, each
side measuring approximately 100 yards, facing towards the north and
having three gates on each of the remainingsides. Nearby, rooms
reserved for the household of the Prophet were built of stones and
adobe bricks with ceilings of palm leaves. To the north of the Mosque,
a place was reserved for the Muslims who had neither family nor home.
The Athaan (summoning the Muslims to the Mosque by the call for
prayer) was initiated at this early stage of the post-migration era.
The Mosque was not merely alocus to perform prayers, but rather a
place where the Muslims were taught the doctrines of Islam. It served
as a place of assembly and was the headquarters wherein allthe affairs
of the Muslims were administered, and consultative and executive
councils held.
The Prophet instills brotherhood between the Ansaar (Helpers) andthe
Muhaajireen (Emigrants)
The Mosque being thus constructed, the first objective of the Prophet
was to establish law and order and good mutual relations among the
people. He felt right away that the Muhaajireen had come from Makkah
and so theymust not become a source of constant mental stress for the
people of Al-Madeenah. However, he was equally conscious of the stark
reality that the Muhaajireen had migrated from Makkah sacrificing
everything fortheir faith -- their homes,motherland, relatives,
wealth, property, family and clan. They should be treated in a manner
that they were not overtaken by a deep sense of loss, dejection and
frustration.Thus, the Prophet convened a meeting of the Muhaajireen
and the Ansaar and told them about the virtues of Islamic brotherhood.
He then established bonds of brotherhood between the Muhaajireen and
the Ansaar, putting them together in an atmosphere of mutual regard.
It was indeed unique in the history of the world. A gathering of 90
men, half of whom were Emigrants and the others Helpers assembled in
the house of Anas bin Maalik where the Prophet gave the spirit of
brotherhood his official blessing. When either of the two persons who
hadbeen paired as brothers, passed away, his property was inherited by
his brother-in-faith. This practice continued till the following verse
was revealed at the time of the battle of Badr, and the regular rule
of inheritance was allowed to take its usual course (which means):
"But those of(blood) relationship are more entitled (to inheritance.)"
[Quran 8:75]
"Brotherhood-in-faith," to quote Muhammad Al-Ghazaali "was holding
subordinate every distinction of race and kindred and supporting the
Islamic precept: none is superior to the other except on the basis of
piety and being God-fearing."
The Prophet attached to that brotherhood a valid contract; it was not
just a matter of words, but a valid practice relating to blood and
wealth rather than a passing whim.
The atmosphere of brotherhood infused a deep spirit of selflessness in
the hearts of the Companions, and produced very healthy results. For
example, Sa'd bin Ar-Rabee' from theAnsaar (i.e. residents of
Al-Madeenah), said to his fellow brother 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf : "I
am the richest man amongst the Helpers. I will be glad to share half
of my property with you. I have two wives, I am ready to divorce one
and after the expiry of her 'Iddah, (the prescribed period for a woman
divorcee to stay unmarried within her house) you may marry her."
However, 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf wasnot prepared to accept anything,
neither property nor home. Instead, he blessed his brother and said:
"Kindly direct me to the market so that I may make my fortune with my
own hands." Soon, he prospered in his trade and got married shortly
thereafter, by his own labor.
Each Helper took a Muhaajir as his brother . Abu Bakr's brother in
faith was Khaarijah bin Zubayr Al-Ansaari and 'Umar bin Al-Khattaab
entered the bond of brotherhood with 'Utbaan bin Maalik Al-Ansaari,
Abu 'Ubaydah bin Al-Jarraah with Sa'd bin Mu'aath Al-Ansaari,
'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awfwith Sa'd bin Ar-Rabee', Zubayr bin Al-'Awwaam
with Salamah bin Salamah, 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan with Thaabit bin
Al-Munthir Ansaari . Similarly, Talhah bin 'Ubaydullaah and Ka'b bin
Maalik, Mus'ab bin 'Umayr and Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansaari, 'Ammaar bin
Yaasir and Huthayfah bin Al-Yamaan mutually consolidated their bonds
of brotherhood .
The Ansaar remained faithful to this arrangement with so much caution
and sincerity, that human history is unable to give any other similar
example. The Ansaar treated their Muhaajireen brothers like their own
and entrusted to them their wealth and property in abundance. However,
theMuhaajireen disliked being a burden on their Ansaari brothers and
undertook a life of sweatand toil to shoulder their own burden .
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