The Generosity of the Anṣār

Another example of the generosity of the people of Madīnah: Zayd ibn Thābit, may Allah be pleased with him, says, "The first gift made to the Messenger of Allah after he took up residence in the home of Abū Ayyūb was brought to him by myself. It was a big wooden bowl filled with bread, crumbled up with milk and butter. I told him that my mother had sent him the bowl." He commented, "May Allah bless her." Then he called over his companions and they ate. Then a wooden bowl came from Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah. It was bread mixed with meat and gravy. Zayd ibn Thābit then says, "Not an evening went by without there being at the door of the Messenger of Allah three or four people who would come one after the other carrying food." He remained there in the home of Abū Ayyūb for seven months. So it can be imagined: the scene of people coming in, everybody carrying a plate to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). These were poor people, but they were giving up their food for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). People loved the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Young girls went in the streets and they were singing, they were saying, "We are girls of Banū al-Najjār, how wonderful if Muḥammad were our neighbor." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Allah knows that my heart loves you all. Allah knows that my heart loves you all." So it was known that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) loved them and they loved him. Allah (swt) has chosen the people of the Anṣār to be the Anṣār of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). They loved him very much, and he also loved them a lot. Towards the end of his life, he said, "If it was not for hijrah, I would consider myself to be a member of the Anṣār."