Bismillāh
وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِهِمۡ خَصَاصَةٌ
And they prefer (the immigrants) to themselves even though poverty be their own lot.
Surat al-Hashr No.59 Āyat 9
The above is part of a verse that demonstrates the spirit of the Ansār, the helpers of Madina, as they prepared to host the Messenger of Allah sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa ālih, as well as the Muslim migrants from Makkah, the Muhājirūn. The Ansār welcomed the Muhājirūn wholeheartedly, going beyond simply preparing their homes to host them. They prepared their hearts and souls, and cultivated an entire environment amidst their city that reflected the utmost generosity, loyalty, and brotherhood. Their welcome was not merely an act of hospitality, but a profound expression of faith, sacrifice, and support.
Amongst the outstanding characteristics of the Ansār, was their selfless generosity. The word ithār means to give precedence or to prefer something, placing it before something else. In this case, the Ansār put the Muhājir before themselves and offered them everything to their best capacity. A tradition from Imam Sadiq (a) states that when the Muhājirūn arrived in Madina, the Ansār gave them half of their houses and their possessions. Their generosity was exceptional, as it did not consist merely of giving away what they had in abundance. They shared their belongings even when they had very little for themselves. They did this because they knew it was pleasing to the Almighty. The quality of ithār is one of the highest moral traits.
Being able to give selflessly is not the result of affluence or financial prosperity. The word Khasāsah as used in this verse, means great need or poverty. The expression khaṣāṣ al-bayt means the gaps or openings in a house. Poverty is called khaṣāṣah because it leaves gaps in a person’s life through needs that remain unfulfilled. The Ansār did not share their possessions because they were wealthy. They shared their possession because they loved those who had migrated towards them. They also because they detached themselves from the possessions that were given to them.(Q59:9) Allah (swt) commends both their actions of sacrifice and the spirit of selflessness amongst the Ansār of Madina.
In a tradition from Imam Ali (a), he says, “Be forgiving in your strength (to avenge), be generous in your adversity, and give preference to others in your hardship. In this way, merits will be perfected for you.” (Āmūdi, Ghurar al-Hikam, p.531)
The quality of ithār is a sign of success (falāh), as Allah (swt) calls the Ansār, the muflihūn, the successful ones. It is a sign that the giver recognizes that his possessions have been given to him by Allah (swt). He also sees the believers as his own brothers and takes joy in their comfort and happiness. Once Imam al-Sādiq (a) asked a companion, “Do you know who is a possessive person (shahih)? The companion said, “It is a miserly person (bakhil).” Imam (a) said, “Shuḥḥ is more severe than bukhl. For a miser withholds what is in his own possession, but a person afflicted with shuḥḥ begrudges both what he possesses and what is in the possession of others.” The verse describes the Ansār as people who were protected from the shuḥḥ (possessiveness) of the soul. (al-Ṣadūq, Man lā yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, v.2, p.63 no.1715 )
This selfless generosity has been demonstrated in the lives of the Imam Ali and Sayyida Fatima (a) when they hosted a hungry man even though they barely had enough food for their own family. They sat with their guest until he ate to his fill, while their own family went to sleep hungry. The following morning, they went to see the Prophet (s). He looked at them and smiled. Without having said a word, he praised their selfless generosity by reciting the verse quoted above: “and they prefer (the immigrants) to themselves even though poverty be their own lot.” (Q59:9)
We pray to the Almighty to enable us to give wholeheartedly and selflessly, remembering that whatever we have, has been gifted to us by the Almighty. We continue to pray for the safety and victory of the Muslim Ummah through the hastening of Imam al-Hujjah ‘ajjallāhu farajah.
Sources: Āyatullāh Nāsir Makārim Shirāzī (Ed.), Tafsīr-e Namūneh; Allāmah Muhammad Husayn Tabātabā’ī, Tafsīr al-Mīzān; Shaykh Tabarsī, Tafsīr Majma‘ al-Bayān; h. Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour/Dr. Tahir Ridha Jaffer (Eds.), Tafsīr Tadabbur Al-Qur’an.