Then the Prophet ﷺ wished to reassure their hearts, open their breasts, and make known to the people their virtues and noble qualities, for they had preceded all others in faith, in giving refuge, and in supporting the Messenger of Allah and His religion. He said:

“If it were not for the Emigration, I would have been one of the Anṣār. If people were to take a valley or a mountain pass, I would take the valley and the mountain pass of the Anṣār. The Anṣār are, in relation to the Messenger and the religion, the inner garment (shiʿār) while the rest of the people are the outer cloak (dithār); therefore they are the ones most entitled to him.”

By means of this eloquent exhortation and the great honor he conferred upon the Anṣār, they—and everyone else—realized that the Prophet ﷺ had not deprived them of the spoils and given them to others whose faith and prior service were inferior except out of reliance on the firm faith embedded in their hearts and their preference for the Hereafter over this world.

He then mentioned a mark of prophethood: that others would someday monopolize the affairs of this world at the expense of the Anṣār. This should not stir them to anger, for the enjoyments of this life are scant. Let them remain patient until they meet him at the Basin, for gracious patience is one of the causes for arriving there with the Prophet ﷺ. This prophetic prediction was fulfilled after the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.

O Allah, join us with them—and with our parents, our teachers, our relatives, and all Muslims—through Your mercy and favor, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Most Generous of the generous.

Points derived from the ḥadīth:

1. The ruler may grant a share of the booty to those whose hearts are being reconciled, according to his judgment and ijtihād.
2. It is permissible, for the sake of the general interest, to withhold from those whose religion is trusted.
3. Wanting worldly goods does not detract from a person’s faith or sincerity so long as he has not acted solely for this world; the Prophet ﷺ did not rebuke them for their desire.
4. Delivering admonitions and sermons on appropriate occasions and clarifying the truth are legitimate.
5. Leaders, governors, and officials should not manage public affairs without explaining to the people the purpose behind their actions.
6. The Prophet ﷺ is a mercy and a blessing for the Ummah, especially for the Anṣār.
7. The Anṣār’s outstanding faith and support for Allah and His Messenger give them an exclusive share in the Prophet ﷺ and obligate love for them and preference of them over others.
8. The ḥadīth contains a sign of prophethood: what he foretold concerning the Anṣār came to pass at the hands of later kings who failed to respect their honor and precedence.
9. Gracious patience in the face of hardships is one of the reasons a person will arrive at the Basin alongside the Prophet ﷺ.