Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamualaikum wrwb,

Can you please time take to explain me the following hadeeth.

Jazak Allah

Narrated Abu Huraira (Radhiallaho anho):

The Ansar said to the Prophet (sallallaahu`alaihi wasallam) "Distribute the date palm trees between us and our emigrant brothers." He replied, "No." The Ansar said (to the emigrants), "Look after the trees (water and watch them) and share the fruits with us." The emigrants said, "We listen and obey."

Bukhari Vol. 3 : No. 518

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Answer:

Hadith share dates

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

When the believers of Makkah were so oppressed by the disbelieving Quraysh, they left their homes and everything they possessed at one Command of their Lord and His Messenger (saws), and migrated absolutely penniless with the Prophet (saws) to the land of Madinah. The majority of the believers of Madinah (Ansaars) used to work their lands and thus earn their livelihoods.

To integrate the now penniless believers of Makkah (Muhajirs) into the society of Madinah after their migration, the Prophet (saws) established a bond of brotherhood between each Muhajir and an Ansaar, so that they may establish themselves in their new destination. Such was this ‘master-stroke’ of establishing a bond of brotherhood between the believers of Makkah and Madinah, that not only did it unite the hearts of the believers into one believing community and Ummah, but the true character and high morals of these noble believers shone to the forefront! The ‘Ansaars’ of Madinah opened their hearts and their homes and welcomed their ‘Muhajir’ brothers wholeheartedly with open arms and strove to equally share everything that they possessed in their pursuit to please Allah and His Messenger (saws); and the ‘Muhajirs’ brothers, although accepting the unprecedented hospitality and generosity of their ‘Ansaar’ brothers, invoked the blessings of Allah upon them, and sought no ‘free’ benefit from them except that they themselves worked alongside them in their lands and markets and thus earn their own livelihood and establish themselves in their new city.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.264 Narrated by Ibrahim bin Sad

Abdur Rahman bin Auf said, "When we came to Medina as emigrants, Allah's Messenger (saws) established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sad bin Ar-Rabi'. Sad bin Ar-Rabi' said (to me), 'I am the richest among the Ansar, so I will give you half of my wealth and you may look at my two wives and whichever of the two you may choose I will divorce her, and when she has completed the prescribed period (before marriage) you may marry her.’” Abdur-Rahman replied, "May Allah bless you in your family and your property! I am not in need of all that. Is there any marketplace where trade is practiced?" He replied, "The market of Qainuqa." Abdur-Rahman went to that market the following day and brought some dried buttermilk (yogurt) and butter, and then he continued going there regularly.

It was during this early time of emigration to Madinah that this incident related in the quoted narration took place.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.518 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Ansar said to the Prophet (saws) "Distribute the date palm trees between us (the Ansaars) and our emigrant (Muhajir) brothers." He (saws) replied, "No." The Ansar said (to the emigrants), "Look after the trees (water and watch them) and share the fruits with us." The emigrants said, "We listen and obey."

The love of Allah and His Messenger (saws) and their Muhajir brothers prompted the blessed and generous believers amongst the Ansaars of Madinah to go with all their wealth to the Prophet of Allah (saws) and request that he (saws) distribute their wealth (which was predominantly their date producing trees) amongst the Ansaars and Muhajirs as he (saws) willed. The Messenger of Allah (saws) denied their unprecedented generous request, invoked the Mercy and Grace of the Lord Most Bounteous on the Ansaars of Madinah, told the Ansaars to continue their ownership of their lands and their wealth, and only permitted that the emigrant Muhajir believers work the lands of their Ansaar brothers and they share the produce of the land amongst them.

With the growth and subsequent conquest of the Muslims from Madinah, the Messenger of Allah (saws) distributed a portion of the new lands which were added to the Islamic State amongst the Muhajirs and the poor amongst the Ansaars; and thus with time, the Muhajirs who arrived penniless from Makkah were duely settled and established with their brother Ansaars in Madinah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan