Ansari (nesba)
Al-Ansari or simply "Ansari" is a surname found mainly in Arab states of the Persian Gulf and other Arab and South Asian countries. Generally, the people with surname Al-Ansari or Ansari (in some parts of South Asia) are considered to have an Arab lineage originating from modern day Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Widely used in the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, the surname Al-Ansari or Ansari originates from Ansar, the Medinan people who helped the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in his migration from Mecca to Medina. They were infact the first initial tribes in Arabia to accept Islam. The literal meaning of Ansar is "supporters".
Arabic usage
The surname Al-Ansari is used among Arabs. Mostly in the Persian Gulf region and other Arab nations. Al-Ansar tribe also has other family names that are either الاوس or الخزرج. Many members of the tribe have settled all over the Persian Gulf.
Iranian usage
In contrast, Iranians use surnames instead of patronymics. In Iran, it has become a surname, since Iranian use surnames. Some Ansaris escaped Medina after the death of Muhammad because they were Shia Muslims which was unpopular with the caliphates (Leaders) of that time except Imam Ali and Imam Hassan which were Shias themselves. This has also happened with the "Tabatabai", also originally a Nesbat.
South Asian usage
The Ansari surname goes as far as being used in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Through the various waves of migration from the Arabian Peninsula, Iran and Central Asia, descendants of the Ansari tribes arrived in the Indian Subcontinent.
The main settlements and concentrations of Ansaris in the Indian subcontinent, were in Multan (modern day Pakistan); Sindh (modern day Pakistan) and major parts of northern India. Some Ansaris also reside in the western Konkan Coast of India, whose ancestors are said to have firstly came and settled from the Arabian Peninsula via sea routes as scholars or traders.
Many of the Ansaris in northern India and Pakistan were involved in fabric manufacturing (Urdu: Julaha). Often but not necessarily, Ansari is used to identify a caste as well. See also, Islam in India.
Although, Ansaris hold a higher status in Islam for the keen support and involvement of their ancestors in many key Islamic events like the Battle of Badr, the Battle of Uhud, the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, etc. Muhammad always considered his Ansar companions as his close allies, as they were the initial supporters of Islam. He is said to have appreciated the Ansar tribes at many events.
Notable Ansari as nesba
- Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a prominent companion of Muhammad
- Ansari ( other companions of Muhammad)
- Khwaja Muhammad Latif Ansari, scholar and descendant of Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, the descendant of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
- Sa'id ibn Aws al-Ansari (died 830), Arab linguist and narrator of hadith
- Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (936–1013), also known as Albucasis, Arab Muslim physician and surgeon who lived in Al-Andalus
- Khwaja Abdullah Ansari (1006–1088), Persian mystic and poet, and one of the descendants of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
- Shams al-Din al-Ansari al-Dimashqi (1256–1327), Syrian Arab geographer
- Zakariyya al-Ansari (1420–1520), Egyptian Sufi mystic
- Morteza Ansari (1781–1864), Shia jurist from Dezful, Iran
- Hamidul Ansari Ghazi (1906-1992), Indian freedom fighter, Urdu journalist, graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband, India. Mumbai, India.
- Muhammad Miyan Mansoor Ansari (1879-1946), Indian freedom fighter, Hero of the Silken Letters Movement-1904-1916, diplomat, jurist, political scientist Deoband-India, Kabul-Afghanistan, Ankara-Turkey.
- Dr Abidullah Al-Ansari Ghazi, (1936-), Indian-American Academician, syllabus developer, author, Chicago, Illinois, USA..
- Muhammad Tariq Al-Ansari Ghazi, (1941-), Indian-Canadian journalist, historian, sociologist, author of books, Toronto, Canada
- Shehnaz Kanwal Ghazi, nee Ansari, (1947-), Indian Novelist, short-story writer. Aligarh, Inida.
- Abdullah Ansari Anbehtawi, (1852-1925), Indian Islamic scholar, First Dean of Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College, Aligarh India.
- Arshad Ghazi - Ansari, (1952-), Indian Urdu poet, New Delhi, India.
- Rashid Ahmad Gangohi - Ansari, (1839-1905). Indian Islamic scholar, jurist, academician, freedom fighter in 1857 War of Independence. Gangoh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
First Naats in islam
- Tala' al Badru 'Alayna Tala‘ al-Badru ‘Alaynā (Arabic: طلع البدر علينا) is a traditional Islamic song known as nasheed that the Ansar sang to Muhammad upon his arrival at Yathrib after completing the Hijra[1][2] in 622 CE.[3] The song is currently over 1400 years old, and one of the oldest in the Islam.
See also
References
Ghazi, Muhammad Tariq Al-Ansari. "Tazkar ul Ansar" ( ISBN 1-56316-922-3) Biographical Encyclopedia (2018). Iqra Education Foundation, Mumbai, India (www.iqraindia.org).