Page 19 - A Helping Hand for Refugees

including large numbers of Iraqis following the American intervention,
Rohingyas who had to abandon their homes due to oppression in
Myanmar and some 2 million Afghans, Kashmiris and Somalis. Today,
too, hundreds of thousands of refugees are abandoning their mother-
land in Syria.

T The law on refugees occupies a
very important place in the history of Islam

In the first years of Islam, when maltreatment and oppression

became unbearable, our Prophet Muhammad (saas) migrated with his
Muslim followers to Medina. These Muslims who migrated from Mecca
to Medina were known as 'Muhajirun,' (migrants). The Muslims of
Medina welcomed the Muhajirun in a very graceful way. These Mus-
lims of Medina who sheltered the migrants and helped them in all ways
were known as the 'Ansar' (helpers.) God reveals that He will be pleased
with both of these of believers:

Those who have faith and have emigrated and strived in the Way

of God and those who have given refuge and help, they are the true
believers. They will have forgiveness and generous provision. (Surat
al-Anfal, 74)
The Muslims who our Prophet (saas) referred to as "Ansar" or
helpers consisted of believers from Yathrib who had gone to Mecca
during previous pilgrimage seasons and secretly sworn allegiance to

Rasulullah (saas) or who had embraced Islam by the preaching of Mus-
lims that had sworn such allegiance before. They had accepted Islam
later than most Meccan Muslims, but like them they were virtuous,
honest and altruistic. These worthy people regarded the Muhajirun who
sought refuge with them as brothers, shared their homes and food with
them and exhibited exemplary moral values. God describes the moral
virtues of the Ansar as follows:

Adnan Oktar (Harun Yahya) 17