Tafsir of Al-Hashr 59:8

Al-Hashr (The Banishment): Verse 8

[8] For the poor emigrants who were driven out from their homes and their wealth, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure, and helping Allah and His Messenger. Those are the truthful ones.

Exegesis:

Know that this statement is a substitute (badal) for the preceding statement: {And for the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer} (Al-Hashr: 7).

It is as if the meaning is: "By those four categories, I mean these poor emigrants whose characteristics are such and such."

Then, the Almighty described them with several attributes:

1. First: That they are poor (fuqarā').
2. Second: That they are emigrants (muhājirūn).
3. Third: That they were driven out from their homes and their wealth. This means the disbelievers of Mecca compelled them to leave; they are the ones who expelled them.
4. Fourth: That they seek bounty from Allah and His pleasure. The bounty (faḍl) refers to the reward of Paradise, and the pleasure (riḍwān) refers to what is mentioned in: {and the pleasure of Allah is greater} (At-Tawbah: 72).
5. Fifth: His saying: {and helping Allah and His Messenger}, meaning with their persons and their wealth.
6. Sixth: His saying: {Those are the truthful ones}. This means that when they abandoned the pleasures of this world and endured its hardships for the sake of religion, the truthfulness of their faith became evident.

Some scholars used this verse as evidence for the Imamate (leadership) of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, arguing: These poor emigrants and Ansar used to call Abu Bakr, "O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah." Allah testifies that they are truthful in their declaration. Therefore, it is obligatory that they are truthful in their saying, "O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah." When this is the case, certainty regarding the validity of his Imamate becomes necessary.

Then, the Almighty mentioned the Ansar and praised them when their souls were content regarding the spoils (fay’) being allocated to the Muhajirun before them. He said:

[9] And those who had established their abode and [embraced] the faith before them, loving those who emigrated to them and finding no discomfort in their breasts for what they have been given, but preferring others over themselves even if they are in need. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his own soul – it is those who are the successful.