Ansar

American  

[an-sahr] / ˈæn sɑr /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. the first inhabitants of Medina to accept Islam.

2. any of those who helped Muhammad after he began his preaching.

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Other Word Forms

• Ansarian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Ansar

< Arabic anṣār, plural of nāṣir helper

Example Sentences

In 1884, the redoubtable Burnaby volunteered for service in the Sudan, where the governor-general, Charles Gordon, had been besieged in the capital Khartoum by the Ansar followers of Muhammad Ahmed, the self-proclaimed Mahdi; called “Dervishes” by the British, they had embarked upon a jihad to overthrow Egyptian rule of the territory.

From The Wall Street Journal

He also reactivated the Ansar al-Afifat brigade, which was tasked with gathering intelligence inside the camp and recruiting youths, U.N. investigators said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Police said the men were linked with Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based Islamist group, and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a Kashmir offshoot of the jihadist group Al-Qaeda.

From Barron's

However, a lesser- known Sunni extremist group, Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, has said it was behind the attack – though government officials say they do not operate independently of IS.

From BBC

Many of these smaller factions, including independent jihadist groups like Ansar al-Islam and Ansar al-Tawhid, actively participated in the latest offensive, which highlights their potential vested interest in shaping the future of the new Syria.

From BBC