Jabir b. Abdullah reported that it was concerning them (the Ansar) that this verse was revealed, that when the two groups amongst you were about to lose heart and Allah was the Guardian of them both. This concerned Banu Salama and Banu Haritha and we did not like that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, should not have revealed this verse for the fact that Allah (gave an assurance) of being the Guardian of both.  

فِينَا نَزَلَتْ { إِذْ هَمَّتْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ تَفْشَلاَ وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّهُمَا} بَنُو سَلِمَةَ وَبَنُو حَارِثَةَ وَمَا نُحِبُّ أَنَّهَا لَمْ تَنْزِلْ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ ﷻ { وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّهُمَا}  

O Allah,, grant forgiveness to the Ansar, the offspring of the Ansar and the offspring of the offspring of the Ansar. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shulba with the same chain of transmitters.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلأَنْصَارِ وَلأَبْنَاءِ الأَنْصَارِ وَأَبْنَاءِ أَبْنَاءِ الأَنْصَارِ وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْحَارِثِ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ  

I think (he also sought forgiveness) for the children of the Ansar and the slaves and the freed men of the Ansar. I have no doubt about it.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ اسْتَغْفَرَ لِلأَنْصَارِ قَالَ وَأَحْسِبُهُ قَالَ وَلِذَرَارِيِّ الأَنْصَارِ وَلِمَوَالِي الأَنْصَارِ لاَ أَشُكُّ فِيهِ  

O Allah, (bear witness) (and addressing the Ansar), said: You are dearest to me amongst people, (and said: O Allah (bear witness) (and addressing the Ansar), said: You are dearest to me amongst people. And he meant Ansar.  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ رَأَى صِبْيَانًا وَنِسَاءً مُقْبِلِينَ مِنْ عُرْسٍ فَقَامَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُمْثِلاً فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتُمْ مِنْ أَحَبِّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتُمْ مِنْ أَحَبِّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ يَعْنِي الأَنْصَارَ  

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, you are dearest to me amongst the people. He repeated it thrice.  

سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يَقُولُ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَخَلاَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّكُمْ لأَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ  

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.  

عَنْ شُعْبَةَ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ  

The Ansar are my family and my trusted friends. and the people would increase in number whereas they (the Ansar) would become less and less, so appreciate the deeds of those from amongst them who do good and overlook their failings.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الأَنْصَارَ كَرِشِي وَعَيْبَتِي وَإِنَّ النَّاسَ سَيَكْثُرُونَ وَيَقِلُّونَ فَاقْبَلُوا مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَاعْفُوا عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ