Who is "Ansar" in Sahih al-Bukhari 17?

Question

Sahih al-Bukhari 17:

Narrated Anas:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Love for the Ansar is a sign of faith and hatred for the Ansar is a sign of hypocrisy."

Is it a name or referring to local inhabitants of Medina?

Answer 1

It refers to the inhabitants of Medinah among the sahaba, as in the verse:

والسابقون الأولون من المهاجرين والأنصار والذين اتبعوهم بإحسان رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه وأعد لهم جنات تجري تحتها الأنهار خالدين فيها أبدا ذلك الفوز العظيم

And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.

^{— Quran 9:100}