I saw the Ansār do something with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after which I took a pledge upon myself that I would not accompany anyone of them without serving him
Authentic hadithعن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: خَرَجتُ معَ جَرِير بنِ عَبدِ الله البَجَلِي رضي الله عنه في سَفَرٍ، فَكَانَ يَخْدُمُنِي، فقُلتُ لَهُ: لا تفْعَل، فقَال: إِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيتُ الأَنْصَارَ تَصْنَعُ بِرَسُولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم شَيئًا آلَيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي أَنْ لاَ أَصْحَبَ أَحدًا مِنْهُم إِلاَّ خَدَمْتُه.
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I went out with Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Bajali on a journey, and he served me. I said to him: "Do not do that!" He said: "I saw the Ansār do something with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after which I took a pledge upon myself that I would not accompany anyone of them without serving him."
Explanation
Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) went out for a journey, in which he used to serve his companions, who were some men of the Ansār. Among them was Anas ibn Mālik, who was younger than Jarīr. It was said to him: "How do you serve them when you are a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessing be upon him?!" Jarīr replied: "I saw the Ansār do something with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after which I took an oath upon myself that I would never accompany anyone of them without serving him." This is a form of honoring those who honor the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In fact, honoring and respecting a man's companions is part of honoring and respecting the man himself. That is why Jarīr regarded that honoring those people is part of honoring the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Source · Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).