# Suffah

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Poor companions of Muhammad

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The modern day *Dikkat al-Aghwat*,[1] usually identified with the Suffah[2] area in the [Prophet's Mosque](/source/Al-Masjid_an-Nabawi)

**Al-Ṣuffah** ([Arabic](/source/Arabic_language): الصُّفّة), or *Dikkat Ashab As-Suffah* (دِكَّة أَصْحَاب الصُّفَّة) was a sheltered raised platform[2] that was available at the rear side of the [Prophet's Mosque](/source/Al-Masjid_an-Nabawi)[2] during the [Medina period](/source/Muhammad_in_Medina) (622–632) of early [Islam](/source/Islam). It was initially available at the northeastern corner of the mosque and [Muhammad](/source/Muhammad) ordered it to be covered by palm leaves in order to provide shade, hence it was called *al-Suffah* or *al-Ẓullah* (الظلة) "the shade". It was moved several decades later into another place in the mosque during an expansion project.

Homeless and unmarried [Muhajirun](/source/Muhajirun) ([companions of the Prophet](/source/Companions_of_the_Prophet) who migrated from [Mecca](/source/Mecca)) who did not have relatives in [Medina](/source/Medina), dwelt in al-Suffah where they were mainly learning the [Quran](/source/Quran) and [Sunnah](/source/Sunnah). These people were called *Aṣhab al-Ṣuffah* "Companions of the Ṣuffah".

## Legacy

Muhammad used to sit with them, chat together, and used to call them to his meal, sharing together his drinks, so they were counted as his dependents. The [Companions of the Prophet](/source/Companions_of_the_Prophet) used to take two or three of the Ashab al-Suffah to feed them at home and used to select the best dates and hand them out in al-Suffah's ceiling for meals.

Due to the scarcity of jobs caused by a combination of trade boycott and military threat,[3] members of Ashab al-Suffah had little income. It is estimated that al-Suffah held up to 300 people at a time, but they were merely increasing and decreasing in numbers.[4] They could have reached about 400 total members, and it lasted about nine years till they became rich before the death of Muhammad. Later, every one of them became a ruler or an [emir](/source/Emir).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Location

The Suffah was originally situated in the north-east corner of the Mosque. When Muhammad was ordered by [Allah](/source/Allah) to face the new [qibla](/source/Qibla) (prayer direction) to be towards Mecca at the south of Medina, the Suffah was left at the rear of the mosque, where it remained.

When [al-Walid I](/source/Al-Walid_I), the [Umayyad Caliph](/source/Umayyad_Caliphate), expanded the mosque, Al-Suffah's location was changed to where it is now called: *Dikkat Al-Aghwat*.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## See also

- [Sufism](/source/Sufism)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-madainaghwat_1-0)** ["Dikkat al-Aghwat"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220803221106/https://madainproject.com/dikkat_al_aghwat). *Madain Project*. Archived from [the original](https://madainproject.com/dikkat_al_aghwat) on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-madainsuffah_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-madainsuffah_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-madainsuffah_2-2) ["Suffah (Masjid al-Nabawi)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220803221135/https://madainproject.com/suffah_(masjid_al_nabawi)). *Madain Project*. Archived from [the original](https://madainproject.com/suffah_(masjid_al_nabawi)) on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-IE_3-0)** ["Ahl Al Suffah أهل الصفة"](http://islamicencyclopedia.org/islamic-pedia-topic.php?id=88). *Islamic Encyclopedia*. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Ashab us-Suffah platform"](http://www.islamiclandmarks.com/madinah-masjid-e-nabwi/ashab-us-suffah-platform). *Islamic Landmarks*. Retrieved 2016-03-11.

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