THE IMPORTANCE OF ASHAB AL-SUFFA

The Suffa was the first orderly institute of education in Islam. In other words, it constituted the first Islamic “university.” So the people of the Suffa were a distinguished community who devoted their lives to the study of sciences and wisdom taught at the madrasa (school) of the Prophet (pbuh).

Many traditions unheard by the rest of the Muslims reached this community due to their proxt to the Prophet. They also had the lead in the narration of traditions. For instance, three of the companions having narrated the most number of hadiths, namely Abu Hurairah, Abdullah ibn Umar and Abu Said al-Hudri were among the disciples of the Suffa Brotherhood which demonstrates their close ties to the Prophet. 

Ahl al-Suffa served for the most part for the spread of Islam and the education of the Islamic sciences. When the newly converting tribes located outside of Medina demanded teachers to teach them the Quran and other religious knowledge, mentors from Ahl al-Suffa were sent there. As seen in the events of Bir Mauna and Raji, they fulfilled their duty at the cost of their lives. Moreover, representatives from Muslim tribes stayed in guest-houses designated by the state, and Ahl al-Suffa were charged with the duty of an intensive education geared towards them.

Briefly, the Suffa was a model and a pioneer home of education in the history of Islam. Some Suffa-dwellers devoted themselves to spiritual-moral life completely, so they became the pioneers of ascetic life and tendency towards Islamic mysticism.