The Companions of the Veranda
During the migration of the Muslims from Makkah to Madinah, many companions abandoned their wealth, families and businesses solely for Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ. As a result, a group of companions emerged who became known as the “Companions of the Veranda.” This was a raised station adjacent to the masjid of the Prophet ﷺ, and was inhabited by a group of companions who had no wealth, families, or any means of providing for themselves, relying solely on the generosity of the Emissary of Allah ﷺ. These companions devoted their lives to the Islamic cause of seeking, implementing and spreading knowledge whilst observing the highest form of asceticism.
Their Condition and Abandonment of This World
These companions were ascetics in every sense of the word. At times, they barely had enough cloth to cover their organs and would have to use their hands in order to prevent anyone from seeing their private parts.
Abu Hurairah reports, ‘I saw seventy of As-Suffa men and none of them had a Rida' (a garment covering the upper part of the body). They had either Izars (lower garments) or sheets which they tied around their necks. Some of these sheets reached the middle of their legs and some reached their heels, and they used to gather them with their hands lest their private parts should become naked.’ (Bukhari, 442)
At times they would stand in prayer and faint out of weakness. Some of the bedouins accused them of being madmen and possessed due to their abstinence from this world. In this very narration, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned to them after the prayer and gave them glad tidings due to their states, saying: ‘'If you knew what was in store for you with Allah then you would love to be increased in poverty and need.” (Tirmidhi, 2368)
Allah ﷻ revealed a verse in the Qur’an in honour of the states of these Companions, indicating his wisdom in placing some of His creation in poverty.
وَلَوْ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍۢ مَّا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرٌۢ بَصِيرٌۭ
If God were to grant His plentiful provision to [all] His creatures, they would act insolently on earth, but He sends down in due measure whatever He will, for He is well aware of His servants and watchful over them. (Ash-Shura 42:27)
The Guests of Islam and The Messenger of Allah ﷺ
At times the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would invite the Ashab as-Suffah to his home. Other times he would go to the veranda and share food, eating amongst them. This also instilled a similar practice amongst the companions to share their food with them.
Ya'ish bin Qais bin Tikhfah narrated that his father, who was one of the people of Suffah, said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us: 'Come with me.' So we went to the house of 'Aishah, where we ate and drank. Then the Messenger of Allah said to us: 'If you want, you can sleep here, or if you want you can go out to the mosque.' We said: 'We will go out to the mosque.'" (Ibn Maja, 752)
The Ashab as-Suffah were treated as the extended family and dependants of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He would think of their needs just as he would of the needs of his family. Once Sayyiduna Ali b. Abi Talib went to the Prophet ﷺ enquiring about a servant and he received the reply: ‘I will not give to you a servant and leave the Ahl as-Suffah suffering from hunger!’ (Ahmad, 596)
Prominent Companions From Them
Sayyiduna Abu ad-Darda
Sayyiduna Abu Zarr al-Ghifari
Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah b. al-Jarrah
Sayyiduna Abu Lubabah
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah
Sayyiduna Bilal b. Abi Rabah
Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi
Sayyiduna Abdullah b. Masud
Sayyiduna Ammar b. Yasir
Their Number
The number of these companions fluctuated; at one time, there were over seventy companions on this veranda. Some scholars, like Imam an-Nawawi, state that there were approximately four hundred companions in total. The reasons for fluctuations in their numbers are many; some scholars mentioned the following:
Leaving Madinah for the propagation of the religion
Marrying
Attaining martyrdom during wars and conquests
Many of these companions progressed into leaders, teachers and rulers amongst the Muslims after the veiling of the Prophet ﷺ. They were looked to for guidance and their close proximity with the Prophet ﷺ also meant they were regarded as authoritative figures in the sciences of Islam. Not only did they preach but they embodied the spirit of true devotion to the Islamic cause, the way of Allah and his final Messenger ﷺ. Many have also traced the origins of ‘tasawwuf’ (sufism) to these companions as they combined all of the characteristics the sufis aim to achieve.
Written by Ustadh Umer Asif
Bibliography
Jami al-Bayan, Tabari
Hilyat al-Awliya, al-Asbahani
