Story Shuffah

Shuffah

 

Shuffah

 

The Muslims who have made the migration journey from Mecca to Medina must face several social problems. The arrival of those without adequate supplies to an agricultural area very different from the arid area of ​​origin became a triggering factor. In essence, they need assistance in fulfilling their daily needs and housing.

The brotherhood ( al-muâkhâh ) established by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam between the muhajirin and the ansar is one solution to minimize the problems above. The Ansar have devoted all their abilities to help the emigrants. However, some of these emigrants still need a place to stay. In addition, the intensity of the hijrah wave did not stop, especially before the Khandaq war. No doubt, if this condition prompted the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam to start thinking about shelter for the poor who had settled in Medina.

The Origin of the Shuffah Bangunan Building

The right moment came. When the order to divert the direction of the Qibla came from the direction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque towards the Kaaba (Muslims faced the direction of the Aqsa Mosque in prayer for 16 months after the Prophet's migration to Medina), the result was that the wall that was previously in front, is now behind the mosque. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam ordered that the place be given a roof. However, the sides of the edges are still left open without a covering wall. That is the place that became known as Shuffah which will be a place to live for poor immigrants.

Exactly, it is not known how wide Shuffah is. But clearly, the place can accommodate a lot of people. To the extent that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam once made the place a place for walimah (eating events) attended by 300 people, although some of those present were forced to sit in the rooms of some of the wives of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam which is adjacent to the mosque. (HR. Muslim, Kitâb Nikâh, no. 94).

Shuffah

The first to live in Shuffah were the emigrants (Samhudi, Wafâ-ul Wafâ, 1/323). Therefore, sometimes this Shuffah is attached to them until it is also known as Shuffatul muhajirin (HR. Abu daud, Kitâbul Harûf, 2/361). This place is also a stopover for the messengers who want to meet the Messenger of God peace and blessings be upon him to express his Islam and his readiness to obey the Messenger of God peace and blessings of God be upon him (HR. Bukhari, Kitâbus Salat, Bâbu Naumir rijâl Fil Masjid and the history of Ibn Majah, Sunan, Kitâbus Shaid, Bâbud Dhab). Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu 'anhu is the person who is trusted as the person responsible for the people who live in Shuffah, both those who reside for a long period of time or those who just stop by.

The inhabitants of Shuffah are not only composed of emigrants or envoys. Some of the friends of the Ansar also inhabit it. Even though they already have a house in Medina and have sufficient wealth. Their will to live asceticism is the reason why they choose to live in Shuffah. Among them, Ka'ab bin Malik al-anshari radhiyallaahu 'anhu, Hanzhalah bin Abi 'Aamir radhiyallaahu 'anhu, and Hâritsah bin Nu'mân radhiyallaahu 'anhu.

Number of Occupants of Shuffah

The number of residents of Shuffah is not stable. Their number will increase along with the increase in the number of immigrants to Medina. But in normal conditions, the number of residents is around 70 people (Abu Nu'aim, al-Hilyah, 1/339, 341). Sometimes their number increases sharply. On one occasion, Sa'ad bin 'Ubâdah radhiyallaahu 'anhu alone entertained 80 residents of Shuffah. This count does not include those who were treated by the other companions (Abu Nu'aim, al-Hilyah, 1/341).

The compiler of Kitab al-Hilyah, Abu Nu'aim mentioned their names one by one. Among them are Abu Hurairah, Abu Dzaar al-Ghifâri, Wâtsilah bin Asqa', Salmân al-Fârisi, and others, may God be pleased with him.

Busyness of Shuffah Residents : Studying Religion, Worshiping, and Jihad

The residents of Shuffah focus on studying, doing 'itikaf at the mosque in order to worship, and are used to a life of deprivation. They always pray, read the Qur'an, study its verses, and remember. Some of them learn to read and write. Until one of them gave his bow and arrow to 'Ubâdah bin Shâmit radhiyallahu 'anhu because he radhiyallaahu 'anhu had the merit of teaching the Qur'ân and writing to the owner of the bow.

Due to their full concentration in studying religion, it is not surprising that later people were born who excelled in their knowledge. Just mention Abu Hurairah radhiyallaahu 'anhu, a friend who is famous for memorizing a lot of hadith. Or the friend of Hudzaifah ibnul Yamân, may God be pleased with him, who is very attentive to slanderous hadiths .

But this does not mean that they do not care about community activities and do not have a stake in jihad. Evidently, some of them died in the Battle of Badr, such as Shafwan bin Baidha', Khubaib bin Yasâf, Sâlim bin 'Umair, and Hâritsah bin Nu'mân al-anshari radhiyallaahu 'anhum. Some also died on the battlefield of Uhud, namely Khanzhalah radhiyallaahu 'anhu, or in the Hudaibiyah incident, the Khaibar war, the Tâbuk war, and the Yamamah war. Such are the inhabitants of Shuffah. They are very concerned about knowledge and worship. At night diligently worshiping and by day being a valiant warrior.

Their Clothes and Food

Those who live in Shuffah are used to a life of deprivation. Most of them do not have adequate clothing to cover the entire body and protect it from the cold air. In Shahîh al-Bukhâri, Abu Hurairah radhiyallaahu 'anhu narrates:

لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ سَبْعِينَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الصُّفَّةِ مَا مِنْهُمْ رَجُلٌ عَلَيْهِ رِدَاءٌ إِمَّا إِزَارٌ وَإِمَّا كِسَاءٌ قَدْ رَبَطُوا فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ فَمِنْهَا مَا يَبْلُغُ نِصْفَ السَّاقَيْنِ وَمِنْهَا مَا يَبْلُغُ الْكَعْبَيْنِ فَيَجْمَعُهُ بِيَدِهِ كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ تُرَى عَوْرَتُهُ   

“ I saw 70 people from the inhabitants of Shuffah, not one of them was wearing rida` (a cloth covering the upper part of the body). Just wearing a sarong or just a kisa' only. They tie the kisa' around their necks, some extend up to half their calves, some up to their ankles. Then he put it together with his hands for fear of showing his nakedness."

Similarly, their food is no better than the condition of the clothes they wear. Dried dates are a food they often consume. Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam gave half a mud (about a handful) of dates to one person every day. Until some of them feel their stomachs are hot because they eat too many dried dates. However, Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam was not able to provide better food for them. It's just that he, may God bless him and grant him peace, always motivates them to be strong and patient. Sometimes they are invited to eat or brought milk or sometimes also get special dishes such as tsarîd (wheat porridge with a mixture of samin oil and others).

Attention of the Prophet Shallallaahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam to the Residents of Shuffah

Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam was very attentive to them. Often, he sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam often visited them, asked them about their condition, instructed them, sat together, instructed them to read the Qur'an a lot, motivated them to look at the world lightly and not hope to grasp it. If someone sends alms to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then sends all of it to them. If he receives a gift, he sends some of it and the rest he takes for personal use or the gift is enjoyed with them (HR. al-Bukhâri).

When his daughter, Fâthimah radhiyallaahu 'anhaa gave birth to Hasan radhiyallaahu 'anhu, he sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam told her to give charity to the people of Shuffah with silver weighing as much as Hasan's shaved hair (Al-Baihaqi, Sunan 9/304). In the history of Imam Ahmad rahimahullaah, it is said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prioritized the residents of Shuffah over his own family, namely Fâtimah.

Another form of attention, he sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam ordered the companions who have excess economic ability to give charity to the residents of Shuffah.