call them along.” Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ states: “People of Suffah were the guests of Islam. They would not go to their households and riches. Whenever Sadaqah would be received in the blessed court of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would send it to the people of Suffah and would not consume even a little bit from it himself. Whenever a Hadyah (present) would be presented in the blessed court of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, then he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would also include the people of Suffah in it. (Bukhari, pp. 542, Hadees 6452)

Similarly, whenever anyone would come in the blessed court of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and would know somebody in Madinah Munawwarah, then he would stay at his house. And if he would not have anyone that he knew, then he would stay with the people of Suffah.’ He states: ‘I was among those people who would stay with the people of Suffah. Then I became acquainted with one person who would send one Mudd (approx. 1 Kg.) dates to two people every day on behalf of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.’          (Al-Ihsaan Bi-Tarteeb Sahib Ibn Habbaan, vol. 8, pp. 241, Hadees 6649)

Dear Islamic brothers! Did you see that how great and illustrious were the people of Suffah who were loved by the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and they too ardently loved the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. They would always remain engaged in the zikr of Allah Almighty. They refrained benefitting from worldly bounties and accumulating wealth all their lives so that the Nafs does not make them fall prey to disobedience. State of their hunger was such that they would fall down during Qiyam due to weakness.

State of hunger of the people of Suffah

Sayyiduna Fazalah Bin ‘Ubayd رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُnarrates that when the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would be leading people in Salah, then many people among the people of Suffah would be unable to perform Qiyam and fall down due to their weakness because of hunger; to the extent that the villagers would say that ‘they are insane.’ (Tirmizi, pp. 1889, Hadees 2368)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ states: ‘People of Suffah were seventy, but neither of them had a shawl.’ (Al-Ihsaan Bi-Tarteeb Sahih Ibn Habbaan, vol. 2,          pp. 36, Hadees 681)