The Firsts (Sahaba Stories) | The Forerunners of Islam
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44
Life of the Prophet (seerah)
Khawla Bint Hakim & Uthman Ibn Madhun: The Righteous Couple | The Firsts
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Life of the Prophet (seerah)
Al-Shifa bint Abdullah (ra): The Healer and Scholar | The Firsts Shorts
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Life of the Prophet (seerah)
Shurahbil Ibn Hasana (ra): The Scribe and Commander | The Firsts Shorts
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Life of the Prophet (seerah)
Khalid ibn al-Walid (ra): The Legendary Military General | The Firsts
126
Life of the Prophet (seerah)
Amr ibn al-As (ra): His Wicked Father and “Better” Brother | The Firsts
146
Life of the Prophet (seerah)
Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid (ra): From False Prophet to Shaheed | The Firsts
147
Life of the Prophet (seerah)
Zayd ibn al-Khattab (ra): The Quiet Brother of Omar (ra) | The Firsts
Al-Arqam Ibn Abil Arqam: The House of Islam
A young man from a powerful tribe who used his influence and home to help build the world’s greatest movement of Al-Islam.
Transcript
This transcript was auto-generated using AI and may contain misspellings. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu. A'udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajim. Bismillahir rahmanir raheem. Alhamdulilahi rabbil alameen. wa la ilaha illa a'la al-dhalimeen wa ala aqeebatu lilmuttaqeen. Allahumma salli wa sallimu wa barak ala abdika wa rasulika Muhammadin sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam tasneemin katheeran. So inshallah tonight we are going to speak about someone who is typically not spoken about except in regards to his home and what his home played, the role that his home played in the seerah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And we spoke about him in brief yesterday. The incident of Ammar and Suhaib may Allah be pleased with them, meeting at the door of this individual. And as they ran into each other about to enter in, they ask each other what they're doing there and both of them confessed that they were there to listen to the teachings of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. That they'd heard about the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam preaching this new way of life. They enter into this home and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam presented to us Islam and they accepted Islam. They both left that home, Ammar and Suhaib, as Muslims after meeting the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Now tonight's lecture will probably be a little bit shorter than some of the other ones because there isn't just, there just isn't that much about this individual in the books. And you know it's more about the role that his home played than him. And that is Al-Arqam, Ibn Abi Al-Arqam radiAllahu ta'ala anhu. According to a narration in Al-Hakim, he was the seventh person to embrace Islam. The seventh person to embrace Islam. Now, I'm going to put this out there that sometimes you'll have these narrations. So for example the one that we just completed going over the names in there. The first seven, Adharul Islam, who presented their Islam
publicly. Right, and we went through some of those names. And sometimes you'll see when you're reading about some of these firsts that the numbers will be similar to the numbers of others. And obviously there are going to be conflicting narrations about when a person embraced Islam or what number they are in the order because obviously Islam was being preached secretly at this point. And so some people had embraced Islam but kept their Islam secret. And some people had embraced Islam literally on the same day. So who do you put first, Ammar or Suhaib for example. And so you're going to have these types of discussions. But the point being that Al-Arqam is one of the earliest to embrace Islam. And his house will play a central role in the seerah of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wasalam and in the lives of the companions. Now, how young was Al-Arqam? Okay, and I'm going to talk a little bit about his tribe in a bit inshaAllah ta'ala. But how young was he? We talk about youth embracing Islam. And Ali ibn Abi Talib radiAllahu ta'ala anhu in particular, we've spoken about how young he was when he embraced Islam. But he was raised in the house of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wasalam, right? Al-Arqam ibn Abi Al-Arqam was anywhere from 12 to 16 years old when he embraced Islam. So he was a teenager. Okay, so most of the narrations put him around 14 years old, the lowest of them 12 years old, the highest of them 16 years old. So he was literally a teenager, if even just coming into his teens. And of course, you know, people were forced to mature at a younger age at that point at that time. And so, you know, a 14 year old at that time is not necessarily a 14 year old at this time, because of the responsibilities and things of that sort. But he was very, very young. And he heard about the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wasalam early on, kind of listening in. And I want you to picture this young man, truly young
and very quiet. So Al-Arqam, one of the reasons perhaps that you don't find much about him in the Sira is because he clearly was a very quiet young man, listening around, hearing the news here or there, and embracing Islam. And he does not seem to talk much before or after Mecca, Medina, or beyond. He seems to be a very quiet individual. WadiAllahu ta'ala anhum. So what makes this young person so instrumental? How does he have a home in the first place? Again, a 14 year old at that time is not necessarily a 14 year old or not, is certainly not a 14 year old at this time, but should be a source of inspiration to young people to know what role they could play in Islam. He inherited a home from his father, and that house was strategically located right next to As-Safa, which was of course a much higher hill at the time. People used to go to the top of As-Safa to make announcements like the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wasalam did when he first made his announcement to his family, calling them to Islam. At least his first public call, alayhi salatu wasalam. He inherited a home that was strategically right next to As-Safa, and if you look in fact at this image, you'll see that right to the right of As-Safa, that's where the location of this home was. Till now it's still marked, and in fact until the recent past, if you look at the older pictures, you'll see that it was still marked in a certain way. It became a place where Qur'an was taught. It became a school, so it's not just that we have a bunch of Islamic schools that are named Dar al-Arqam, but it became a place where the Qur'an was taught and things of that sort. Books are sold, and now you can see it's marked by a window right next to the mountain of As-Safa. So this is a very strategically placed home that he inherited from his father, and it
would become the house of Islam. It would become the place where the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam would teach Islam to that young group of companions that were surrounding him, that initially embraced Islam, most of them being from the oppressed class. Most of them were the Bilals and the Suhaibs and the Ammars and the Khababs and so on and so forth. But not al-Arqam. Who is al-Arqam? What is his tribe? Al-Arqam's father's name, of course he's known as al-Arqam ibn Abu al-Arqam, but al-Arqam's actual father's name, Abu al-Arqam, the father of al-Arqam is Abdi Manaf ibn Asad ibn Umar ibn Mahzum. Now if you're paying attention and listening to the tribe names, what is the tribe of Mahzum? The tribe of Mahzum is the tribe of Abu Jahl. So he's from the tribe of Abu Jahl, one of the most powerful tribes in Mecca and the head of whom is rising to be the pharaoh of this Ummah, the one who's torturing all of those young companions that have embraced Islam. The head is Abu Jahl. And Banu Mahzum was the rival tribe of Banu Hashim, the tribe of the Prophet ﷺ. And so you have all of these competitions that exist between Banu Mahzum and Banu Hashim and of course that was Abu Jahl's greatest resistance to Islam. He said, how can we produce a prophet? We can't compete with Banu Hashim if we acknowledge that they have a prophet amongst them. Then we will forever concede to their tribe. Al-Arqam ibn Abu Al-Arqam kept his Islam private but he's from the tribe of Banu Mahzum. No one would suspect that he was Muslim. He never made his Islam public and he was literally a young teenager
that used to walk unsuspectingly throughout, could go to the gatherings of Banu Mahzum and no one would think that maybe he's Muslim. No one would worry about Al-Arqam ibn Abu Al-Arqam which makes his choice or the Prophet ﷺ choosing him in his home to be so brilliant. And SubhanAllah some of the scholars, they mentioned that Musa Alayhi Salaam grew up in the house of Fir'aun. He grew up in the house of the pharaoh. Allah protected the Prophet Moses Peace Be Upon Him Alayhi Salaam in the house of Fir'aun. The Prophet ﷺ was protected and raising a young ummah in the house of a young man from the tribe of the Fir'aun of his time. Okay who was Abu Jahl the Fir'aun of this ummah. So you have you know Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala showing his miracles just in the way that things are proceeding. That the Prophet ﷺ is raising an ummah, raising a generation in that home out of all homes. In the house of a young man from his enemy tribe Banu Mahzum where Abu Jahl was leading the charge against the Prophet ﷺ. And some of the scholars they mention about the youth in particular here. The Prophet ﷺ of course had more hope in the youth than he did in the elders. And this is something that's established whether the Prophet ﷺ was in Ta'if right and the Prophet ﷺ hoped that from their children there would be a generation that would worship Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala or whether it was the people that the Prophet ﷺ saw in Badr making dua that their kids would be different. And then when their children led the revolt against the Prophet ﷺ in Uhud. They were younger, Ikrama the son of Abu Jahl, Khalid ibn al-Walid right. They were the younger men and the Prophet ﷺ says, Allahumma ghfirli qawmi fa innahum la ya'lamoon. Oh Allah forgive my people they don't know any better. He had more hope in the young people. He had more hope in the youth. Because they were less set in their ways, they were less attached to their tribes.
Their innocence brought them closer to the fitrah or kept them closer to their natural inclination. They weren't as partisan, they were more willing to listen to the Prophet ﷺ and his message. And SubhanAllah what did Allah reward the Prophet ﷺ with? The children of his enemies both in Ta'if and in Mecca. Becoming not just a Muslim but a reason for the spread of Islam. Here this young teenager from Banu Mahzum becoming a source of protection for the Prophet ﷺ and his companions. And so imagine the site, you have this teenager who owns this little house right next to As-Safa. Some of the historians what they point out to, or what they point to is they said there was a narrow alleyway from As-Safa to the house of Al-Arqam. And it was also right around the crowds of Mecca and so it was easy to sneak in and to enter into that house unsuspectingly and not worry about anything. So they were able to keep this secret for years that they were there. What was taking place in that house? The Prophet ﷺ would go there every day and he would teach the companions there, that young group of people that had embraced Islam around him. He would receive revelation in that home. SubhanAllah some of the Qur'an was revealed in that home of Al-Arqam. So much of it, in fact the majority of it was recited for the first time to a group of people in that home. This was the home where Ammar ibn Yasir and Suhaib accepted Islam. This was the home where Hamza and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, accepted Islam. So how many shahadahs, legends of Islam took their shahadah, became Muslim in that home with the Prophet ﷺ, gave their allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ? It was actually here that Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala revealed to the Prophet ﷺ,
Ya ayyuhan nabi hasbuka Allah wa man attaba'aka minal mu'mineen. That O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you. Hasbuka Allah wa man attaba'aka minal mu'mineen and for those who follow you among the believers, it is enough for you Ya Rasulullah to have Allah on your side and it is enough for those young believers to have Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala with them. And so this continues for years. Al-Arqam ibn Abu Al-Arqam hosts the Prophet ﷺ, is able to walk through the streets of Mecca. At no point does he endure any type of torture. At no point is he called out. At no point does Abu Jahl, the head of Banu Maghzum, think that this young man is the one that is hosting and protecting his sworn enemy, the Prophet ﷺ, or rather who he swore to be an enemy of in the Prophet ﷺ. As years go on and the Prophet ﷺ is able to cultivate this community, this becomes an inspiration for believers for all times. And that's why like I said, and I said it quite jokingly, but I actually do mean it, subhanAllah, the benefit, the beauty of having so many schools, Qur'an schools around the world, Islamic schools that are named after Al-Arqam. Sometimes you find even masajids that are named after Al-Arqam. Because it was in those small gatherings that the Prophet ﷺ was not just able to teach them the Qur'an, not just able to accept their Islam and then to teach them how to pray. But the Prophet ﷺ nurtured a bond and a community in that home. And Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala brought that through the barakah of that gathering place. And so when you talk about the first masjid and you talk about the first Islamic university and the first Islamic school, you know there are different notions that are going to come to your mind. But what's taking
place in that home, right, is something very special. And subhanAllah also by the way, you know, if you think about what cultivates faith in us, how many people found their strong Islamic identity in the halaqas, right, in the small groups that would gather in the masajid, in the houses of Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala, remembering Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala, reflecting upon Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala together and building their identity. And especially for people that live as Muslim minorities, okay, especially for people that live as Muslim minorities, you find that some of the most active people in Islamic work found their identity, found their commitment, not through the khutbas but through the halaqas, right, through the small groups of people that would get together on a weekly basis, whether it was in someone's house or whether it was in a masjid, and they would build that bond with one another, they build that connection with one another. And that gave them the strength to be able to deal with, or that gives them the strength to be able to deal with the circumstances on the outside, and also nurtures a lifelong commitment. Imagine being in Mecca where you know that every single time you step in that house, you step in that house, there is a possibility that you will be found out, and that you will be tortured and killed for it. And every time you step out, there's the possibility that someone is holding a sword or a spear waiting for you as soon as you exit that home to be targeted. And SubhanAllah, you know, that's why we'll find that when Umar ibn Khattab radiAllahu anhu knocks on that door, they think he's coming to kill them, they think they've been found out. But Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala protected them and they were able to cultivate that faith there. So this is a lesson for us, you know, as we nurture our faith, as we nurture that certainty, as we nurture that camaraderie upon that certainty, as we nurture that commitment to that certainty in the collective sense, in our small group, studying the Quran together, studying the seerah together, reflecting together, that we are living the legacy of what the Prophet
salAllahu alayhi wa sallam nurtured in the house of Al-Arqam. And you know, a lot of times you see people that move on from that to bigger gatherings, they say it's not the same, you know, I remember that camp, I remember that halaqa, I remember when we were in that small home, remembering Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala together. And so the companions that went through the experience of being in the house of Al-Arqam, you know, that's something that they would reflect upon and that they could connect to forever, how blessed and privileged to be in that small gathering around the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam. Now with Al-Arqam ibn Abu Al-Arqam, you also have, by the way, an example of someone who uses his power and his privilege for the good of Islam. Without the need to be celebrated, without the need to be recognized, Al-Arqam radiAllahu ta'ala anhu had no problem using his privilege of being from Banu Makhzum to the support of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam, and that was enough for him. He didn't need to go down as one of the greats or one of the nobles or things of that sort, he didn't need to be celebrated or propped up. He enjoyed his, you know, being anonymous in the city of Mecca amongst the people like Abu Jahl, while at the same time allowing the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam a space to actually build his community. And his identity is forever attached to that home. You also find, by the way, from the strategy of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam, and this is strategic because even if Al-Arqam would have been found out, Abu Jahl is not going to kill his own, or this would not, this is not like the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam being in the house of a Hashemite, of course Banu Hashem would be boycotted, that there was a strategic reason as well that there could be a great benefit that even if things were to be found out and discovered, obviously this was a tribalistic resistance to the mission of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam, and so it was to the benefit of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam to be in the house of a Makhzumi, someone from that tribe of
Abu Jahl, in this young man Al-Arqam ibn Abu Al-Arqam. Now, a hadith, we don't have them narrated from him. We don't have him speaking. We have a very subtle presence, however, he made the hijrah with the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam to Medina in the year of 622, along with the other companions of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam. There is a narration of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam granting him a special house, a special home from the spoils in the area of Az-Zurayq in Medina, which would of course represent a loyalty of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam of sorts to this young man for what he gave to Islam. He fought every battle alongside the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam, Badr, Uhud, Khandaq. He did not miss a single battle with the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam. He lived through the era of all the Khulafa Ar-Rashideen, and he would die in the time of Muawiyah radiAllahu ta'ala anhu, and his janazah would be led by none other than Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas radiAllahu ta'ala anhu. We don't have narrations from him. We don't have this picture to paint of him, this person that accepted Islam at such a young age and was so instrumental to its beginning. But Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala certainly knows and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala certainly would reward this young man who gave his house for the purpose of cultivating that call to al-jannah. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant him a high place in al-jannah, a high home in al-jannah as well. And subhanAllah his one wish when he passed away as he allowed for his home to be inherited was that his home would not be sold. So it was a connection that he had to that place, that special place, and you can imagine, and this is what I was thinking about as I was just preparing for this lecture and again there isn't much on al-arqam radiAllahu ta'ala anhu, but imagine as the sahaba came
back and fathah Mecca and the conquest of Mecca and they are now in the thousands and thousands and thousands and the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam is going to stand up on Safa again where he was once rejected but this time with thousands of followers and in a place of complete victory and he could look just right off to the right of that mountain and say that's where we used to gather, that was the place that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala allowed us at that time to cultivate this faith, this iman, this yaqeen, this certainty in our hearts and minds. And gain that commitment to that yaqeen. So in al-arqam is a lesson of selflessness and sacrifice and using your position and how even a quiet soldier in the back can be so instrumental to the cultivating of a community by the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam and is also a lesson for us that those small blessed gatherings where we gather together to remember Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, to reflect on the Quran, the seerah of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam is where our identity and our commitment and our faith will grow. And so it is befitting that the house of Islam, the house of al-arqam has so many homes of al-Islam and homes of Islamic education named after it. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala have mercy on him and be pleased with him and his sacrifice and his service to this deen. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala allow us to cultivate that iman and that faith in our hearts, that certainty in our hearts. And may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gather us amongst the few in the highest level of janat al-firdaus in the companionship of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam. May Allah allow us to enjoy that proximity to the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam in paradise that the companions enjoyed, those few enjoyed with the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam in dar al-arqam. Allahuma ameen. JazakumAllahu khayran. Asalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
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