Dar al-Arqam (House of al-Arqam)

The private meeting-place and first “school” of the early Muslims in Mecca — the house of al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam, a young Companion of Banu Makhzum — used from about the 4th year of the da’wah, after preaching went public.

Significance in the Seerah (EP 015)

When the believers numbered ~20–30 and needed a secret place to learn and pray, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ chose al-Arqam’s house. Yasir Qadhi derives the wisdom of the choice:

• al-Arqam was from Banu Makhzum (the rival tribe of Abu Jahal) — the last house anyone would suspect of sheltering Hashimis;
• among the first ten Muslims, and trusted; young, and (in one report) not publicly known as Muslim;
• located behind Mount Safa at the centre of Mecca — near the Haram, so coming and going drew no suspicion;
• large enough to hold ~40 people.

Key events here

Conversions of Ammar, Suhayb al-Rumi, and — most famously — Umar, whom Khabbab brought after his heart softened.

Cross-references

Mecca · Muhammad ﷺ · Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) · Ammar ibn Yasir & the Family of Yasir (ra) · Da'wah & Its Five Stages

Sources

• S004 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 015 (the House of al-Arqam).