Who Were the Ashab al-Suffa?

Question

Who were the Ashab al-Suffa, and what does this [term] mean?

Answer

The Ashab al-Suffa were a group of destitute Companions who had neither home nor family; they engaged in no trade or commerce — their sustenance rested solely on reliance upon Allah (tawakkul). There was a shaded spot in the Mosque of Medina where these people lived; their number was usually around seventy, sometimes a little less or more.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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