Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful.”[1] This verse teaches us the importance of being together with the truthful and the sincere. Imam Al- Jurjani defines sidq (truthfulness) as “the person who gives reality to every word he utters with his heart and actions.” In the early days of Islam, the most beautiful place of gathering for the sincere was the house of the young companion Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam.

Arqam (RA), who embraced Islam at the age of seventeen, opened his home at the foot of Safa Hill to the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims. Arqam’s house, known as Dar al-Arqam, quickly became the first gathering place for Muslims and the first school of Islam. Here, the Prophet (saw) would recite the revelation he received to the Muslims, teach them the Qur’an, guide them in the fundamentals of Islam and invite those seeking the truth to the faith. Indeed, it was in this very house that Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) first encountered Islam.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Dar al-arqam was more than just a house. It was a center of faith, where hearts filled with belief came together and were nurtured with patience and determination. In that home, the companions were equipped with knowledge and became a pioneering community that would carry Islam to the world. Allah (swt) says: “Allah is the friend of those who believe; He brings them out of darkness into light.”[2] Indeed, Dar al-Arqam became a gateway to the light amongst the darkness of the ignorant society of Jahiliyyah.

Dear Jama’ah!
Today, in the individualising conditions of modern life, we often keep our homes just to ourselves. Yet, our homes should not only be places of rest; they should be spaces where friendship, brotherhood, hospitality and sharing take place. The beloved Prophet (saw) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let them Honor their guest.”[3] Transforming our homes into places of love, learning and sharing, like Dar al-Arqam, is a reflection of this very hadith.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
The tradition of suhbah holds an important place within the Islamic education system. Through suhbah, hearts are polished, souls are united, knowledge is shared, and brotherhood is strengthened. Indeed, the Prophet (saw) described the believers, saying: “A believer to another believer is like parts of a building, each strengthening the other…”[4]

Dar al-Arqam stands at the very core of this tradition. It was in that place that the foundations of solidarity and brotherhood were laid. Today, the home gatherings our organisation continues under the name “House of Remembrance”, along with lessons in our mosques and circles of knowledge, are part of and a continuation of that blessed legacy. Our duty is to open our homes to the life-giving call of Islam like Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam, to take our place in these gatherings, and, if possible, to take on the responsibility of leading these circles. Our hope is that our homes, like the house of Arqam, become places of faith and brotherhood, where Qur’an recitation rises, the name of Allah is remembered, and blessings are raised upon our Prophet. In this way, our homes may become centres of mercy and abundance and our hearts a refuge of peace.

O Allah! Honor our homes with the light of the Qur’an, the blessings of suhbah and the warmth of love. O Allah! Keep the Ummah of Muhammad united, pleasant and bound in brotherhood. Ameen.

[1] Surah At-Tawbah,119

[2] Surah Al-Baqarah, 257

[3] Buhârî, Edeb, 31; Müslim, İman, 74

[4] Buhârî, Salât, 88; Müslim, Birr, 65

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