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Al-Ṣuffah (), or Dikkat Ashab As-Suffah (دِكَّة أَصْحَاب الصُّفَّة) was a sheltered raised platform that was available at the rear side of the Prophet's Mosque during the Medina period (622-632) of early Islam. It was initially available at the northeastern corner of the mosque and Muhammad ordered it to be covered by palm leaves in order to provide shade, hence it was called al-Suffah or al-Ẓullah (الظلة) "the shade". It was moved several decades later into another place in the mosque during an expansion project.
Homeless and unmarried Muhajirun (companions of the Prophet who migrated from Mecca) who did not have relatives in Medina, dwelt in al-Suffah where they were mainly learning the Quran and Sunnah. These people were called Aṣhab al-Ṣuffah "Companions of the Ṣuffah".
Due to the scarcity of jobs caused by a combination of trade boycott and military threat, members of Ashab al-Suffah had little income. It is estimated that al-Suffah held up to 300 people at a time, but they were merely increasing and decreasing in numbers. They could have reached about 400 total members, and it lasted about nine years till they became rich before the death of Muhammad. Later, every one of them became a ruler or an emir.
When al-Walid I, the Umayyad Caliph, expanded the mosque, Al-Suffah's location was changed to where it is now called: Dikkat Al-Aghwat.
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