Reviving Dār al-Arqam: The First Islamic Institution

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Reviving Dār al-Arqam: The First Islamic Institution

Dar Al Akham was Islam’s first educational institution, serving as a religious and educational hub for the first believers. It helped foster community and a shared value system to form a new Islamic movement. It continues to provide a contemporary framework on how to create God-centred and politically conscious spaces to solve societal ills.

In the modern age, Dār al-Arqams are needed more than ever -  both digitally and physically -  to globally unite Muslims with shared purpose and values. This article explores Dār al-Arqam's founding and its present day impact. 

In the year 613 CE the Prophet ﷺ called out to Quraysh from atop Mount Safa as the tribes gathered to hear him. He announced the religion of Islam and invited them to Tawhid (Oneness of God). Idolatry was condemned. Tribalism was shunned and they were warned about the Day of Judgement. 

Quraysh were intimidated by the unprecedented message. It criticised their ancestor’s faith and made both slaves and masters equal. Quraysh’s wealth and power came from Arab tribes travelling to Makkah to worship their idols in the Kabbah. The chieftains had no intention of stepping down from their positions or abandoning their economic system which relied on paganism. This created antagonism towards the new Muslims in Arabia.

Establishing Dār al-Arqam

By this time, Islam’s new converts were weak slaves with no powerful tribes to defend them. They’d been called in assemblies, markets and their homes to embrace the new faith. To meet with fellow believers and learn their religion they all gathered at the house of Arqam ibn Abu Arkham - real name Abd Manaf ibn Asad – who came from the Banu Makhzum tribe.

He lived with his elderly father at the bottom of Mount Safa. Their home served as an educational institution where new converts were taught by the Prophet ﷺ. This began in the second year of the Prophetic mission and spanned across three years. Within this time, Dār al-Arqam became a hub of Islamic activity. Those who entered the religion were the earliest Muslim converts. (Najeebabadi, 200, 109)

Earliest Islamic converts: The Diverse Group

The Prophet ﷺ received support from his household who believed in Islam: his wife Khadijah, Ali ibn Abu Talib, Zaid ibn Harithah, Abu Bakr, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, Talhah Ubaidillah  رضي الله عنهم and others. The group expanded to many within the Prophet’s close circle. Within the first three years there were at least 60 Muslims.

What remains notable is that the converts had various talents and occupations which could be used in service of the new religion. Uthman ibn Affan and Abu Rahman ibn Awf were wealthy businessmen, others had worked for wealthy clients and had extensive networks such as Khabab ibn Arat, Suhayb al Rumi and Ammar ibn Yasir. Abu Bakr was knowledgeable on genealogy. He would reach out to other tribes on behalf of the Prophet ﷺ, utilising knowledge of social ties, demographics, politics and alliances.

This diverse group of converts came from different social classes, tribes and economic status. They possessed different skills, talents and experience. What made them unique was their equality under Islam and how they could mix with one another and share ideas. This allowed them to develop a unique shared identity outside of the hierarchical norms imposed by pagan Arabia.  (Khanfar, 2024, 164-6) 

The effectiveness of this new identity can be demonstrated through Dār al-Arqam’s last convert - Umar ibn Al Khattab.

The Conversion of Umar ibn Al Khattab   رضي الله عنه  

Umar ibn Al Khattab's conversion was a huge boost to the emerging Islamic movement which needed strong men of authority to protect its weaker worshippers. His conversion came at a time when Quraysh decided Islam had become a danger to the status quo. Mockery and dismissal turned into concern against the Monotheistic religion. After three years, Quraysh’s avoidance of Islam turned into direct confrontation via torture and persecution. 

This campaign was led by Abu Jahl who infamously killed Sumaya  رضي الله عنها from the family of Yasir, who became the first martyr of Islam.  Eventually the animosity grew in which tribal leaders wanted to kill the Prophet ﷺ.

Umar ibn Khattab volunteered, brandishing his sword and marching on a hot day, searching for the Messenger of Allah at Dār al-Arqam. He was seen by Nu'aym ibn Abdullah al Nahham who asked where he was heading. Umar replied he was searching for the one who changed his religion, divided Quraysh and slandered their gods.

Nu’aym became alarmed and said: “What a bad course you have taken, O Umar!” 

They argued until Ibn Al Khattab accused him of changing his religion and threatened him. 

When Nu’aym realised he couldn’t stop him, he said:

“I tell you that your family and the family of your brother-in-law have become Muslim.”

Furious, Umar ibn Al Khattab went to his sister’s house, Fatima. At the home, Khabab ibn Arat had been teaching Umar’s sister and her husband Sa’eed ibn Zaid. At Umar’s arrival, the couple hid a paper containing the Quran. 

Umar violently confronted his sister and brother-in-law which led to his later regret. He calmed down and requested to read the Quran and was told to make ghusl (purifying bath). Once this is fulfilled he reads Surah Ta Hah and is moved by the words. This begins Umar ibn Khattab’s journey to becoming a student of knowledge. He submitted to the truth and asked where the Prophet ﷺ was. 

Arrival at Dār al-Arqam and Submission of Islam

Umar ibn Al Khattab left his sister's home and proceeded to Dār al-Arqam. When he arrived at the door, the residents reacted in fear. Hamzah ibn Abdul Mutalib rebuked them, and ordered the door to be opened. Umar was then questioned by the Prophet who said: “What brings you here, O son of al-Khattab.” 

Umar submitted to Islam, announcing he believed in Allah and His Messenger.

The group made Takbir, shouting praises of Allah, loud enough to quickly disperse. Islam had now become bolstered by its newest convert. (as-Sallabi, 2007, 51, 55)

The Importance of Intellectual Spaces: Challenging Elite Power in the Contemporary Age

Umar ibn Khattab’s conversion story showcases the mentality of a learner. Instead of studying Islam alone, he visited Dār al-Arqam and submitted to the Prophet ﷺ. This allowed him to become a student of knowledge in a new educational space. This highlights the importance of intellectual spaces to build a shared value system. By establishing an informal educational institution, the new Muslims could build ideas and foster community. 

Notably, Islam was not taught in the homes of the elite but in an isolated location attended by the poor and weak. It shows that influential movements are a bottom-up phenomenon. Revolutionary change is not debated within the halls of power, but comes from the population and spreads until it affects the rulers. 

This framework puts education at the heart of reform and social change. People must be removed from the state’s ideological apparatus which affects their outlook, viewpoints and behaviours.

Through brainwashing, hierarchy, censorship and persecution, the state forces its subjects to embrace conformity.

For Quraysh, paganism was essential to shape Makkah’s economy, political ideology and the social hierarchy that distinguished elite tribes from the slave class. 

Therefore, the chieftains would be hostile towards any movement or ideas aiming for institutional change. They were unconcerned with Islam’s moral values but simply how the budding religion affected their positions and wealth. 

As society was unwilling to tolerate Islam, it needed to grow within a separate space away from the public eye. The population had to create their own educational institution and study circles outside the entrenched power structure. Islam could not have flourished from a state-led institution or public school. Its curriculum had to be led by the Prophet ﷺ, its location inside the community and its secrecy maintained by its followers.

This made Dār al-Arqam essential to Islam’s survival, where the people had to become pro-active to create a new movement. It shows that education builds solidarity with those who harbour shared values.

Using Skills and and Influence to Build Leverage

Islam was not only a spiritual movement but provided a comprehensive system which shaped commerce, politics, and society which threatened the existing pagan power structure. Dār al-Arqam shaped the believers' ideas on how to influence society. This can only come through religiously driven Islamic institutions which solve political issues through the Quran and Sunnah. 

Islamic institutions need to address the ideological root of society’s problems. At the time of Dār al-Arqam’s founding, early Muslims faced tribalism, social hierarchy and economic discrimination. The central problem was paganism due to its corrupt epistemology. This was the central tenant Islam came to abolish. 

Today, Muslims grapple with nationalism, sectarianism, and classism - all roots of secular ideology. This requires an Islamic framework developed by educational institutions to solve these crises. 

One such means is to utilise the skills, knowledge and talents of its learners. 

Similar to Abu Bakr’s knowledge of genealogy in forging political alliances, or the financial strength of Uthman ibn Affan and Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, it is the collective leverage of an institution’s learners — those who dedicate their time, wealth, and expertise to Islam — that allows it to flourish.

Many Muslims lead the contemporary world in medicine, finance, technology, business & commerce, law and public affairs which influences society. When they fuse their occupations with an Islamic framework, they can forge alliances, challenge corruption and develop a larger community united under Islamic values.

Building a Modern Intellectual Revolution: The Digital Dār al-Arqam

In the contemporary age, modern technology allows people to communicate worldwide. A post-Covid world has popularised Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other online platforms to make it easier to interact. The Muslim community is now larger, diverse and widespread. This presents the opportunity to create online Islamic educational spaces. The goal is to unite Muslims globally to address our social and political crises. Today's online spaces can unite bigger audiences without geographical constraints.  

Producing ‘Digital Dār al-Arqams’ can make Islamic knowledge more accessible.  Examples include live-streamed lectures and academic conferences, debates, podcasts and remote courses. This would allow international Muslims to learn from different nationalities, countries and perspectives.

Additionally, Islamic mentors must be accessible to the public. During the time of the Prophet ﷺ face-to-face interaction had been essential to spreading Islam. However in this age, utilising fast moving technology is integral to furthering religious education worldwide. Islamic discussions shouldn’t be limited to madrasas, mosques and universities but should be on all platforms.

Recorded and transcribed lectures, dubbed translations, livestreamed platforms, and the collaboration of religious experts through podcasts and conferences are all vital. Ensuring online content is publicly accessible and easy to download, read, and engage with requires advanced multi-platform systems, a strong social media presence, and a streamlined promotional strategy. It must connect the right audiences with educational, relevant, and timely Islamic content. 

Conclusion

Dār al-Arqam remains a leading framework of how to develop a successful Islamic educational model. Today's educational institutions need to develop a new ideological framework with a spiritual centre to address present day problems. This puts Dār al-Arqam at the heart of social reform, and shows that Islamic education must be fused with technology to make it both accessible and relevant to contemporary challenges. In addition, when learners adapt this framework alongside their own skills, it will create a universal, ethical framework to aid Islam. 

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Jazakallah khair for reading. Please benefit the ummah by sharing this knowledge and downloading a transcript below. Feel free to use it for your own research or personal study. 

Bibliography

A.Najeebabadi, 2000, The History of Islam, Vol 1, First Ed, Darussalam 

Khanfar, W. (2024) The First Spring: Political & Strategic Praxis of the Prophet of Islam. Translated by A. Farouk-Alli. London: Dar Arab.

Sallabi, A.M. (2007) Umar ibn al-Khattab: His Life and Times. Vol. 1. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House.