The Significance of Dar Al-Arqam and Umar (RA) Accepting Islam

Many sahabi embraced Islam at Dar Al-Arqam including Ammar bin Yasir and Suhayb bin Sinan (رضي الله عنهم) who embraced Islam together. Hamza (رضي الله عنه) also embraced Islam here, followed a few days later by Umar (رضي الله عنه). Till Umar (RA)’s acceptance of Islam, the Prophet (SAWS) carried out the duty of teaching and informing about Islam there.

When Umar (رضي الله عنه) wanted to take his Shahadah (declaration of the faith of Islam) he asked Khabbab (رضي الله عنه) where he would find the Prophet (ﷺ). Upon hearing of his desire to accept Islam, Khabbab (رضي الله عنه) exclaimed, “Umar, I have hope that Allah hath chosen thee through the prayers of His Prophet, whom yesterday I heard pray: ‘O Allah, strengthen Islam with Abu Hakam (Abu Jahal) the son of Hisham or with Umar the son of Khattab!”. “O Khabbab,” said Umar, “where will Muhammad now be, that I may go to him and enter Islam?” Khabbab (رضي الله عنه) told him that he was at the house of Arqam near the Safa Gate with many of his companions.

Umar went to Safa, knocked at the door of the house, and said who he was. The Sahabah had been warned that he was coming but they were struck by the subdued tone of his voice. One of the companions went to the door and looked through a chink and came back in some dismay. “O Messenger of Allah” he said, “It is indeed Umar and he is girt with his sword”. “Let him come in,” said Hamza (رضي الله عنه). “Of he has come with good intent, we will give him a wealth of good; and if his intent be evil, we will slay him with his own sword.” The Prophet (ﷺ) agreed that he should be admitted and, advancing to meet him, he seized him by the belt and pulled him into the middle of the room saying, “What has brought thee here, O son of Khattab? I cannot see thee desisting until Allah sent down some calamities upon thee”. “O Messenger of Allah,” said Umar, “I have come to thee that I may declare my faith in Allah, and in his Messenger and in what he has brought from Allah”. “Allahu-Akbar!,” said the Prophet, in such a way that every man and woman in the house knew that Umar had entered Islam; and they all rejoiced.

Because the courage of Umar (رضي الله عنه) was acknowledged by all, it was after his conversion to Islam that the Muslims started performing salah in the open and Islam was propagated in public.

References:

Islamic Landmarks (n.d). Daarul Arqam (The house of Arqam). https://www.islamiclandmarks.com/makkah-haram-sharief/daarul-arqam

Muhammad – Martin Lings, Virtues of Hajj – Sheikh Zakariyya Kandhalvi, Makkah at the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) – BinImad Al-Ateeqi