Following the change of the qiblah direction, when the direction of qiblah from Musjid-e-Nabawi was changed to Baytullah, the walls of the former qiblah and the area immediately adjacent to it was left intact for the accommodation of the poor and destitute who had no home or place to live. This place was famously known as Suffah.

A Suffah is actually a ledge or a covered veranda. The weak Muslims and grateful destitute were not only patient over their poverty, but they were more content and grateful than the affluent and powerful rulers. When these poor Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) would come to listen to the words of Allah Ta‘ala and His Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), then they would stay at this place.