50. THE STORY OF ADIYY IBN HATIM AT-TAYY’
Al-Bukhari related in the Saheeh the delegation of Tayy’ and the Hadith of Adiyy Ibn Hatim: On the authority of Adiyy Ibn Hatim who narrated: “We came to ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, in a delegation (during his rule). He started calling the men one by one, calling each by his name. (As he did not call me early) I said to him: ‘Do you not recognize me, O Commander of the Believers?’ He said: ‘Yes, you embraced Islam when they (i.e. your people) disbelieved; you came (to the Truth) when they ran away; you fulfilled your promises when they broke theirs; and you recognized it (i.e. the Truth of Islam) when they denied it.’ On that, Adiyy said: ‘From now on I do not care (what happens to me) ‘.”
Ibn Ishaq related that as for Adiyy Ibn Hatim, he used to say as related to me: “No Arab detested the Messenger of Allah when he first knew him as I did. I was a Christian leader of noble birth, and I used to take a quarter of my people’s spoils. I was religious and my people treated me like a king. On hearing about the Prophet, I hated him and said to an Arab servant of mine who was taking care of my camels: ‘Choose some well-trained, well-fed camels, to be near me, and once you hear of Muhammad’s army conquering this land, then give me a signal.’ One morning he came to me and said, ‘Whatever you had intended to do when the army of Muhammad comes, you had better do it now for I have seen flags and I asked about them and I was told that it was Muhammad’s army.’ I ordered him to get my camels and made my family ride them and set forth to join the Christians of Syria. I went as far as Al-Jaooshiyyah. Meanwhile, I left one of Hatim’s daughters behind. When I arrived in Syria, I settled there.
“Some of the cavalry of the Messenger of Allah followed me and took captives from Tayy Among whom was Hatim’s daughter, who was brought to the Prophet. The Messenger of Allah was aware of my flight to Syria. When he passed by Hatim’s daughter, who was imprisoned along with the other captives in an enclosure by the gate of the Mosque, she went to him, for she was a courteous woman. She said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, my father is dead and the one who should replace him has fled, so be kind to me, may Allah be kind to you.’ He asked her about the man who should look after her, and she told him it was Adiyy Ibn Hatim. He said: ‘The one who has escaped from Allah and His Messenger?’ Then he went out.
“The next day, they exchanged a similar conversation but on the third day, she lost hope. A man behind him waved to her to talk to him (again). She repeated the same words: ‘O Messenger of Allah, my father is dead and the one who should replace him has fled, so be kind to me, may Allah be kind to you.’ He answered: ‘I have done so, but do not be hasty in leaving until you find a person from your own people whom you trust to take you home, and then let me know.’ She asked about the name of the man who had motioned to her to talk and was informed that it was ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib. She remained there until a caravan arrived from Baliy or Quda‘ah. All that she wished for was to join her brother in Syria. When she went to inform Allah’s Messenger that she had found a reliable, well-reputed man from her people, he provided her with clothing and a mount and gave her provisions. Then she left with them until she reached Syria.”
Adiyy further narrated: “While sitting in the midst of my people, I saw a howdah coming toward us, so I exclaimed: ‘Hatim’s daughter?’ and so it was. She came to me and started to blame me saying: ‘You are irresponsible and unjust. You took away your family and children and abandoned your father’s daughter.’ I said: ‘Do not say but good, little sister, for, by Allah, I have no excuse, I am guilty of all that you have said.’ Then she dismounted and stayed with me. She was a discerning woman so I asked her about her opinion of this man. She said: ‘I think you should join him immediately, for if the man is a Prophet, then he will be bountiful to those who will come to him first, and if he is a king, you will not be humiliated in the glory of Yemen, especially with your high position.’
“I was convinced by her argument, so I set out to meet the Messenger of Allah and I found him in his Mosque in Madinah. I greeted him, and he asked: ‘Who is this?’ I introduced myself and he got up to take me to his house. On our way, an old feeble woman stopped him and they had a long discussion concerning her needs. I said to myself: ‘By Allah, this is not a king.’ On reaching his house, he took a leather cushion stuffed with palm leaves and passed it to me saying: ‘Sit on this.’ I said: ‘Rather, you sit on it.’
‘No, you sit,’ he insisted. So I sat on it while he sat on the ground. I said to myself: ‘By Allah, this can never be the behavior of a king.’ Then he said: ‘Adiyy Ibn Hatim, are you not a Rakoosi?’ I responded saying: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Yet it is not allowed for you in your religion.’ ‘Undoubtedly, by Allah,’ I said. Immediately, I became convinced that he was a Prophet who had been truly sent by Allah. He knew what was not generally known. Then he said: ‘Perhaps what prevents you from entering this religion is the indigence in which they are, but, by Allah, money will soon flow so profusely among them that there will not be (enough) people to take it. Perhaps what restrains you from embracing it is that you see their enemy is great in number while they are few! However, by Allah, you will soon hear that a woman will have traveled on her camel from Al-Qadisiyyah to visit this House (Ka‘bah) without fear. Perhaps what restrains you from embracing it is that you see that the others have the dominion and power, but, by Allah, you will soon hear that the white palaces of Babylon will have been opened to them.’ Then I accepted Islam.”
Adiyy said: “Two of the three prophecies of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, have taken place and the third will surely happen. I saw the white palaces of Babylon laid open and I saw women unafraid of coming alone from Qadisiyyah to make pilgrimage to this House. And, by Allah, the third will happen when the money will flow until there will not be enough people to take it.” This is how Ibn Ishaq, may Allah have Mercy on him, quoted it in these words without a chain of narrations. It has corroborations through other narrations.
Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Baihaqi related the authority of Adiyy Ibn Hatim who narrated: “While I was with the Prophet, a man came and complained to him of destitution and poverty. Then another man came and complained of robbery (by highwaymen). The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Adiyy! Have you visited Al-Heerah?” I said: “I have not been to it, but I was informed about it.” He said: “If you should live long enough, you will certainly see that a lady in a howdah traveling from Al-Heerah will (safely reach Makkah and) perform the Tawaf of Ka‘bah, fearing none but Allah.” I said to myself: “What will happen to the robbers of the tribe of Tayy’ who have spread evil throughout the country?” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, further said: “If you live long enough, the treasures of Kisra will be opened (and taken as booty).” I asked: “You mean Kisra, the son of Hurmuz?” He said: “Kisra, the son of Hurmuz; and if you should live long enough, you will see that one will carry a handful of gold or silver and go out looking for a person to accept it from him, but will find none to accept it from him. Any of you, when meeting Allah, will meet Him without needing an interpreter between him and Allah, and Allah will say to him: ‘Did I not send a messenger to teach you?’ He will say: ‘Yes.’ Allah will say: ‘Did I not give you wealth and give you favors?’ He will say: ‘Yes.’ Then he will look to his right and see nothing but Hell, and look to his left and see nothing but Hell.”
Adiyy further said: I heard the Prophet say, “Save yourself from the (Hell) Fire even with half a date (to be given in charity) and if you do not find a half date, then with a good pleasant word.” Adiyy added: “ (Later on), I saw a lady in a howdah traveling from Kufah till she performed the Tawaf of Ka‘bah, fearing none but Allah. And I was one of those who opened (conquered) the treasures of Kisra, son of Hurmuz. If you should live long, you will see what Prophet Abul-Qasim had said.”
By: Ibn Katheer
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