Adiyy ibn Hatim - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

In the ninth year of the Hijrah, an Arab king made the first positive
moves to Islam after years of feeling hatred for it. He drew closer to
faith (iman) after opposing and combating it. And he finally pledged
allegiance to the Prophet, peace be on him, after his adamant refusal
to do so.
He was Adiyy, son of the famous Hatim at-Taai who was known far and
wide for his chivalry and fabulous generosity. Adiyy inherited the
domain of his father and was confirmed in the position by the Tayy
people. Partof his strength lay in the fact that a quarter of any
amount they obtained as booty from raiding expeditions had to be given
to him.
When the Prophet announced openly his call to guidance and truth and
Arabs from one regionafter another accepted his teachings, Adiyy saw
in his mission a threat to his position and leadership. Although he
did not know the Prophet personally, and had never seen him, he
developed strong feelings of enmity towards him. He remained
antagonistic to Islam for close upon twenty years until at last God
opened his heart to the religion of truth and guidance.
The way in which Adiyy became a Muslim is a remarkable story and he is
perhaps the best person to relate it. He said:
"There was no man among the Arabs who detested God's Messenger, may
God bless him and grant him peace, more than I, when I heard about
him. I wasthen a man of status and nobility. I was a Christian. From
my people I took a fourth of their booty as was the practice of other
Arab kings.
When I heard of the Messenger of God, peace be on him, I hated him.
When his mission grew in strength and when his power increased and his
armies and expeditionary forces dominated east and west of the land of
Arabs, I said to a servant of minewho looked after my camels:
'Get ready a fat camel for me which is easy to ride and tether it
close to me. If you hear of an army or an expeditionary force of
Muhammad coming towards this land, let me know.' One evening, my
servant came to me and said: "Yaa Mawlaya! What you intended to do on
the approach of Muhammad's cavalry to your land, do it
now." 'Why? May your mother lose you!'
'I have seen scouts searching close to the habitations. I asked about
them and was told that they belonged to the army of Muhammad,' he
said.
'Bring the camel which I orderedyou to get ready.' I said to him. Igot
up then and there, summoned my household (including) my children and
ordered them to evacuate the land we loved. We headed in thedirection
of Syria to join people of our own faith among the Christians and
settle among them.
We left in too much haste for me to gather together our entire
household. When I took stock of our situation, I discovered that part
of my family was missing. I had left myown sister in our Najd
homelands together with the rest of the Tayy people. I did not have
any means to return to her.So I went on with those who were with me
until I reached Syria and took up residence there among people of my
own religion. As for my sister, what I feared for her happened.
News reached me while I was in Syria that the forces of Muhammad
entered our habitations and took my sister together with a number of
othercaptives to Yathrib. There she was placed with other captives in
a compound near the door of the Masjid.
The Prophet, peace be upon him,passed by her. She stood up before him
and said: 'Yaa Rasulullah! My father is dead andmy guardian is not
here. Be gracious to me and God will be gracious to you.! 'And who is
your guardian?' asked the Prophet. 'Adiyy ibn Hatim.' she said. 'The
one who fled from God and His Prophet?' he asked. He then left her and
walked on.
On the following day, the same thing happened. She spoke to him just
as she did the day before and he replied in the same manner. The next
day, the same thing happened and she despaired of getting any
concession from him for he did not say anything. Then a man from
behind him indicated that she should stand up and talk to him. She
therefore stood up and said:
'O Messenger of God! My father isdead and my guardian is absent.Be
gracious to me and God will be gracious to you.' I have agreed he
said. Turning to thoseabout him, he instructed: likewise `Let her go
for her father loved noble ways, and God loves them.' 'I want to join
my family in Syria,' she said.
"But don't leave in a hurry," said the Prophet, "until you find
someone you can trust from your people who
could accompany you to Syria. If you find a trustworthy person, let me know."
When the Prophet left, she asked about the man who had suggested that
she speak to the Prophet and was told that he was Ali ibn Abi Talib,
may God bepleased with him. She stayed in Yathrib until a group
arrived among whom was someone shecould trust. So she went the Prophet
and said:
'O Messenger of God! A group of my people have come to me andamong
them is one I can trust who could take me to my family.'
The Prophet, peace be on him, gave her fine clothes and an adequate
sum of money. He alsogave her a camel and she left with the group.
Thereafter we followed her progress gradually and waited for her
return. We could hardly believe what we heard about Muhammad's
generosity towards her in spite of my attitude to him. By God, I am a
leader of my people. When I beheld a woman in herhawdaj coming towards
us, I said: 'The daughter of Hatim! It's she! It's she!'
When she stood before us, she snapped sharply at me and said: 'The one
who severs the tie of kinship is a wrongdoer. You took your family and
your children and left the rest of your relations and those whom you
ought to have protected.'
'Yes, my sister,' I said, 'don't say anything but good.' I tried to
pacify her until she was satisfied. She told me what had happened to
her and it was as I had heard. Then I asked her, for she was an
intelligent and judicious person:
"What do you think of the mission of this man (meaning Muhammad peace
be on him)?""I think, by God, that you should join him quickly." she
said. "If heis a Prophet, file one who hastens towards him would enjoy
his grace. And if he is a king, you would not be disgraced in his
sight while you are as you are."
I immediately prepared myself for travel and set off to meet
theProphet in Madinah without any security and without any letter.
Ihad heard that he had said: 'I certainly wish that God will place the
hand of Adiyy in nay hand.'
I went up to him. He was in the Masjid. I greeted him and he said:
'Who is the man? 'Adiyy ibnHatim,' I said. He stood up for me, took me
by the hand and set off towards his home.
By God, as he was walking with me towards his house, a weak old woman
met him. With her was a young child. She stopped him and began talking
to him about a problem. I was standing(all the while). I said to
myself: 'By God, this is no king.'
He then took me by the hand and went with me until we reached his
home. There he got a leather cushion
filled with palm fibre, gave it to me said: 'Sit on this!'
I felt embarrassed before him and said: 'Rather, you sit on it.' 'No,
you,' he said.
I deferred and sat on it. The Prophet, peace be on him, sat onthe
floor because there was no other cushion. I said to myself:
'By God, this is not the manner of a king!' He then turned to me and
said: 'Yes, Adiyy ibn Hatim! Haven't you been a "Rukusi" professing a
religion between Christianity and Sabeanism?' 'Yes,' I replied.
'Did you not operate among your people on the principle of exacting
from them a fourth, taking from them what your religion does not allow
you?'
'Yes,' I said, and I knew from that he was a Prophet sent (by God).
Then he said to me: 'Perhaps, O Adiyy, the only thing that prevents
you from entering this religion is what you see of the destitution of
the Muslims and their poverty. By God, the time is near when wealth
wouldflow among them until no one could be found to take it.
'Perhaps, O Adiyy, the only thing that prevents you from entering this
religion is what you see of the small number of Muslims and their
numerous foe. By God, the time is near when you would hear of the
woman setting out from Qadisiyyah on her camel until she reaches this
house, not fearing anyone except Allah.
'Perhaps what prevents you from entering this religion is that you
only see that sovereignty and power rest in the hands of those who are
not Muslims. By God, you will soon hear of the white palaces of the
land of Babylon opening up for them and the treasures of Chosroes the
son of Hormuz fall to their lot.'
'The treasures of Chosroes the son of Hormuz?' I asked
(incredulously). 'Yes, the treasures of Chosroes the son of Hormuz,'
he said. Thereupon, I professed the testimony of truth, and declared
my acceptance of Islam."
One report says that when Adiyy saw the simplicity of the Prophet's
life-style, he said to him: "I testify that you do not seek high
office in this world norcorruption," and he announced his acceptance
of Islam. Some people observed the Prophet's treatment of Adiyy and
said to him:
"O Prophet of God! We have seenyou do something which you have not
done to any other.""Yes," replied the Prophet. "This is a man of
stature among his people. If such a person come toyou, treat him
honorably."
Adiyy ibn Hatim, may God be pleased with him, lived for a long time.
He later said: "Two of the things (which the Prophet spoke of) came to
pass and there remained a third. By God, it would certainly come to
pass."I have seen the woman leaving Qadisiyyah on her camel fearing
nothing until she arrived at this house (of the Prophet in Madinah).
"I myself was in the vanguard of the cavalry which descended on the
treasures of Chosroes and took them. And I swear by God that the third
event will be realized." Through the will of God, the third statement
of the Prophet, on him be choicest blessings and peace, came to pass
during the time of the devout and ascetic Khalifah, Umar ibn Abd
al-Aziz. Wealth flowed among the Muslims so much so that when the
town-criers called on people throughout the Muslim domain to come and
collect Zakat, no one was found in need to respond.