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 andfabulous generosity. Adiyy inherited the
domain of his father andwas confirmed in the position by the Tayy
people. Part of his strength lay in the fact that a quarter of any
amount they obtained asbooty from raiding expeditions had to be given
to him.
When the Prophet announced openly his call to guidance and truth and
Arabs from one region after anotheraccepted 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 was then a man of status and nobility. I wasa Christian. From my
people I took a fourth oftheir booty as was the practice of other Arab
kings.
When I heard of the Messenger of God, peacebe on him, I hated him.
When his mission grew in strength and when hispower increased and
hisarmies and expeditionary forces dominated east and west of the land
of Arabs, I said to a servant of mine who looked after my camels:
'Get ready a fat camel forme which is easy to ride and tether it close
to me.If you hear of an army oran expeditionary force of Muhammad
coming towards this land, let meknow.' One evening, my servant came to
me and said: "Yaa Mawlaya! What you intended to doon 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 toldthat they belonged to the army of Muhammad,'he said.
'Bring the camel which I ordered you to get ready.' I said to him. I
got up then and there, summoned my household (including) my children
and orderedthem to evacuate the land we loved. We headed in the
direction of Syria to join people ofour 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 my own sister inour Najd
homelands together with the rest ofthe Tayy people. I did not have any
means to return to her. So I went on with those who werewith 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 Iwas in Syria that the forces of Muhammad
entered our habitations and took my sister together with a number of
other captives 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
himand said: 'Yaa Rasulullah!My father is dead and myguardian 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
anyconcession from him for he did not say anything. Then a man from
behindhim indicated that she should stand up and talkto him. She
therefore stood up and said:
'O Messenger of God! My father is dead and my guardian is absent. Be
gracious to me and God will be gracious to you.' Ihave agreed he said.
Turning to those about 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 manwho had suggested that
she speak to the Prophetand was told that he wasAli ibn Abi Talib, may
God be pleased with him. She stayed in Yathrib until a group arrived
among whom was someone she could trust. So she went the Prophet and
said:
'O Messenger of God! A group of my people have come to me and among
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 adequatesum
of money. He also gave 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 tohim. 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 he is 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 the
Prophet in Madinah without any security and without anyletter. I had
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 wasin the Masjid. I greeted him and he said: 'Who
is the man? 'Adiyy ibn Hatim,' 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 noking.'
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 onthis!'
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 on the
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
would flow 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 andpower rest in the hands of those who are
not Muslims. By God, you willsoon 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 theson 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 nor corruption," 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 seen you do something which you have not
done to any other." "Yes," replied theProphet. "This is a man of
stature among his people. If such a person come to you, 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 shearrived 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 onewas found in need to respond.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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