Adi ibn Hatim

Adi ibn Hatim ibn Abdullah al-Ta'i, son of the famed generous Hatim, kunya Abu Tarif. He became Muslim in year 9 AH — or year 10, it is said — having been Christian before ¹.

Abu Ubayda ibn Hudhayfa relates from Adi: "when the Prophet was sent I hated him with a severe hatred", so he went to the furthest land on the Roman side and hated his place more; he said: "if I went to him — if he is a liar it will not escape me, and if truthful I will follow him" — so he came. When he reached Medina the Prophet told him: "Adi, become Muslim and be safe"; he said: "I have a religion"; he said: "I know your religion better than you — do you not head your people? ... do you not take the quarter-tribute? ... that is not lawful for you in your religion" ².

In another account from Abbad ibn Hubaysh, he came to the Prophet in the mosque with no safe-conduct and no letter; he took his hand and asked him: "do you know of any god besides God? ... do you know of anything greater than God?" He said no; the Prophet said: "the Jews are those angered against, and the Christians are astray" ².

He stood firm in his Islam through the Ridda, brought his people's alms to Abu Bakr, witnessed the conquest of Iraq, then settled in Kufa, witnessed Siffin with Ali, and died past sixty, well advanced ¹. Al-Sha'bi relates that Umar told him: "you believed when they disbelieved, recognised when they denied, were loyal when they betrayed, and came forward when they drew back — and the first alms to whiten the faces of the Messenger of God's companions was the alms of Tayy" ².

Khalifa said he reached one hundred twenty; Abu Hatim al-Sijistani said one hundred eighty ¹. Adi said: "no prayer has been called since I became Muslim without me being in ablution" ¹.

Ibn Hajar mentions that the two Sahihs carry the story of his taking God's saying al-Baqara 187 literally, and the Prophet's saying to him: "your pillow is indeed wide" ².