Hatim al-Ta'i's daughter (Saffana)

The daughter of Hatim al-Ta'i, the generous, and sister of Adi ibn Hatim. The biography names her only as "the daughter of Hatim". The editors, citing al-Suhayli, say she was Safana, since Hatim is not known to have had any other daughter ¹.

When Adi fled to Syria, he left her behind at the settlement. The Prophet's cavalry raided Tayy and took her among those they captured. She was brought before the Prophet among the captives of Tayy and placed in an enclosure at the gate of the mosque, where captives were held ¹. She was a dignified woman. When the Prophet passed by her, she stood up and said: "O Messenger of God, my father has died and my delegate has gone. Show me the favour that God has shown you." He asked her: "Who is your delegate?" She said: "Adi ibn Hatim (may God be pleased with him)." He said: "The one who fled from God and His Messenger," and went on ². The next day she said the same to him, and he answered as he had before. On the day after, when she had lost hope, a man behind him signalled to her to speak to him with her people in mind. She stood and made her plea again, and he said: "You have done so. Do not hasten to leave until you find a trustworthy man of your people who will take you safely to your land." ² She asked who the man was who had signalled to her, and was told: Ali ibn Abi Talib ². She stayed until a caravan of the Bali or Quda'a arrived. She told the Prophet, and he clothed her, gave her a mount and provisions, and she set out with them until she reached Syria, seeking her brother ².

Adi reports that he saw a litter approaching him, and it was his sister. When she stood before him she began to reproach him: "You cut ties and were unjust. You took your household and children away and left the rest of your father's people and your womenfolk behind!" He said to her: "Say nothing but good, for by God I have no excuse." ² She then stayed with him. She was a woman of sound judgement, and he asked her opinion about this man. She said: "I think you should join him quickly. If he is a prophet, the one who reaches him first gains his favour; if he is a king, you will not be humiliated while you are in the might of Yemen and you are who you are." ^{2 3}

"The delegate" is the visitor; "the litter" is the woman in her howdah; "insahalat" means she began to reproach him and went on at it in earnest; "the enclosure" is similar to the pen made for camels and sheep. ^{1 2}