Wikipedia

Hatim al-Tai

For other uses, seeHatimtai.
"Hatim Tai" redirects here. For the films, seeHatim Tai (1956 film)andHaatim Tai (1990 film).

Hatim al-Tai(Arabic:حاتم الطائي,'Hatim of theTayytribe'; died 578), full nameḤātim bin ʿAbd Allāh bin Saʿd aṭ-Ṭāʾiyy(Arabic:حاتم بن عبد الله بن سعد الطائي) was anArabknight,chieftain of theTayyitribe of Arabia,ruler ofShammar,andpoetwho lived in the last half of the sixth into the beginning of the seventh century.[1][2][3]Although he was considered a well-established poet in his time, today he is best known for hisaltruism.[4]Additionally, he is known to be a model of Arabmanliness.[5]

Hatim al-Tai
A page from Hatim al-Tai book includes a du'a for Ottoman Sultan Abdülaziz
A page from Hatim al-Tai book includes adu'afor OttomanSultan Abdülaziz
BornḤātim bin ʿAbd Allāh bin Saʿd aṭ-Ṭāʾiyy
Ha'il,Arabia
Diedc. 578
Tuwarin, Ha'il
OccupationPoet, Knight, Chieftain
LanguageArabic
NationalityArab
PeriodPre-Islamic era
GenrePoetry
Notable worksQissa-e-Hatem-tai

Al-Tai is associated with theLakhmidcourt inHira,especially under its most famous kingAl-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man.[6]Stories about his extremegenerosityhave made him an icon among Arabs up until today, as evident in the proverbial phrase "more generous than Hatim" (Arabic:أكرم من حاتم,romanized:ʾakram min Ḥātim). According to Arab writer and poetIbn Abd Rabbih,he was one of three people who reached the highest point of generosity in the pre-Islamic era, the other two wereKa'b ibn Mamaand Harim ibn Sinan al-Murri.[7]Al-Tai's generosity and chivalry have become proverbial not only in Arabic but also inPersian.[8]

His son wasAdi ibn Hatim,who was acompanionof theIslamicprophetMuhammad.[9]

Biography

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Al-Tai lived inHa'ilin the present-daySaudi Arabiaand was mentioned in someHadithsattributed to Muhammad.[10]He died in 578 AD,[11]and was buried inTuwarin,Ha'il.His tomb is described in theArabian Nights.[12]His nameHatimmeans 'blackcrow' in Arabic.[13]

Ruins of Hatim’s Palace inTuwarin

He lived in the sixth century CE and also figures in theArabian Nightsstories. The celebrated Persian poetSaadi,in his workGulistan(1259) wrote: "Hatim Taï no longer exists but his exalted name will remain famous for virtue to eternity. Distribute the tithe of your wealth in alms; for when the husbandman lops off the exuberant branches from the vine, it produces an increase of grapes".[14]He is also mentioned in Saadi'sBostan(1257).[15]According to legends in various books and stories, he was a famous personality in the region of Ta'i (present day Ha'il) and is also a well-known figure in the rest of the Middle East as well as the Indian subcontinent, featuring in many books, films and TV series inArabic,Persian,Urdu,Turkish,Hindi,Kashmiriand various other languages.[citation needed]

He is associated with theLakhmidcourt inHira,especially under its most famous kingAl-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man.[16]

It is said that he used to give away everything he possessed except for his mount and weapons.[17]

Rozat-ul-Sufa mentions that "In the eighth year after the birth of his eminence the Prophet (Muhammad), diedNoushirwan the Just,and Hatemtai the generous, both famous for their virtues ",[18]around 579 CE. According to the 17th-century orientalistD'Herbelot,his tomb was located at a small village called Anwarz, in Arabia.[19]

Works

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One of his works is a poem which has been translated into English as "On Avarice".[20]

Qissa-e-Hatem-tai

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Outside Arabia, the tales of Hatim are also popular inPersia,India,andPakistan.[21]

Qissa-e-Hatem-tai(قصۂ حاتم طائی), alternativelyDastan-e-Hatem-tai(داستانِ حاتم طائی), meaning "The Tale of Hatemtai" is very popular in Persia and theIndian subcontinent.Sayad Haider Bakhsh Haidri, the author of the Qissa-e-Hatim Tai, writes in his introduction that he has taken the story from "someone’s" Persian text, but has amplified and extended it at suitable points "to please the listeners."[21]Multiple films (see below) have been made about Hatim based on this story, which narrates seven of his fantastic adventures in seven chapters.

The books on the story usually consist of a short introduction describing his ancestry and character and tells the seven episodes based on seven riddles, asked by a beautiful and rich woman named Husn Banu (حسن بانو), who will marry only the person who is able to obtain answers to all seven of them.[22]The riddles are:

  1. 'What I saw once, I long for a second time.'
  2. 'Do good, and cast it upon the waters.'
  3. 'Do no evil; if you do, such shall you meet with.'
  4. 'He who speaks the truth is always tranquil.'
  5. 'Let him bring an account of the mountain ofNida.'
  6. 'Let him produce a pearl of the size of a duck's egg.'
  7. 'Let him bring an account of the bath ofBadgard.'

A king, who falls in love with her but unable to find answers, tells the generous Hatemtai, whom he meets by chance, all about it. Hatim undertakes the quest to find the answers and help the king marry her.

Film and television

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Film

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Television

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See also

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References

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  1. ^van Arendonk, Cornelis (1987).E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936.E. J. Brill.p. 290.ISBN9789004082656.
  2. ^Koelbl, Susanne (15 September 2020).Behind the Kingdom's Veil: Inside the New Saudi Arabia Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.Mango Media.ISBN9781642503456.Archivedfrom the original on 7 October 2023.Retrieved24 September2023.
  3. ^Gandhi, Menka (16 October 2004).The Complete Book of Muslim & Parsi Names.Penguin UK.ISBN9788184750546.Archivedfrom the original on 7 October 2023.Retrieved24 September2023.
  4. ^"Arabia's Legendary Almsgiver Hatem al Tai - Destination KSA".4 May 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2023.Retrieved14 May2023.
  5. ^The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights.Random House Publishing. 26 August 2009.ISBN9780307417015.Archivedfrom the original on 23 January 2023.Retrieved21 September2022.
  6. ^"ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI".Encyclopaedia Iranica.ISSN2330-4804.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-14.Retrieved2023-05-15.
  7. ^Ibn `Abd Rabbih (Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad),Al-‘Iqd al-farīd
  8. ^"ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI".Encyclopaedia Iranica.ISSN2330-4804.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-14.Retrieved2023-05-15.
  9. ^The Living Prophetby Syed Sulaiman Nadvi. pp. 106
  10. ^Abdul-Rahman, Muhammad Saed (2003-12-21).Islam: Questions And Answers - The Heart Softeners (Part 1).MSA Publication Limited. pp.81–82.ISBN9781861793287.
  11. ^Kitab al-AghanibyAbu al-Faraj al-Isfahani
  12. ^van Arendonk, Cornelis (1987).E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936.E. J. Brill.p. 290.ISBN9789004082656.
  13. ^The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights.26 August 2009.ISBN9780307417015.Archivedfrom the original on 23 January 2023.Retrieved21 September2022.
  14. ^Clouston, A. W. (1881)."Hatim Tai, the Generous Arab Chief"Archived2023-02-22 at theWayback Machine.Arabian Poetry.p. 409.
  15. ^Edwards, A. Heart, tr. (1911).The Bustan of SadiArchived2019-10-20 at theWayback Machine.pp. 53–57.
  16. ^"ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI".Encyclopaedia Iranica.ISSN2330-4804.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-14.Retrieved2023-05-15.
  17. ^"ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI".Encyclopaedia Iranica.ISSN2330-4804.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-14.Retrieved2023-05-15.
  18. ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-11-02.Retrieved2008-01-16.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. ^Arbuthnot, F. F. (1887).Persian Portraits: A Sketch of Persian History, Literature and Politics.B. Quaritch. p. 132.Retrieved13 December2013.
  20. ^Clouston, A. W. (1881)."On Avarice by Hatem Tai"Archived2023-02-22 at theWayback Machine.Arabian PoetryArchived2023-02-22 at theWayback Machine.pp. 99–100
  21. ^ab"Chapter Three: Qissah-e Hatim"Archived2023-04-15 at theWayback Machine.University of Columbia. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  22. ^Arbuthnot, F. F. (1887).Persian Portraits: A Sketch of Persian History, Literature and PoliticsArchived2023-10-07 at theWayback Machine.London: Bernard Quaritch. p. 132.
  23. ^Khanzada, Farida (18 January 2013)."PVR to release animation film Adventures of Sinbad".Indian Express.Archivedfrom the original on 5 March 2016.Retrieved10 April2021.

Further reading

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"But come with old Khayyam, and leave the Lot
Of Kaikobad and Kaikhosru forgot:
Let Rustum lay about him as he will,
Or Hatem Taiy cry Supper--heed them not. "

  • Many books written and translated in Arabic, Persian,Urdu,Hindietc.
  • Hatem TaiinTamilby Prema Pirasuram
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