Hatim al-Tai

For other uses, see Hatimtai.
"Hatim Tai" redirects here. For the films, see Hatim Tai (1956 film) and Haatim Tai (1990 film).
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 a du'a for Ottoman Sultan 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

Hatim al-Tai (Arabic: حاتم الطائي, 'Hatim of the Tayy tribe'; died 578), full name Ḥātim bin ʿAbd Allāh bin Saʿd aṭ-Ṭāʾiyy (Arabic: حاتم بن عبد الله بن سعد الطائي) was an Arab knight, chieftain of the Tayyi tribe of Arabia, ruler of Shammar, and poet who 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 his altruism.[4] Additionally, he is known to be a model of Arab manliness.[5]

Al-Tai is associated with the Lakhmid court in Hira, especially under its most famous king Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man.[6] Stories about his extreme generosity have 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 poet Ibn Abd Rabbih, he was one of three people who reached the highest point of generosity in the pre-Islamic era, the other two were Ka'b ibn Mama and Harim ibn Sinan al-Murri.[7] Al-Tai's generosity and chivalry have become proverbial not only in Arabic but also in Persian.[8]

His son was Adi ibn Hatim, who was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[9]

Biography

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Al-Tai lived in Ha'il in the present-day Saudi Arabia and was mentioned in some Hadiths attributed to Muhammad.[10] He died in 578 AD,[11] and was buried in Tuwarin, Ha'il. His tomb is described in the Arabian Nights.[12] His name Hatim means 'black crow' in Arabic.[13]

Ruins of Hatim’s Palace in Tuwarin

He lived in the sixth century CE and also figures in the Arabian Nights stories. The celebrated Persian poet Saadi, in his work Gulistan (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's Bostan (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 in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, Hindi, Kashmiri and various other languages.[citation needed]

He is associated with the Lakhmid court in Hira, especially under its most famous king Al-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), died Noushirwan the Just, and Hatemtai the generous, both famous for their virtues",[18] around 579 CE. According to the 17th-century orientalist D'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 in Persia, India, and Pakistan.[21]

Qissa-e-Hatem-tai (قصۂ حاتم طائی), alternatively Dastan-e-Hatem-tai (داستانِ حاتم طائی), meaning "The Tale of Hatemtai" is very popular in Persia and the Indian 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 of Nida.'
  6. 'Let him produce a pearl of the size of a duck's egg.'
  7. 'Let him bring an account of the bath of Badgard.'

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. ISBN 9789004082656.
  2. ^ Koelbl, Susanne (15 September 2020). Behind the Kingdom's Veil: Inside the New Saudi Arabia Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Mango Media. ISBN 9781642503456. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  3. ^ Gandhi, Menka (16 October 2004). The Complete Book of Muslim & Parsi Names. Penguin UK. ISBN 9788184750546. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Arabia's Legendary Almsgiver Hatem al Tai - Destination KSA". 4 May 2015. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  5. ^ The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights. Random House Publishing. 26 August 2009. ISBN 9780307417015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  6. ^ "ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI". Encyclopaedia Iranica. ISSN 2330-4804. Archived from the original on 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  7. ^ Ibn `Abd Rabbih (Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad), Al-‘Iqd al-farīd
  8. ^ "ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI". Encyclopaedia Iranica. ISSN 2330-4804. Archived from the original on 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  9. ^ The Living Prophet by 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. ISBN 9781861793287.
  11. ^ Kitab al-Aghani by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani
  12. ^ van Arendonk, Cornelis (1987). E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936. E. J. Brill. p. 290. ISBN 9789004082656.
  13. ^ The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights. 26 August 2009. ISBN 9780307417015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  14. ^ Clouston, A. W. (1881). "Hatim Tai, the Generous Arab Chief" Archived 2023-02-22 at the Wayback Machine. Arabian Poetry. p. 409.
  15. ^ Edwards, A. Heart, tr. (1911). The Bustan of Sadi Archived 2019-10-20 at the Wayback Machine. pp. 53–57.
  16. ^ "ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI". Encyclopaedia Iranica. ISSN 2330-4804. Archived from the original on 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  17. ^ "ḤĀTEM ṬĀʾI". Encyclopaedia Iranica. ISSN 2330-4804. Archived from the original on 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  18. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-11-02. Retrieved 2008-01-16.{{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. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  20. ^ Clouston, A. W. (1881). "On Avarice by Hatem Tai" Archived 2023-02-22 at the Wayback Machine. Arabian Poetry Archived 2023-02-22 at the Wayback Machine. pp. 99–100
  21. ^ a b "Chapter Three: Qissah-e Hatim" Archived 2023-04-15 at the Wayback Machine. University of Columbia. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  22. ^ Arbuthnot, F. F. (1887). Persian Portraits: A Sketch of Persian History, Literature and Politics Archived 2023-10-07 at the Wayback Machine. London: Bernard Quaritch. p. 132.
  23. ^ Khanzada, Farida (18 January 2013). "PVR to release animation film Adventures of Sinbad". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2021.

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, Hindi etc.
  • Hatem Tai in Tamil by Prema Pirasuram
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