Hatim Thai’s Generosity is a legacy for all times. Once the Muslims captured the son of Hatim Thai and six hundred of his followers. The Prophet (SAW) released them simply on the grounds that his father was renowned for his generosity.
With the name of Allah, most Beneficient, ever Merciful
Here is one story about the generosity of Hatim Thai which was adapted from the classical novel “Baag O Bahar” (Garden in bloom), which was written by Hazrath Amir Khusro (RA).
There lived in the time of Hatim, a king of Arabia named Naufal, who was jealous of Hatim because of his fame for generosity. He assembled his troops and decided to go to battle with Hatim.
Now, Hatim was a God-fearing and good man and when he heard of this he thought that, “If I likewise prepare for battle, then there will be much bloodshed and loss of life.” Reflecting on this, he fled and hid himself in a cave in the mountains.
When the news of Hatim’s flight reached Naufal, he confiscated all the property and dwellings of Hatim, and proclaimed publicly, that whoever would look out for him and seize him, would be rewarded from the king’s treasury with five hundred pieces of gold.
On hearing this, all became eager to claim the bounty, and they began to search for Hatim.
One day, an old man and his wife, with their three children were picking up wood near the cave where Hatim was hiding.
The old woman remarked, ‘If our days had been at all fortunate, we should have seen and found Hatim somewhere and seizing him, we should have carried him to Naufal; then he would give us five hundred pieces of gold, and we should live comfortably, and be released from this toil and care,’
The old man said, ‘What are you saying? It was decreed in our fate, that we should pick up wood every day, place it on our heads, and sell it in the bazaar, to earn our living or maybe it could be worse that a tiger of the woods will carry us off: peace, mind your work; why should Hatim fall into our hands, and the king give us so much money?
The old woman heaved a cold sigh, and remained silent. Hatim had heard the words of the two old people, and conceived it unmanly and ungenerous to conceal himself to save his life, and not to help those helpless ones to fulfil the object of their desire.
True it is, that a man without pity is not a human being, and he in whose heart there is no feeling is a butcher. “Man was created to exercise compassion (love), Otherwise, angels were not wanting for devotion.”
In short, Hatim’s manly mind would not allow him to remain hidden. After what he had heard with his own ears, he instantly came out and said to the old man, ‘O friend, I myself am Hatim, lead me to Naufal; on seeing me, he will give you whatever amount of money he has promised.’
The old man replied, ‘It is true that my welfare and advantage certainly consists in doing so, but who knows how he will treat you; if he should put you to death, then what shall I do? This, on my part, can never be done… that I should deliver you over to your enemy for the sake of my own greed.
In a few days I shall spend the promised wealth, and anywhere how long shall I live? I must die at last; then what answer shall I give to God?’
Hatim implored him greatly, and said, Take me along with thee. I say so of my own pleasure; I have ever desired that, should my wealth and life be of use to someone or other of my fellow creatures, then so much the better.’
But the old man could not in any way be persuaded to carry Hatim along with him. At last, becoming hopeless, Hatim threatened, ‘If you do not carry me in the way I wish, then I will go by myself to the king, and say, this old man concealed me in a cave in the mountains.
The old man smiled and said, ‘If I am to receive evil for good, then hard will be my fate.’ While they talked thus, other men arrived, and shortly a crowd assembled around them.
They recognised Hatim and they instantly seized him and carried him along to the king. The old man also, a little in the rear, followed them in silent grief.
When they brought Hatim before Naufal, he asked, ‘Who has seized and brought him here?’ Everyone began to claim that it was them who had captured him. The old man sat apart in silence in a corner, and heard all their boastings, and wept for Hatim.
When each had recounted his act of bravery and enterprise, then Hatim said to the king, ‘If you ask for the truth, then it is this; that old man, who stands aloof from all, has brought me here; if you can judge from appearances, then ascertain the fact, and give him for my seizure what you have promised; for in the whole body the tongue is a most sacred [member].
It is incumbent upon a man to perform what he has promised; for in other respects God has given tongues to brutes likewise; then what would have been the difference between a man and other animals?”
Naufal called the old wood-cutter near him, and said, ‘Tell the truth; what is the real state of the matter? Who has seized and brought Hatim here?
The honest fellow related truly all that had occurred from beginning to end, and added, ‘Hatim has come here of his own accord for my sake.’ Naufal, on hearing this manly act of Hatim’s, was greatly astonished, and exclaimed, ‘How surprising is thy liberality. Even thy life thou hast not feared to risk for the good of others!’
With regard to all those who laid false claims to having seized Hatim, the king ordered them to have their hands tied behind their backs, and instead of five hundred pieces of gold, to receive each five hundred strokes of a slipper on their heads.
Instantly, the strokes of the slippers began to be laid on in such a style, that in a short time their heads became quite bald.
True it is, that to tell an untruth is such a guilt, that no other guilt equals it. May Allah keep everyone safe from this calamity, and not give him an inclination for telling lies. Many people persevere in uttering falsehoods, but at the moment of detection they meet with their dessert.
“In short, Naufal, having rewarded all of them according to their desserts, thought it contrary to gentlemanly conduct and manliness of character, to harbour enmity and strife towards a man like Hatim, from whom multitudes received happiness, and who, for the sake of the necessitous, did not even spare his own life, and was entirely devoted to the ways of God.
He instantly seized Hatim’s hand with great cordiality and friendship, and said to him, Why should it not be the case? such a man as you can perform such an action.’ Then the king, with great respect and attention, made Hatim sit down near him, and he instantly restored to him the lands and property, and the wealth he had confiscated; and bestowed on him anew the chieftainship of the tribe of Tai, and ordered the five hundred pieces of gold to be given to the old man from the treasury, who, blessing the king, went away.”
Adapted by : Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor.
You can contact him on WhatsApp: +27 84 910 1486
Peace and Salutations be upon Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi in 2012 – Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor (WhatsApp +27849101486)