| Before the advent of Islam, there
were in Arabia autonomous tribal chiefs. The people were used to the
rule of their chiefs and obeyed them; and often paid them tributes
and taxes. The well-known generous Hatim, of the tribe of Tai, was
one of the tribal chiefs of Arabia. His son, Adi, succeeded him
after his death and the Tribe submitted to his rule. He was taxing
them to the extent of one-fourth of their income every year. His
lordship coincided with the advent of the Prophet. The Tai tribes
were idol-worshippers, but himself was a Christian, but kept his
beliefs secret from his people. The people, after being acquainted
with the liberal teachings of Islam, felt themselves relieved from
the burden of their lords who had hitherto imposed their rule upon
the people. Owing to this fact, Adi, like other lords used to look
upon Islam as the greatest danger for himself; and was harboring
enmity against the Prophet. But the die was cast. People were
embracing Islam in increasingly large numbers; and the religion of
Allah was advancing day by day. He knew that the day was near when
the Muslims would come looking for him also, and that would be the
end of his lordship. He therefore, instructed his special steward, a
slave, to always keep strong and light-footed camels ready near his
camp and to remain watchful. One day the slave came to him and
said, "Make whatever arrangements you want to make as the Muslims
are very close". Adi mounted his family on the camels and took
whatever valuables and luggage he could take, and escaped to
Damascus where the people were of his religion. But in the
confusion, he forgot to take his sister, Saffana with him; and she
was left behind.
The Muslims defeated the tribe in the battle; and some were made
captives. Muslims brought Saffana to Medina along-with other
captives and related the story of Adi's escapade to the Holy
Prophet.
The prisoners were sheltered in a low-walled compound near the
Mosque. One day, the Prophet, while going to the Mosque passed
beside the enclosure. Saffana, intelligent and talkative as she was,
moved from her place and said:
"My father is dead; my guardian is hiding; be generous to me, God
will be generous to you".
Prophet: "Who is your guardian?"
"Adi, son of Hatim"
"The one who has run away from God and His Prophet?"
Saying these words the Prophet went away, Next day again she
repeated the same words, heard the same reply. Her plea produced no
result. The third day, having lost her hopes, she decided to keep
silent. But a young man walking behind the Prophet made signs to her
to repeat her demand. She repeated the same words. The Prophet said,
"Very well, I am waiting for some reliable man from your tribe. As
soon as such a man is found I shall send you with him to your tribe.
Inform me if you find such a person who has come to Medina".
She asked the people who was the young man walking behind the
Prophet who had encouraged her to repeat her demand. They said he
was Imam Ali.
After some time, Saffana informed the Prophet that some men of
her tribe had come to Medina. The Prophet gave her a new dress, some
cash for meeting the expense of the journey and a camel to ride on.
She went along with them to her brother in Syria.
When she saw her brother, she reproached him and said, "You
brought out your wife and children forgot me the memory of your
father!" Adi apologized to her. Then, as she was an intelligent
woman, Adi consulted her about his plan. He asked:
"What do you advise me to do, since you have seen Mohammed from
near? Should I join him or keep aloof from him?"
"I believe you should join him. If he is a Prophet of God it will
be a credit to your honor and nobleness. And if he is not a prophet,
and only wants to be a worldly ruler, then in a place (Medina) which
is not far from Yemen (your place), nobody will dare to dishonor
you, because of the honor and respect you have among the people of
Yemen. Either way, your honor is guaranteed".
The idea appealed to Adi. He decided to go Medina and to observe
the Prophet's manners minutely. If he was a prophet he would follow
him like other Muslims. But in case he was only a man with worldly
ambitions of power and pelf, then he would cooperate with him to the
extent of the common benefits of both.
He entered the Mosque of Medina and saluted to the Prophet. The
Prophet accorded him due respect and took him to his house.
On their way a haggard woman caught hold of the garment of the
Prophet and entered into a discussion with him. A long time passed;
and the Prophet answered all her questions with kindness and
patience.
Adi said to himself, "This is the one sign from the character of
this man that he is a prophet. People having worldly ambitions do
not have such a disposition and temperament of replying to a poor
old woman with so much patience and kindness."
When they entered the house Adi found his life most simple and
unpretentious. There was only a quilt, which the Prophet used to sit
upon, but now he spread it for Adi to sit. Adi insisted that the
Prophet should sit upon the quilt; but he flatly refused.
Ultimately, Adi sat upon the quilt and the Prophet sat on the
ground. Adi said to himself, "This is the second sign of the
character of this man, This is the character of the Prophets.
The Prophet turned to him and said, "But was not your religion
Christianity?" Adi said "Yes, why?" The Prophet said, "then why, and
on what grounds, were you taking one-fourth of the income of your
people? Is it not inadmissible in your religion?"
Adi, who had kept his religion secret even from his closest
relatives, was surprised to hear it from the Prophet. He said to
himself, "this is the third sign that this man is a prophet".
Then the Prophet said: "You are looking at the present poverty
and helplessness of the Muslims. You find that the Muslims today are
living in distress. They are surrounded by crowds of enemies and
have no security of their lives and properties. They have no power
in their hands. By God, the time is not far when such a vast wealth
will come to them that there will be no poor among them. By God,
their enemies will be vanquished and there will exist such a perfect
peace and order that a woman shall be able to travel from Iraq to
Hijaz alone and nobody will trouble her. By God, the time is near
when the white palaces of Babylonia will come under the hands of the
Muslims".
Adi embraced Islam with perfect Faith and Sincerity and remained
faithful to the end of his life. He lived upon the years after the
Holy Prophet. He always remembered the talks of the Holy Prophet in
his first meeting with him, and the forecasts at that time, about
the future of Muslims. He used to say, "By God, in my life-time I
saw Muslim conquering the white palaces of Babylonia, and there is
such a peace and order that a woman can travel from Iraq to Hijaz
without anybody troubling her. By God, I am sure a day will come
when there will be no poor among the Muslims". |
