The story of 'Adi
One of the Arab kings, ‘Adi, the son of Hatim-At-Taee, from the tribe of ‘Tai. The most generous person at that time, everyone used to talk about his generosity- Northern Arabia, close to the Romans. ‘Adi was very intelligent, he didn’t want to become Muslim, and instead of going into Islam, or preparing to fight, he did neither. He failed his people. He thought only about himself, and his family. Like many leaders today. He prepared for a journey- put wealth into containers, spies in the direction of Muslims, and said let me know when they come. When the Muslim armies reached, he took off with everything, and ran towards the Roman, and left his people helpless. They do nothing for their people, they care nothing for them. The Muslims took everyone prisoner, including ‘Adi’s sister. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would keep them in a camp, next to the Masjid. The Masjid was just a few pillars, covered with palm tree leaves, a very simple building. And the prisoners could see. And they saw everything for 3 days. Everytime the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Masjid, ‘Adi’s sister would stand up, and said, ‘O Muhammad, be merciful on me’. ‘Who are you?’ ‘I am the daughter of Hatim-At-Taee’ ‘You’re the sister of ‘Adi, who ran away from the Prophet and Allah’. He didn’t say anything and went into prayer. This happened the next day as well. The third day, she had lost hope. Ali pointed at her, and she said the same thing again. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘your brother who ran away, if he had come to me, I would have treated him well. He is the son of Hatim’.
What does this mean? Because these people were dignified, the Muslims should have respect for them- we respect them, even if they’re dignified.
So he freed her, after letting her hear this.
She immediately went towards her brother. She forgave him, and told him the words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He felt he had 2 choices- he could be from the Romans, who treated him as a follower. This is a message that many of our leaders do not understand. IF you put your alliances with other than your own people, then you’re a slave. The other choice is to go to Muhammad, who promised to treat him well.
‘Adi narrates“I was not sure, is he a king? Or a Prophet? The best thing is to see him in real life, and then I can tell.’ So he went. After prayer the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) met him, treated him, and invited him over. Suddenly, there were no guards. We walked alone. He was my enemy, he took my people as prisoners. This is a Prophet, not a king’ On the way, an old lady said, ‘I wish to speak with you ya Rasulullah’ and she took him away by his hand. ‘Adi said, ‘He left me, for an old woman, powerless, me, the greatest king of Arabia’. This is not an act of a king. In front of Muhammad, they both were equal. She talked to him for a long time. I entered, there were no guards, or furniture. Only an old rug, that he used as a bed, a pillow, full of leaves, and a jar for water. That was it. So, I said to myself, this is not the house of a king. On of our leaders, sons, built a palace for $3 billion. There are people in his country are starving- That is the difference. Muhammad took the pillow and put it for me, and asked me to sit on it, and he sat on the bear floor. I tried to refuse, and he insisted. I sat down on the pillow, and Muhammad, sat on the bare floor. And I repeated the same words to myself. ‘Adi was a Christian, because of the effect of the Romans.
Muhammad asked a very strange question,
"Adi, are you not following the religion of Ar-Raqussia?" [In between Judaism and Christian, rare in those times, almost non-existent today].
I was shocked, who amongst the Arabs would know about Ar-Raqussia, and even more shocking, how could he know when my own wife and children did not know I secretly practiced it, and not Christianity?
I said, “yes”.
“
Don’t you take from your people Al-Mirba’a tax?”
“yes”.
“’
Adi, Isn’t it true that according to Ar-Raqussia, it is haram?”
At that moment, when I heard this question, about this strange religion, and I said the Shahadah.
Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him a question that relates to him so much, that we’re going through, today.
“
What delayed you from becoming a Muslim? Is it because you see Muslims as afraid, attacked from everywhere, fighting wars, oppressed?” Doesn’t it remind you of something going on today?
I was silent, because that was one of the reasons.
“
’Adi, I swear by Allah, that if you long enough, you will see a woman traveling from Iraq to Makkah, without any protector.”
I said to myself: Impossible’, because the road to Makkah, from Iraq passes through Taee, and my people were criminals and thieves.
“
ya ‘Adi, what delayed you from becoming a true believer? Is it because you have met Kisra, and Kaiser, the leaders of Persians and the Romans, and you say that no matter what Islam becomes, you do not want to lose that? I swear by Allah, that if you live long enough, you will see the White House, the palace of Kisra, in the hands of Muslims”
I said to myself, Impossible. How could Persia or Rome compare with Arabs?
“
Is it because Muslims are poor? I swear by Allah, if you live long enough, you will see a man, with zakat not being able to find anyone to give it to”
‘Adi narrates, after the death of Muhammad (pbuh), Islam had reached Iraq. I saw a woman travel to hajj from Iraq safely, during my lifetime. I was among the army that conquered Persia, and I was among the army that entered the White House, and I’m waiting for the third sign.But he died before that, and that third sign happened less than 100 years later, in the time of Umar bin Abdul ‘Aziz.
