Introduction
Adi ibn Hatim was the chief of the Tayy tribe and the son of Hatim al-Ta'i, the poet remembered for his legendary generosity. He resisted Islam for years, practising a mixed form of Christianity and a Sabian faith, before accepting Islam in 9 AH when he came to Medina.
After accepting Islam he became a loyal companion. He narrated many hadith about hunting, charity and the meeting with Allah, and his questions often prompted the Prophet to give clear rulings. Caliph Umar later praised him in front of others for keeping his promises when his tribe had broken theirs.
The Prophet told him that if he lived long he would see a woman travel from al-Hira to Mecca fearing none but Allah, and that the treasures of Chosroes would be opened. He lived to see these things come true. He later served in the armies of Abu Bakr and fought alongside Ali.
The story
9 AH / 630 CE
Accepted Islam after being an opponent of the Muslims for about twenty years.
Prophet's lifetime
Asked the Prophet about the verse on the white and black thread and about the rules of hunting with dogs.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 1916Sahih Arabic text
قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ{حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ} عَمَدْتُ إِلَى عِقَالٍ أَسْوَدَ وَإِلَى عِقَالٍ أَبْيَضَ، فَجَعَلْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي، فَجَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ فِي اللَّيْلِ، فَلاَ يَسْتَبِينُ لِي، فَغَدَوْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ" إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ سَوَادُ اللَّيْلِ وَبَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ".
“I took two (hair) strings, one black and the other white”
Caliphate of Umar (634-644 CE)
Came with a delegation and Umar praised him for fulfilling his promises when his tribe had broken theirs.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 4394Sahih Arabic text
قَالَ أَتَيْنَا عُمَرَ فِي وَفْدٍ، فَجَعَلَ يَدْعُو رَجُلاً رَجُلاً وَيُسَمِّيهِمْ فَقُلْتُ أَمَا تَعْرِفُنِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ بَلَى، أَسْلَمْتَ إِذْ كَفَرُوا، وَأَقْبَلْتَ إِذْ أَدْبَرُوا، وَوَفَيْتَ إِذْ غَدَرُوا، وَعَرَفْتَ إِذْ أَنْكَرُوا. فَقَالَ عَدِيٌّ فَلاَ أُبَالِي إِذًا.
“you fulfilled your promises when they broke theirs”
After 657 CE
Fought on Ali's side at Siffin.
A day in their footsteps
5 small, repeatable practices from Adi ibn Hatim al-Ta'i's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Shielding yourself from the Fire with even a small gift
Adi narrated several times that the Prophet mentioned the Fire, turned his face away, and said to protect yourselves from it even with half a date, and if you cannot find that, with a good word. He took the lesson seriously and stressed it in his own advice.
Try this today
Give something every day, even if it is only half a date or a kind word.
Sit with this
What is your half a date today?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 1417Sahih قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَعْقِلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَدِيَّ بْنَ حَاتِمٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ".
“Save yourself from Hell-fire even by giving half a date-fruit in charity”
Sahih Muslim 1016Sahih قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَتِرَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ".
“even if it should be with half a date”
Keeping your word and breaking an oath for something better
Adi once refused a request in anger and swore not to give, but then recalled the Prophet's words that whoever swears an oath and finds something better should do that and expiate the oath. He then gave more than was asked, and told people the hadith.
Try this today
Do not let pride or anger bind you to a worse choice; do the better thing and expiate.
Sit with this
Is pride holding you to a promise that is worse than the alternative?
Source
Sahih Muslim 1651Sahih وَحَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ رُفَيْعٍ، عَنْ تَمِيمِ بْنِ طَرَفَةَ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَلْيَتْرُكْ يَمِينَهُ".
“He who took an oath, but he found something else better than that, should do that which is better”
Asking about things that confuse you
When the verse about the white thread and the black thread was revealed, Adi put two strings under his pillow and looked at them all night, and in the morning he told the Prophet, who explained that it means the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the day.
Try this today
Ask when you do not understand a command, and apply the explanation.
Sit with this
What have you misunderstood that one honest question could clear up?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 1916Sahih قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ{حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ} عَمَدْتُ إِلَى عِقَالٍ أَسْوَدَ وَإِلَى عِقَالٍ أَبْيَضَ، فَجَعَلْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي، فَجَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ فِي اللَّيْلِ، فَلاَ يَسْتَبِينُ لِي، فَغَدَوْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ" إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ سَوَادُ اللَّيْلِ وَبَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ".
“I took two (hair) strings, one black and the other white”
Learning the rules of what you do for a living
As a hunter, Adi asked the Prophet about hunting with trained dogs and with the mi'rad: say Allah's name, do not eat if the dog has eaten from it, do not eat if another dog joined in. His questions became the basis of the rulings on hunting.
Try this today
Know the halal and haram of your own work and ask scholars about its details.
Sit with this
Do you know the halal and haram of the way you earn your living?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 5476Sahih … فَقَتَلَ فَإِنَّهُ وَقِيذٌ، فَلاَ تَأْكُلْ". فَقُلْتُ أُرْسِلُ كَلْبِي. قَالَ" إِذَا أَرْسَلْتَ كَلْبَكَ وَسَمَّيْتَ، فَكُلْ". قُلْتُ فَإِنْ أَكَلَ قَالَ" فَلاَ تَأْكُلْ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يُمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ، إِنَّمَا أَمْسَكَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ". قُلْتُ أُرْسِلُ كَلْبِي فَأَجِدُ مَعَهُ كَلْبًا آخَرَ. قَالَ" لاَ تَأْكُلْ، فَإِنَّكَ إِنَّمَا سَمَّيْتَ عَلَى كَلْبِكَ، وَلَمْ تُسَمِّ عَلَى …
“If you let loose your trained hound after game, and mention the name of Allah, then you can eat”
Standing firm in loyalty when others fall away
Umar told Adi that he accepted Islam when his people disbelieved, came to the truth when they ran away, kept his promises when they broke theirs, and recognised the truth when they denied it. Adi said: then I do not mind.
Try this today
Stay loyal to what is right when your circle is wavering.
Sit with this
When your circle wavers, what keeps you steady?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 4394Sahih قَالَ أَتَيْنَا عُمَرَ فِي وَفْدٍ، فَجَعَلَ يَدْعُو رَجُلاً رَجُلاً وَيُسَمِّيهِمْ فَقُلْتُ أَمَا تَعْرِفُنِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ بَلَى، أَسْلَمْتَ إِذْ كَفَرُوا، وَأَقْبَلْتَ إِذْ أَدْبَرُوا، وَوَفَيْتَ إِذْ غَدَرُوا، وَعَرَفْتَ إِذْ أَنْكَرُوا. فَقَالَ عَدِيٌّ فَلاَ أُبَالِي إِذًا.
“you embraced Islam when they (i.e. your people) disbelieved”
Virtues
The Prophet told Adi that a woman would travel from al-Hira to Mecca fearing none but Allah, a prophecy that Adi lived to see.
“fearing none but Allah”
Arabic text
… بِالْكَعْبَةِ، لاَ تَخَافُ أَحَدًا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ" ـ قُلْتُ فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ نَفْسِي فَأَيْنَ دُعَّارُ طَيِّئٍ الَّذِينَ قَدْ سَعَّرُوا الْبِلاَدَ" وَلَئِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ لَتُفْتَحَنَّ كُنُوزُ كِسْرَى". قُلْتُ كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ قَالَ" كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ، وَلَئِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ، لَتَرَيَنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُخْرِجُ مِلْءَ كَفِّهِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ فِضَّةٍ، يَطْلُبُ مَنْ …
Sahih al-Bukhari 3595Sahih
Umar praised him for being among those who fulfilled their promises when others broke theirs.
“you fulfilled your promises when they broke theirs”
Arabic text
قَالَ أَتَيْنَا عُمَرَ فِي وَفْدٍ، فَجَعَلَ يَدْعُو رَجُلاً رَجُلاً وَيُسَمِّيهِمْ فَقُلْتُ أَمَا تَعْرِفُنِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ بَلَى، أَسْلَمْتَ إِذْ كَفَرُوا، وَأَقْبَلْتَ إِذْ أَدْبَرُوا، وَوَفَيْتَ إِذْ غَدَرُوا، وَعَرَفْتَ إِذْ أَنْكَرُوا. فَقَالَ عَدِيٌّ فَلاَ أُبَالِي إِذًا.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4394Sahih
Sayings and moments
Narrating from the Prophet: Protect yourselves from the Fire even with half a date.
“Protect yourselves from the Hell-Fire, even if with one half of a date”
Arabic text
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَكَرَ النَّارَ فَأَشَاحَ بِوَجْهِهِ فَتَعَوَّذَ مِنْهَا، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ النَّارَ فَأَشَاحَ بِوَجْهِهِ فَتَعَوَّذَ مِنْهَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ " اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَبِكَلِمَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ".
Sahih al-Bukhari 6563Sahih
Words on this page
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Halal and haramحلال وحرام
- What is permitted (halal) and what is forbidden (haram) in Islamic law.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
- Makkahمكة
- The city of the Ka'bah, where the Prophet ﷺ was born and revelation began.
Related companions
- عمر بن الخطابUmar ibn al-KhattabUmar ibn al-Khattab, al-Faruq and second caliph: his night prayer, justice, generosity and respect for the Bo…
- خالد بن الوليدKhalid ibn al-WalidBrilliant Qurashi cavalry commander who accepted Islam before the conquest of Makkah and was called a sword a…
- علي بن أبي طالبAli ibn Abi TalibCousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, among the first to believe, and fourth caliph; remembered for knowledge…
Sources and review
- Adi ibn Hatim - Wikipedia (biography, dates) (opens in a new tab)
- hadith-api, English hadith editions mirroring sunnah.com numbering and grades (opens in a new tab)
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.
This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.