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Maytham al-Tammar
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Maytham al-Tammar
Miytham ibn Yaḥyā al-Tammār al-Asadī al-Kūfī or Miytham al-Tammar (Arabic: مِيثَمُ بْنُ يَحْيَىٰ ٱلتَّمَّارُ) was an early Islamic scholar, a companion and disciple of Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Maytham ibn Yaḥyā was born at Nahrawān, an area near Kūfa. He was the son of Yaḥyā, hence, ibn Yaḥyā (which means son of Yaḥyā).
A lady from Banu Asad bought Maytham (as a slave). Accordingly, Maytham worked for this lady until the caliphate of Ali.
As a slave of 'Nabataean' (Aramaic-speaking) origin living in Kufa, Maytham originally was a mawlā (a non-Arab client of an Arab tribe). But after Maytham was freed from the shackles of slavery, he no longer was addressed as a mawlā. The second and most famous title given to Maytham was al-Tammār, stems from the Arabic word Tammār. In Arabic, Tamr means dates (a type of fruit). Therefore, al-Tammār means "the date seller". In Hebrew, Tamar means palm tree, date palm, or dates. Maytham received the title al-Tammar because he owned a market store in Kufa where he would sell dates and other types of fruit. In addition, al-Kūfī was another title given to Maytham. Al-Kūfī simply means a person from Kufa.
After the time of Muhammad and the death of Uthman, Ali succeeded him as the fourth Rashidun Caliph, in the year 656 AD. As the new caliph, Ali moved the Islamic capital from Medina to Kufa for two reasons: to keep Mu'awiya I in check, and because Kufa had an illustrious history (many Islamic prophets lived in Kufa). Moving to Kufa, Ali ibn Abi Talib use to go around the city of Kufa. It is documented that if he encountered a slave he would try to free him or her. One day, Ali saw a lady from the Banu Asad tribe, who had a male slave of 'Nabataean' origin. Ali ibn Abi Talib approached the woman and began to converse with her, in order to purchasing the slave, Salim. The two started to negotiate a price, and the lady's initial asking price was 50 dinar. As Ali ibn Abi Talib gave her the 50 dinar she changed the price to 100 dinar. She kept raising the price, since she realized that Ali was willing to pay her a much higher price. Seeing the price soar, a companion of Ali then asked, "O Amir al-Momineen (Ali ibn Abi Talib), who is this man? What is he? He's originally a Nabataean, he is a slave, what the point of paying this much?" Finally, she settled at 500 dinar. Ali handed her the 500 dinar. She then called Salim and stated to him that Ali has purchased you. After buying Salim, Ali set him free from the shackles of slavery for the way of Allah. It demonstrated the Islamic view of slavery; Islam establishes that slavery is immoral and that all humans are equal in the perspective of Allah. The only thing that differentiates a human is their Taqwa. Islam called for a gradual emancipation of slaves. Meaning that masters/owners should not just set slaves free but they should help them build a foundation financially so that they (slaves) could support themselves. Thus, Imam Ali took Maytham under his wings after he freed Maytham. Moreover, a person who frees a slave is showered with blessing and would be protected from hell fire.
After Ali set him free, he greeted Salim by the name Maytham. Maytham was the name that his mother gave to him after his birth; no one in Kufa knew that Maytham was Salim's real name. Upon hearing a stranger calling him by Maytham, Salim was shocked, baffled, and astonished that a person other than his parents knew about his real name (Maytham). He questioned Ali as to how did he knew that Maytham was his real name. Ali replied, "Come with me do not worry. Allah's Apostle (Prophet Muhammad) has told me that the Iranians call you Maytham. Still shocked, Maytham willing went with Ali who would later become his best friend and teacher.
Salim (a.k.a. Maytham) himself narrates this event:
Other narrations state that Ali ibn Abi Talib tells Salim, "Your name is Maytham, you are Iranian, you are of Iranian origin. Be proud of your Iranian origin."
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Maytham al-Tammar
Miytham ibn Yaḥyā al-Tammār al-Asadī al-Kūfī or Miytham al-Tammar (Arabic: مِيثَمُ بْنُ يَحْيَىٰ ٱلتَّمَّارُ) was an early Islamic scholar, a companion and disciple of Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Maytham ibn Yaḥyā was born at Nahrawān, an area near Kūfa. He was the son of Yaḥyā, hence, ibn Yaḥyā (which means son of Yaḥyā).
A lady from Banu Asad bought Maytham (as a slave). Accordingly, Maytham worked for this lady until the caliphate of Ali.
As a slave of 'Nabataean' (Aramaic-speaking) origin living in Kufa, Maytham originally was a mawlā (a non-Arab client of an Arab tribe). But after Maytham was freed from the shackles of slavery, he no longer was addressed as a mawlā. The second and most famous title given to Maytham was al-Tammār, stems from the Arabic word Tammār. In Arabic, Tamr means dates (a type of fruit). Therefore, al-Tammār means "the date seller". In Hebrew, Tamar means palm tree, date palm, or dates. Maytham received the title al-Tammar because he owned a market store in Kufa where he would sell dates and other types of fruit. In addition, al-Kūfī was another title given to Maytham. Al-Kūfī simply means a person from Kufa.
After the time of Muhammad and the death of Uthman, Ali succeeded him as the fourth Rashidun Caliph, in the year 656 AD. As the new caliph, Ali moved the Islamic capital from Medina to Kufa for two reasons: to keep Mu'awiya I in check, and because Kufa had an illustrious history (many Islamic prophets lived in Kufa). Moving to Kufa, Ali ibn Abi Talib use to go around the city of Kufa. It is documented that if he encountered a slave he would try to free him or her. One day, Ali saw a lady from the Banu Asad tribe, who had a male slave of 'Nabataean' origin. Ali ibn Abi Talib approached the woman and began to converse with her, in order to purchasing the slave, Salim. The two started to negotiate a price, and the lady's initial asking price was 50 dinar. As Ali ibn Abi Talib gave her the 50 dinar she changed the price to 100 dinar. She kept raising the price, since she realized that Ali was willing to pay her a much higher price. Seeing the price soar, a companion of Ali then asked, "O Amir al-Momineen (Ali ibn Abi Talib), who is this man? What is he? He's originally a Nabataean, he is a slave, what the point of paying this much?" Finally, she settled at 500 dinar. Ali handed her the 500 dinar. She then called Salim and stated to him that Ali has purchased you. After buying Salim, Ali set him free from the shackles of slavery for the way of Allah. It demonstrated the Islamic view of slavery; Islam establishes that slavery is immoral and that all humans are equal in the perspective of Allah. The only thing that differentiates a human is their Taqwa. Islam called for a gradual emancipation of slaves. Meaning that masters/owners should not just set slaves free but they should help them build a foundation financially so that they (slaves) could support themselves. Thus, Imam Ali took Maytham under his wings after he freed Maytham. Moreover, a person who frees a slave is showered with blessing and would be protected from hell fire.
After Ali set him free, he greeted Salim by the name Maytham. Maytham was the name that his mother gave to him after his birth; no one in Kufa knew that Maytham was Salim's real name. Upon hearing a stranger calling him by Maytham, Salim was shocked, baffled, and astonished that a person other than his parents knew about his real name (Maytham). He questioned Ali as to how did he knew that Maytham was his real name. Ali replied, "Come with me do not worry. Allah's Apostle (Prophet Muhammad) has told me that the Iranians call you Maytham. Still shocked, Maytham willing went with Ali who would later become his best friend and teacher.
Salim (a.k.a. Maytham) himself narrates this event:
Other narrations state that Ali ibn Abi Talib tells Salim, "Your name is Maytham, you are Iranian, you are of Iranian origin. Be proud of your Iranian origin."
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