Al-Tai lived in
Ha'il in the present-day
Saudi Arabia and was mentioned in some
Hadiths attributed to Muhammad. He died in 578 AD, and was buried in
Tuwarin,
Ha'il. His tomb is described in the
Arabian Nights. His name
Hatim refers to a 'black
crow' in Arabic. He lived in the sixth century CE and also figures in the
Arabian Nights stories. The celebrated Persian poet
Saadi, in his work
Gulistan (1259) wrote: "Hatim Taï no longer exists but his exalted name will remain famous for virtue to eternity. Distribute the tithe of your wealth in alms; for when the husbandman lops off the exuberant branches from the vine, it produces an increase of grapes". He is also mentioned in Saadi's
Bostan (1257). According to legends in various books and stories, he was a famous personality in the region of Ta'i (present day Ha'il) and is also a well-known figure in the rest of the Middle East as well as the Indian subcontinent, featuring in many books, films and TV series in
Arabic,
Persian,
Urdu,
Turkish,
Hindi,
Kashmiri and various other languages. He is associated with the
Lakhmid court in
Hira, especially under its most famous king
Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man. It is said that he used to give away everything he possessed except for his mount and weapons. Rozat-ul-Sufa mentions that "In the eighth year after the birth of his eminence the Prophet (Muhammad), died
Noushirwan the Just, and Hatemtai the generous, both famous for their virtues", around 579 CE. According to the 17th-century orientalist
D'Herbelot, his tomb was located at a small village called Anwarz, in Arabia. == Works ==