Abu Bakrah

Adi ibn Hatim al-Ta'i (may Allah be pleased with him) was a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, the son of Hatim al-Ta'i, the legendary pre-Islamic Arab chieftain celebrated throughout Arabic poetry and culture as the greatest exemplar of generosity. Adi was initially a Christian Arab and a leader of his tribe before embracing Islam around 9 AH. After his conversion he became a devoted Companion and participated in the early Islamic conquests. He narrated approximately sixty-six hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ. Among his most notable narrations is the famous hadith on charity: the Prophet ﷺ urged every Muslim to give charity, even if only a date, and said: 'Protect yourselves from the Fire, even if with half a date.' He is also known for narrating the Prophet's explanation of the Quranic verse about the 'white thread' and the 'black thread' in the context of determining the start of the fasting day — the Prophet ﷺ explained that it means the whiteness of day versus the darkness of night. He lived to approximately 68 AH and settled in Kufa.