(Haatim Asamm [rahimahullah] – Part One)
Haatim Asamm (rahimahullah) was a famous saint who hailed from the city of Balkh. He was well-known for his piety, ascetism and disinterest in this world, and was a student of Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahimahullah). Such were his words of wisdom that some scholars have even called him “The Luqmaan of this Ummah”. (Wafayaatul Aa’yaan vol. 2, pg. 26 and Hilyatul Awliyaa vol. 6, pg. 311)
His title, “Asamm”, literally means a person who is hard of hearing. In reality, he had no deficiency in his ability to hear. However, on one occasion a woman came to him to enquire about a law of Deen. It so happened that whilst enquiring, she passed wind, and was therefore embarrassed. Very wittingly, Haatim (rahimahullah) made as though he was hard of hearing and asked her to raise her voice when asking her question. The woman was thus under the impression that he could not hear very well and was relieved that he did not hear her passing wind. From then onwards, he became known with this title.
On one occasion, the Muslims were at war with the Turks and Haatim (rahimahullah) was part of the Muslim army. During the battle, a Turk flung his rope at Haatim (rahimahullah) and dropped him off his horse. He then dismounted his animal, sat on Haatim’s (rahimahullah) chest and grabbed his beard. From his sock, he pulled out a knife to behead Haatim (rahimahullah). Haatim (rahimahullah) himself recounts the condition of his heart at that time saying, “By my Master, my heart was neither focused on him nor on his knife. Rather, it was only focused on my Master (Allah Ta‘ala) (as) I was awaiting His decree to fall upon me.”
He thus addressed Allah Ta‘ala saying, “O my Master, if you have decreed that this person will behead me, then I completely submit (to Your command). I am only Yours and in Your ownership.” While Haatim (rahimahullah) was addressing Allah Ta‘ala, the Turk – who was still sitting on his chest ready to behead him – was suddenly struck in his throat by an arrow from one of the Muslim soldiers. Haatim (rahimahullah) immediately got up, took the knife from his hand and beheaded him.
After relating this incident he says, “It is just a matter of your hearts being by the Master (Allah Ta‘ala), which will result in you seeing such amazing aspects of His kindness (unfold), which you will not (even) find from fathers and mothers.”
Once, when Haatim (rahimahullah) went to Baghdad, the people of the city gathered around him and enquired as to how he overpowers all his opponents in debates despite being a non-Arab (and therefore not as eloquent in the Arabic language). He replied that he possesses three qualities by means of which he overpowers them: Firstly, he becomes happy when his opponent is correct. Secondly, he is sad when his opponent makes a mistake. And thirdly, he protects himself from behaving in an uncordial manner with his opponent. When this news reached the Imaam of the time, Ahmad bin Hambal (rahimahullah), he remarked, “Subhanallah! What an intelligent man he is.” (Al-Muntazam vol. 11, pg. 253)
Lessons:
1. One of the beautiful qualities of the friends of Allah Ta‘ala is that they go to great lengths to bring comfort to others and to save them from any type of difficulty or inconvenience, even though it may entail them going through some discomfort themselves. Haatim (rahimahullah) lived with the title of being hard of hearing for the rest of his life whereas in actual fact he was not, because he could not allow another believer to feel embarrassed. Unfortunately, nowadays people go the extra mile in mocking and ridiculing other believers and exposing their faults and weaknesses. How far away is this from the good character which a believer is ought to be displaying!
2. When a person’s heart is connected to Allah Ta‘ala and focused on Him, he remains composed and calm, no matter the situation he finds himself in. Furthermore, Allah Ta‘ala makes a way out for him from his difficulty and constraint. Haatim (rahimahullah) completely submitted himself to the decree of Allah Ta‘ala and totally focused on Him and thus the assistance of Allah Ta‘ala came to him in such a remarkable manner when he was about to be killed.
3. The primary concern of a person who has sincerity is the progress and betterment of Deen, not his personal glory and fame. Hence, more important than winning the argument and ‘scoring points’ is his concern that the opposite person must see the truth and be guided to the straight path. He will thus have deep and genuine concern for the person, as well as adopt an approach which will win him over, not push him further away.
