Maytham al-Tammar: Difference between revisions

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'''Maytham al-Tammār al-Asadī al-Kūfī''' (Arabic: میثم التمار الأسدی الکوفی) (d. [[60]]/692) was a devout and loyal companion of [[Imam 'Ali (a) ]]. Although there isn't alot of detailed information available about his life, he is known for being a date-seller in [[Kufa]] who had many outstanding qualities. Maytham was executed by the [[Ummayad]] governor before [[the event of Karbala]].

Maytham was a non-Arab, and because he was the slave of an Asadi woman, he was ascribed to the tribe of [[Bani Asad]].<ref>al-Kashshi. ''Rijal''. p. 9; al-Mufid. ''al-Irshad''. vol. 1. p. 323</ref> Later, he was bought and then freed by [[Imam 'Ali (a) ]]. When Imam 'Ali (a) asked him his name, he answered: "Salim". [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] said, "The Prophet informed me that your Persian parents named you Maytham." Imam 'Ali (a) then asked him to return to the name which the Prophet called him and he accepted, and was therefore called Abu Salim. His other title was Abu Salih.<ref>Tabarsi. ''I'lam al-wora''. vol. 1. p. 341; al-Mufid. ''al-Irshad''. vol. 1. p. 341</ref>

Maytham was a date-seller in the bazaar of [[Kufa]]; therefore, he was given the title of "al-Tammar", "seller of dates".<ref> Ibn shahrashub. ''Manaqib''. vol. 2. p. 329.</ref> There are also a few accounts that he was a melon-seller in ''Dar al-Rizq'' (probably the name of a locality in Kufa).<ref> al-Kashshi. ''Rijal''. p. 78.</ref>

Maytham was a companion of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]], [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]] and [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]],<ref>al-Tusi. ''Rijal''. p. 81. 96. 105</ref>  but he is best known as a devout follower of Imam 'Ali (a).<ref> al-Mufid. ''al-Ikhtisas''. p. 3.</ref> He was a devoted and sincere lover of [[the Prophet (s)]] and his [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)|household (a)]], and they were also affectionate towards him.<ref> Tabari. ''Bisharat al-mustafa''. p. 236-237.</ref> As reported by [[Umm Salama]], the Prophet (s) praised Maytham many times during his life.<ref> Asqalani. ''al-Isaba''. vol. 6. p. 317</ref>

Maytham foretold the death of [[Mu'awiya]],<ref>see: al-Kashshi. ''rijal''. p. 80.</ref> the martyrdom of [[Imam al-Husayn (a) ]],<ref>al-Saduq. ''Amali''. p. 189-190.</ref> his own execution and the release of [[Mukhtar b. Abi ‘ubayda al-Thaqafi]] from prison.<ref>al-Mufid. ''al-Irshad''. vol. 1. p. 324-325. Ibn Abi l-Hadid. ''Sharh-i nahj al-balagha''. vol. 2. p. 293.</ref>

Maytham wrote a commentary of the [[Qur'an]] from what he had learned from [[Imam 'Ali (a) ]].<ref> Agha Buzueg. ''al-Dhari'a''. vol. 4. p. 317.</ref> According to one account, Maytham told [[Ibn 'Abbas]] that Imam Ali had taught him the knowledge of [[Ta'wil]] (hidden meaning of the Qur'an). He asked Ibn 'Abbas to ask him any question about the interpretation of the Qur'an, and Ibn 'Abbas questioned him and wrote down his answers. When Maytham foretold the story of his own martyrdom, Ibn 'Abbas became suspicious about him and decided to destroy the writings. Maytham asked him not to do that and said, "Keep yourself from doing that until my prophecy is fulfilled; if it does not happen, destroy my interpretations".<ref>al-Kashshi. ''Rijal''. p. 81.</ref>

Maytham is also said to have compiled a hadith collection from which his descendants narrated. Some of these narrations are available in references.<ref>see: al-Tusi. ''Amali''. p. 148. Ghaffar. ''al-Kulaini wa al-kafi''. p. 28.</ref> These narrations are about love and hatred towards [[Ahl al-Bayt (a) ]], the precedence of [[Kufa Mosque]] over [[Bayt al-Maqdis]], the hatred of hypocrites towards Imam 'Ali (a), the four-time confession of fornication and its penalty and other stories about the judgments of Imam 'Ali (a).<ref>Barqi. ''Kitab al-mahasin''. p. 309-310. Shadhan qumi. ''al-Fada'il''. p. 3-5.</ref>

He was a member of ''[[Shurta al-Khamis]]'' (the especial Guards of [[Imam 'Ali (a) ]]), who pledged themselves to fight with Imam 'Ali (a) in all battles and support him in all hardships.<ref>Barqi. ''Kitab al-rijal''. p. 3-4. al-Mufid. ''al-Ikhtisas''. p. 2-3.</ref>

After the demise of Imam 'Ali (a), Maytham became a devout companion of [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]] and [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]].<ref> al-Tusi. ''Rijal''. p. 96-105.</ref> Imam al-Husayn was affectionate towards Maytham and treated him kindly.<ref>al-Kashshi. ''Rijal''. p. 80.</ref> In 60 AH Maytham went to [[Mecca]] to perform [[‘Umrah]], but could not meet Imam al-Husayn (a). [[Umm Salama]] informed him of Imam al-Husayn (a)'s situation. Maytham then asked Umm Salama to pass his greetings to Imam al-Husayn (a) and to tell him that he would meet the Imam in paradise.<ref>al-Kashshi. ''rijal''. p. 80-81. al-Mufid. ''al-Irshad''. vol. 1. p. 324.</ref>

Imam 'Ali (a) had promised Maytham a high level in paradise beside himself for his resistance against the governor of [[Kufa]], [[‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad]]. The Imam had also informed Maytham of his [[martyrdom]], the name of his killer and the story of his execution on a palm tree. He even showed him the exact tree on which he was going to be hung. It is reported that Maytham prayed beside that tree and talked to it. He told the story of his martyrdom to his friends, but once when he told [[Habib b. Mazahir]] in front of others, people began to mock him.<ref>al-Kashshi. ''Rijal''. p. 78-84</ref>

According to the second account, Maytham, along with some businessmen from Kufa, went to Ibn Ziyad to protest the injustice of his agent in the bazaar. There, ‘Amr b. Hurayth, the commander of the Kufian army, called Maytham a liar and a partisan of the liar (meaning [[Imam 'Ali (a) ]]). In response, Maytham called himself a truthful partisan of the truthful one. Ibn Ziyad then ordered Maytham to curse Imam 'Ali (a) and praise [[Uthman b. ‘Affan]] and threatened to cut off his arms and legs if he didn't. Maytham chose martyrdom. He told Ibn Ziyad that Imam 'Ali (a) had said Ibn Ziyad would cut off his tongue. Ibn Ziyad wanted to prove the words Imam 'Ali (a)to be wrong; therefore, he ordered the cutting of Maytham's arms and legs only, and hung him beside the house of ‘Amr b. Hurayth.