Hatim al-Tai: The Legend of Generosity
Hatim ibn Abdallah of the Tai tribe, a pre-Islamic Arab chief in 6th-century Yemen, became the enduring symbol of Arab generosity and chivalry. Countless legends recount his extreme hospitality: slaughtering his prized horse when no other food was available for guests, giving away his possessions until left with nothing, and offering his own life to an assassin sent by a jealous king rather than sending the man back empty-handed. Even after death, legend says he hosted travelers from beyond the grave. The name 'Hatim' remains synonymous with generosity across the Arab and Persian world, and hi