Meytham Tammar

Meytham Tammar was originally a slave and was bought and freed by Imam Ali (a.s.). Imam Ali (a.s.) loved him very much and respected him greatly, and Meytham in turn had a strong affection for the Imam. Meytham is called Tammar because he was a date seller. Imam Ali (a.s.) had informed Meytham the way of his martyrdom many years before his martyrdom. Before his martyrdom, he had told everyone that his Imam and master, Imam Ali (a.s.), had told him the way of his martyrdom. The rulers of oppression intended to martyr Meytham in a way other than what the Imam had told to meytham, but in the end, as predicted by Imam Ali (a.s.), they cut off his eloquent tongue, and this friend of the family of Ali (a.s.) was martyred in a tragic manner by Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, the ruler of Kufa, for his open support of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and friendship with them.

The Personality of Meytham Tammar

Meytham, the son of Yahya, was initially a slave of a woman from the Bani Asad tribe, whom Imam Ali (a.s.) bought and freed.

He also lived during the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.); although he is not mentioned in the events of that time, but he is considered one of the companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

Meytham Tammar was a devoted Muslim and a loyal and pure Shia. It is said that he had six sons, all of whom, like their father, were steadfast in their faith and Islam and were considered supporters of the Ahl al-Bayt. They were the favorites of the Shiite Imams. Imam Hussain (a.s.), Imam Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Sadiq (a.s.) have often spoken well of Meytham.

Meytham’s relationship with Imam Ali (a.s.) became more intimate and extensive during the caliphate of that Imam. It was at that time that the Imam freed and liberated him from slavery.

He was eager to learn knowledge and wisdom from Imam  Ali (a.s.). Therefore, he devoted his heart and soul to the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt sciences. The Imam (a.s.) also found him worthy and talented, and taught him a lot of knowledge and wisdom, even some secrets that could not be told to everyone, and gave him knowledge of future events, calamities, and seditions of the time. Therefore, Meytham Tammar is known as the (secret holder) of Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).

Sometimes, Meytham Tammar would share with people some of the knowledge and secrets that he had learned from his Imam, and it would amaze them. This type of knowledge and information is called (the knowledge of calamities and disasters). The knowledge of calamities and disasters is one of the sciences that the Imams (a.s.) have introduced the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) as the owners of this knowledge. The meaning of this knowledge is that the Shiite Imams are aware of the events that will happen to individuals in the future. In the knowledge of calamities, these events are about death, its nature and time, and in the knowledge of disasters, they are about the events and troubles of individuals. According to the hadiths, the Imams (a.s.) learned this knowledge from the Prophet (s.a.w.). The infallible Imams taught this knowledge to some of their close and confidential companions.

Meytham Tammar was secretive and would not reveal what he had learned from his Imam and  master except when necessary and in times of need.

He lived in Kufa, and there was a special intimacy between him and Imam Ali (a.s.). The Imam would sometimes go to his date shop and talk to him, and during these meetings he would teach him about the Quran and religious wisdom.

In various scenes, he was present alongside other sincere companions of Ali (a.s.) and, like a butterfly, he received light from the glow of the Imam Ali’s leadership. He would be present with distinguished individuals such as (Kumeyl) in the places of prayer and worship of his Imam. Meytham was the companion of the Imam’s mystical nights and he was accompanied Imam when Imam was praying and worshiping.

Scenes of the Imam’s midnight prayers in the deserts outside Kufa and the Imam’s secret conversations with the well have been narrated by Meytham Tammar.

Meytham was aware of his martyrdom through what he had heard from his Imam. One day, the Imam said to him: “O Meytham! What will you do on the day when the impure son of the Umayyads (Ibn Ziyad) asks you to disown me?”

Meytham said: No, I swear by God, I will never do that.

The Imam (a.s.) said: Otherwise, they will hang you and kill you.

He said: I will be patient and resistant. This is bearable for me in the way of God…

Meytham’s honor was to be martyred for his beliefs and faith

Therefore, Meytham was constantly on the hook, expecting martyrdom and considering martyrdom for his beliefs and faith an honor, and despite all the dangers and pressures, he never stopped defending and supporting the family of the Prophet and the path of Imamate and guardianship. After the martyrdom of Imam Ali (a.s.), he sometimes went from Kufa to Medina and met with Imam Hassan (a.s.) and Imam Hussein (a.s.).

The people of Kufa, during that oppressive period when the Umayyads were in power, would hear from him the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt and the ways of Imam Ali(a.s). He acted on the advice of his Imam Ali (a.s.) and spread the virtues of that Imam and this pure family everywhere, even though he knew that they would arrest him and hang him from a palm branch. He even knew what that particular tree was.

Sometimes, when passing by the tree that Ali (a.s.) had shown him and told him that he would have adventures with this tree later, he would stop and pray beside of that palm tree and say: Blessed be you, palm tree! I was created for you and you grew for me. He would always look at that palm tree.

Meytham's Characteristics

Meytham Tammar had outstanding characteristics; Including:

Oratory and lecturer:Meytham had an eloquent speech and was the head of the fruit sellers' guild and their spokesman in the Kufa market. When the Kufa marketers complained about Ibn Ziyad, he went to the governor of Kufa as their representative.

Interpretation of the Quran: Among other things, Meytham Tammar learned from Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) was the knowledge of the Quran and the teachings of the divine book. One day, Meytham met Ibn Abbas ( who was also one of Ali's (a.s.) students in the interpretation of the Quran) in Medina and said to him: Ask whatever you want about the interpretation of the Quran. I have learned the entire Quran and its interpretation from Ali (a.s.). Ibn Abbas asked for paper and a pen to write down Meytham's words in the interpretation of the Quran. Meytham spoke to Ibn Abbas about the details of his martyrdom, according to what he had heard from Imam Ali (a.s), and he surprised him.

Narrator of the Hadith: He had heard many Hadiths from Ali (a.s.) and had compiled them into a collection. What he narrated from his leader on various occasions and informed about future events shows his interest in this subject. Two of his sons, Saleh and Yaqoob, have also narrated some of his writingsIbid.

Knowledge of Secrets: As mentioned earlier, he had knowledge of (calamities and disasters); that is, he was aware of future events and the manner of death of people and the seditions that were to occur later. He had learned all of this from his master, Imam Ali (a.s.); For example, he predicted his own martyrdom, he had told Abu Khalid about Moawiyyah's death a week before, he had also predicted the uprising of Mukhtar in Kufa.

He was also aware of the heart-wrenching event of Karbala, although he himself was martyred years before that event.One day he had told a woman named (Jabalah Makki): This nation kills the son of his Prophet's daughter on the tenth of Muharram, and the enemies of God consider this day blessed; this is a story that my master, Imam ali  (peace be upon him), told me and said that everything will cry for Hossayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him)Majlesi, Muhammad Baqir.(1982). Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 45, second edition. Beirut: Dar Ihya' al-Turath  al-Araby.; The same narration continues that Meytham also gave a sign to Jabalah . She says: One day I came out of the house and saw the sun shining on the walls, like a cloth dyed red. I let out a cry and said: By God, our Imam and master Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) was killed. And it was just as she had heard from Meytham.

One day, in a session  of Bani Asad, he met Habib ibn Mazahir (one of the martyrs of Karbala) and had a detailed conversation with him. Habib, in a suggestive speech, reported the martyrdom of Meytham and said: It seems that I see an old man who is being hanged and his stomach is being ripped open on the gallows for his friendship with the Prophet's family (referring to Meytham's martyrdom in Kufa).

Meytham replied: I also see and know a red-faced man who rises up to help the son of his Prophet's daughter and is killed and his head is beheaded in Kufa (referring to Habib's martyrdom in Karbala).

The people who witnessed this conversation ridiculed the words of the two great men and considered them lies; but a few days later, Meytham was hanged and a few days later, Habib ibn Mazahir was martyred in Karbala and his head was also brought to Kufa, impaled on a spear .

The Red End

When Meytham was returning to Kufa from the Hajj pilgrimage, Ibn Ziyad had ordered his arrest. This was on the eve of the events preceding the uprising of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and Ashura and the critical situation in Kufa. The governor’s agents arrested Meytham in (Hirah) before he reached Kufa and his home. When he was arrested, he was old and frail, with only skin on his bones, although he had a brave heart and a strong mind.

He was taken to Ibn Ziyad. Some words were exchanged between him and Ibn Ziyad. The governor of Kufa asked him: Where is your Lord? Meytham replied: In the ambush of the oppressors, of whom you are one.

He said: You must hate Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and curse him, otherwise I will cut off your hands and feet and hang you on a gallows.

Meytham said: My Imam Ali (peace be upon him) has informed me that you will hang me and cut out my tongue.

To express his hostility, Ibn Ziyad said: I will cut off your hands and feet and set you free so that your Imam and master's lie will be exposed.

He ordered him to be hanged. Meytham Tammar would also speak about the virtues of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) from the top of the gallows and would announce: O people! Whoever wants to hear a hadith from Ali (peace be upon him) before I am killed. I will inform you of future events until the end of the world. The people gathered eagerly to hear his words and he spoke to them from the top of the gallows and conveyed the virtues of the Prophet's family to the people.

Finally, the enemies could not bear these words, so on the orders of Ibn Ziyad, they cut out his tongue and martyred him on the gallows with spears.

Meytham Tammar lived a pure life, with faith and in path  of the Ahl al-Bayt, and finally lost his life in the path of sincere loyalty to his faith. His martyrdom was a red birthday for him and with that good end, he achieved his wish.For a while, his pure body was on the gallows, and Ibn Ziyad did not allow it to be taken down  so that  to Create fear and terror for opponents .Seven of his zealous friends conspired together and surprised the guards one night, took the body down and buried it. The next morning, the officers did not see the body on the gallows and did not find it wherever they lookedKashshi, Muhammad ibn Umar bin Abdulaziz. (1969). Rijal-e-Kashshi, Mashhad: University of Mashhad, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Research and Studies Center.