Al-Hatim
is a round building in the shape of half a circle, one of its ends
faces the Syrian corner and the other faces the western corner. It
is covered with marble and what is between the northern wall of the
Ka`bah and Al-Hatim is the well-known place called Al-Hijr (the
Enclosure of Isma`il). Ibn Juraij was reported as having said,
“Al-Hatim is the place between Ar-Rukn (the Corner) and the
Station of Abraham on one part and Zamzam and Al-Hijr on the
other.”
It
was reported that Muhammad Ibn Suqah said, “While we were sitting
with Sa`id Ibn Jubair in the shade of the Ka`bah he said: You are
now sitting in the most honored shade on earth.”
Sufyan
reported an old man called Wahb as having said that a man of his
people got married to a woman whose mother asked him for one of his
camels, but he refused. Whereupon, she (the mother) said, “I had
suckled you both.” He immediately raised the issue to `Uthman Ibn
`Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, who judged that she (the
mother) should be put to oath at (the shade of) the Ka`bah that she
had suckled them both. Then, it seems that she felt the grave
dilemma she put herself in; so when they asked her to swear she
refused and confessed that she only wanted to prevent him from
getting married to her (daughter).
`Amr
Ibn Dinar reported that one of the Companions of the Prophet, peace
and blessings be upon him, said, “One should not be put to oath
between the Station of Abraham and the Ka`bah regarding trivial
matters; for I fear that people, afterwards, may belittle it.”
`Ikrimah
Ibn Khalid reported that `Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn `Awf saw a group of
people at the Station of Abraham and so he asked, ‘What is the
matter?’ They replied, “A man is being put to oath.” He
asked, “Is it by reason of bloodshed?!” They replied, “No.”
He then asked, “Is it because of a large sum of money?!”
According
to the Hanafi School of Thought, Al-Hatim is the place that
encompasses Al-Midhab.
Ibn
`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Al-Hatim is the
wall.” Al-Muhibb At-Tabari commented on this saying that the wall
refers to that of the Hijr of the Ka`bah. He added, “It was said
that Al-Hatim is Ash-Shadhuran.”
Reason
Behind That Name:
In
his book “Shifa’ Al-Gharam,” Abu At-Taiyyb said, “It was so
called as such because the Ka`bah was raised while it was left out
without being built.” He added: It was said that it was called as
such because the Arabs used to dress it with many drapes and leave
them to wear out by the course of time.
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