Tamim bin Aws ad-Dari was a companion of the Islamic prophetMuhammad, and an early convert from Christianity to Islam. In Islamic eschatology, he is known for encountering the Dajjal during one of his journeys. As such, Tamim's story has become the bedrock of various Medieval narratives and legends, earning Tamim the title of "the intrepid traveler."
Biography
Originally a Christian priest, al-Dari lived in Palestine and belonged to the Banu al-Dar—a clan of the Lakhm tribe. His first contact with Muhammad was in 628 CE when he led a delegation of ten other Banu al-Dar members. Previously Muhammad granted Banu al-Dar a part of the revenues of conquered land after the Muslim victory at the Battle of Khaybar. Al-Dari met with Muhammad to receive the revenues and after meeting him, al-Dari embraced Islam and settled in Medina. After his conversion, al-Dari became an adviser to Muhammad, particularly on public worship. His advice included the introduction of oil lamps in mosques. He is traditionally considered to be the first narrator of Islamic religious stories. Many of his stories included ones on the end of the world, Dajjal beasts and the coming of the Antichrist. His wife thought he was dead and married to another man. The matter was communicated to Caliph Umar, and he referred it to Ali who said that Muhammad had foreseen all that would happen to Tamim and left the wife to have her own choice between the two husbands. The wife ultimately decided to go back to al-Dari. Prior to Muhammad's death, al-Dari was granted a large qita'a for control of Hebron, Beit Einun and the surrounding area, although at that time Palestine was still under Byzantine control. The deed was written up by Ali and when the Muslims conquered Palestine in 634, al-Dari acquired the territory. Originally, al-Dari's role as the owner of the qita'a was to collect the kharaj. He was forbidden to enslave any of the locals or sell their property. In 655, al-Dari left Medina to reside in his native Palestine where he died in 661. According to tradition, he is buried in the town of Bayt Jibrin, destroyed by Israel in 1948. Today his maqam is abandoned and located just north to Kibbutz Beit Guvrin. According to the Egyptian historian Ibn Lahi'a, members of al-Dari's family were still the owners of his estates in Hebron and Beit Einun during the historian's lifetime.
According to Sunni sources, Tamim ad-Dari had embarked on expedition that was shipwrecked on a mysterious island. On this island, he is taken by a strange creature al-Jassasah to meet a chained man inside of a monastery who is said to be intrigued of the arrival of the tribesman. The chained man is eager to ask them questions about the outside world, asking about the natural condition of various locations, and about the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad. After the tribesmen answer him, the chained man announces he is the Dajjal, and provides them eschatological details related to the future, warning them of his advent. The tribesmen are somehow able to leave the island and relate their story back to the Prophet Muhammad who relates it back to the populace
During an audience with the Prophet Muhammad, it is said that Tamim had asked him for a deed to two villages or estates in the area of Palestine. This was an unusual request because they were granted ownership over property that at the time was considered far from the Prophet's control. One of the variant sources mentions:
