Tayy

Tayy is a Yemeni tribe from the branches of Kahlan. The Sealed Nectar counts it among the best-known branches of Kahlan, with Hamdan, Anmar, Madhhij, Kinda, Lakhm, Judham and al-Azd. ¹ It left Yemen in the Kahlani migrations and settled the two mountains Aja and Salma, which became known as the mountains of Tayy. ²

The author divides the emigrants from the branches of Kahlan into four groups, and makes Banu Tayy the third: they travelled north after al-Azd had gone, until they settled at the two mountains Aja and Salma and remained there, until the two mountains became known as the mountains of Tayy. ^{2 3} In describing the dwellings of the tribes, he says that the lands of Bahtar of Tayy lay between Banu Asad and Tayma. ^{4 5}

The author says that Christianity was adopted by Arabs among the Ghassanids, the tribes of Taghlib and Tayy and others, because of their neighbourhood with the Romans. ⁶

Among Tayy was Iyas ibn Qabisa al-Ta'i, whom Khosrow appointed over al-Hira after he imprisoned al-Nu'man ibn al-Mundhir. In his days came the battle of Dhu Qar. The author says that the Prophet ﷺ was born eight months into Iyas's rule over al-Hira. ^{7 8}

The delegation of Tayy to the Prophet, the conversion of Adi ibn Hatim (may God be pleased with him), and the expedition of Ali to al-Fuls are presented in their own entries (see the expedition to al-Fuls).

The delegation of Tayy came to the Prophet, with their chief Zayd al-Khayl among them, and they embraced Islam and their Islam was excellent. The Prophet named him Zayd al-Khayr and gave him Fayd as a grant. ⁹ The Prophet's horsemen took captives from Tayy, among them the daughter of Hatim; they were placed in an enclosure at the door of the mosque where the captives were held. See the capture and release of Hatim's daughter. ¹⁰ Adi ibn Hatim used to go among his people taking the mirba', a quarter of the spoils, as their chief. He was a Christian, fled to Syria, then came back and embraced Islam; see the Islam of Adi ibn Hatim. ^{10 11} The Prophet appointed Adi over Tayy and its alms, and over Banu Asad. ¹²