Hatim was the son of Harthamah ibn al-Nadr al-Jabali, who was appointed governor of Egypt in 847. When Harthamah fell ill in 849, he appointed his son as his successor, and following Harthamah's death Hatim was confirmed as governor by the Turkish general Itakh. After holding the governorship for slightly over a month, however, Hatim was dismissed and replaced with 'Ali ibn Yahya al-Armani.[1]