Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
8. Rising above Events
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A member of the former royal family of the Yemen,
named Sayf ibn Dhi-Yazan, was then filled with an
urge to expel foreigners from his country and re-
establish his ancestors’ dynasty. He started a
freedom movement, but when local support
proved insufficient for the achievement of his aims,
he went to the Iranian king Nawshyrwan in search
of military support. Nawshyrwan was quick to
seize this golden opportunity: while an Iranian
army under Dahraz was being prepared to
advance on the Yemen, Sayf ibn Dhi-Yazan died,
but his son Ma’di Karb completed the arrangement
for bringing the Iranian force to his country.
Crossing the Gulf of Oman, they landed at
Hadhramawt, and from there proceeded to San’a’.
The alliance between Ma’di Karb and Dahraz was
successful in expelling the Ethiopians from the
Yemen. Ma’di Karb became king of San’a’, but an
Iranian military presence was retained, in effect
turning the Yemen into a trans-oceanic Iranian
province. There was an Iranian governor there at
the time of the advent of Islam. His name was
Bazan and, after initial opposition, he later
accepted Islam.
