Rising above Events

country and re-establish his ancestors’ dynasty. He started a freedom movement, but when local support proved insufficient to achieve his aims, he went to the Iranian king Nawshyrwan for military aid. Nawshyrwan quickly seized this golden opportunity: while an Iranian army under Dahraz was being prepared to advance on 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 proceeded to Sana’a. The alliance between Ma’di Karb and Dahraz successfully expelled the Ethiopians from Yemen. Ma’di Karb became king of Sana’a, but an Iranian military presence was retained, turning 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. All this shows how far Arabian territory had fallen prey to the expansionist designs of Rome and Persia at the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s mission. In such a situation, two paths were open to a reformer like the Prophet. He could have allowed himself to be carried by current events and initiated political agitation against the colonial powers threatening his land. Or he could have concentrated on building up his people’s internal strength to such a degree that, with a slight effort on their part, the imperial edifice would crumble to the ground. The Prophet chose the second rather than the first course. Abraha’s attack on the Holy Ka’bah is mentioned in the