The Himyarite Kingdom is one of the most famous kingdoms that was established in Yemen before and after BC. Nawas al-Humeri, who is its most famous king, and who was Jewish, has got angry with the residents of Najran for their, willingly, converting to Christianity. Therefore, he had them to choose between returning to Judaism or death, and they chose death. Because of this, the Negus, the king of the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia, angrily, sent a burned copy of the gospel to the Caesar to inform him of such enraging act, because it was burned with the people of the ditch.  

As a result, the Caesar has demanded the Ethiopian Negus to retaliate against the King of Yemen and sent warships to Ethiopia. In turn, Negus mobilized about 70,000 soldiers to avenge against Yemen, and sent them under the leadership of the Ethiopian Arbat and Abraha al-Ashram, who orchestrated crimes like: massacres, vandalism, and captivity.

As for Nawas al-Humairi, he fled, leaving his country in the grip of the Ethiopians. Therefore, Abraha Al-Ashram has become king over Sana’a after the killing of Arbat. It is even said that Abraha could be the one who killed him. Even after his victory, Abraha was not satisfied. For so long, he was full of hatred against the Arabs. Therefore, he decided to invade Mecca and destroy the Kaaba, but he failed in that invasion and his son Yaksum died in it, leaving the ruling of Yemen to his brother Masruq ibn Abraha, who was killed by the Magus Persians in the sixth century AD. Yet, the story of the companions of Elephant has another Islamic version.

The Persians have had a terrible role in the country of Yemen. While Dhu Nawas caused the Ethiopan Colonization over Yemen, Sayf Ibn Dhi Yazan, who was one of the supervisors of Yemen, has, unwillingly, replaced it with the Persian one. He had, initially, sought the King of Romans to save Yemen from the the Ethiopian occupation, yet the Romans had let him down; because they saw the Ethiopians as their brothers in religion. Following, Dhi Yazan sought the help of Anushirvan, the Persian Khosrow, and, in return, he offered Yemen loyalty to the Persian rule after getting rid of the Ethiopians. Such interests and relations between the kingdoms can not be considered strange.

But Anushirvan apologized due to  the far distance, the poverty of Yemen, and the lack of any resources. And, instead, he sent him ten thousand dirhams, which besetted Sayf Ibn Dhi Yazan, and who, in turn, gave that money to boys, and slaves. When Anushirvan learned about this, he summoned him to inquire about his behavior. And the latter said: He did not come to ask for money, but for men. Hence, Anushirvan consulted his ministers, and they advised him that there is a large number of death- penalty prisoners, who can be sent to fight. So, if they died, they have served their sentence. While if they won, such victory shall expand the Empire.

The number of those sentenced to death was 800 prisoners, who were sent in 8 ships. While travelling, two ships sank and six ships reached the shores of Yemen, under the command of the Persian Wahrez. On landing, immediately, they clashed, with the help of the Yemenis, in a decisive battle, against the Ethiopians. And, indeed, the Persians won. After this victory, Anushirvan sent 4 thousand Persian fighters to Yemen to, completely, eliminate all the Ethiopians. Such methods are followed to achieve higher goals with the least cost. Empires and kingdoms have been following the same attitude even after the emergence of Islam, and some are stilling following such methods up till now.  

Wahrez and his group returned to their country, and Sayf Ibn Dhi Yazan is assigned to rule Yemen- being subjected to the Persian Empire-, on condition of paying annual tribute. When Islam appeared, Yemen still owed allegiance to the Persian Empire. And, indeed, the last Persian ruler over Yemen, during Islam, and under the rule of Khosrow the second, is Bathan Ibn Sasan Garoun.

Historical sources recount that Bathan converted to Islam and continued to rule Yemen from Sana’a.

Umayya ibn Abi al-Salt said, in a speech, to Sayf:

“Let Dhi Yazan seek revenge for his land

Which got colonized, by force, in demand.

Thus, he sought Heraclius to help him avenge

Yet was not answered for his attempt to revenge

Again, he sought another force for his attempt

And Khosrow agreed with some hidden intent

Huge number of fighters arrived

To have Yemen be truly revived

Who could be like Khosrow the greatest of kings

Or like Wahrez whenever he fights and brings

Victories in battlefields and things

May God bless the souls of every one of them

We shall never meet people truly great like them”