Sayf_ibn_Dhi_Yazan

Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan

Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan

Himyarite semi-legendary king

Ma'adi Yakrib ibn Abi Murrah (Arabic: معد يكرب بن أبي مرة), more commonly known by the Arabian legends as Abu Murrah Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan al-Himyari (أبو مرة سيف بن ذي يزن الحميري) or just Sayf ibn Ziyazin[1][2] was a semi-legendary Himyarite king who lived between 516 and 578 known for ending Aksumite rule over South Arabia with the help of the Sasanian Empire.[3]

Quick Facts Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan Ma'adi Yakrib ibn Abi Murrah, Died ...

Biography

Ma'adi Yakrib was from the Dhu Yazan family of Yemeni nobles.[4] He was born in the town of Sana'a.[4] Much of the history of Ma'ad Yakrib is taken from Arabian folklore.[5][6] His name "Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan" was also given to him via later Arabian traditions, and is not mentioned in any of the Himyaritic inscriptions.[6] Some scholars have theorised that Ma'ad Yakrib was the son of the usurped Himyarite ruler, Sumyafa Ashwa.[5]

Reclaiming the throne of Himyar

Ma'adi Yakrib asked the Byzantine Empire for help to expel Masruq ibn Abraha from ruling Himyar and southern Arabia.[7] However, his plea for assistance was met with refusal, due to Masruq being a Christian, like the Byzantines. So, Ma'adi Yakrib asked the Sassanians for assistance.[7] According to Al-Masudi, Ma'adi Yakrib (described here as Sayf) had a conversation with the then-Sassanian-ruler, Khosrow I, about racial differences, which was an attempt to convince him to accept the request for help.[7]

Sayf then departed to seek the help of Kisra Anushirwan (Khosrow I), to whom he claimed to be related, and asked for his aid. Kisra asked, “What tie of kinship do you claim with me?” He answered, “O king, it is my white skin as opposed to the black, for I am closer to you than they are.”[8]

Khosrow agreed to his request on condition that he be a vassal for the Sassanid Empire.[9] Later on, he sent troops to assist Ma'adi Yakrib and the Yemenis, led by Wahrez, the high military general. This started the first of the Aksumite–Persian wars, which ended up with Masruq ibn Abraha being killed in battle and the Yemenis reclaiming Yemen. Ma'adi Yakrib was then installed as king, with Wahrez as the governor. Later on, Prophet Muhammad's grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib met Ma'ad Yakrib in his palace. [9] Islamic accounts tell that Ma'adi Yakrib told the old man about his grandson, who would become a Prophet in the future.[10]

Death

After four years of his rule, Ma'adi Yakrib was stabbed to death by his Ethiopian servants in his palace. This triggered the Sasanian reconquest of Yemen.[11] Ma'adi Yakrib's son, Ma'dikarib was installed as the next vassal ruler.

Historicity

The fictional biography of Ma'adi Yakrib, known as Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī-Yazan is quite popular, and it blends in historical narratives and fictional aspects, such as his conquests of the supernatural realms. This biography is also the entrance of Ma'adi Yakrib into Arabian folklore.[12][13] This "biography" is sometimes confused as fact and not fiction. There is some obvious nationalism in the work, and there are also multiple historical errors, like for example the Sirat says that the Ethiopians were "astral worshippers" even though the religion of the Ethiopians ruling Yemen at the time was Christianity.

In Malaysia, the fictional story of Ma'adi Yakrib as Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan was the direct inspiration for a biography for a king, Sultan Yusuf Zullizan.[6] The name "Yazan" is also a popular name for Arab parents to name their male children.[14]

References

  1. [1]
    "Evidence of prophecy". منتديات أتباع المرسلين الإسلامية. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  2. [2]
    https://questionsonislam.com/article/expressions-soothsayers-and-some-scholars-concerning-good-news-prophets-coming-world-his
  3. [3]
    Hoyland, Robert (2002). Arabia and the Arabs: From the Bronze Age to the Coming of Islam. Routledge. pp. 56–57. ISBN 9781134646340.
  4. [4]
    "سيف بن ذي يزن (516م - 574م): هو سيف بن ذي يزن بن ذي أصبح بن مالك بن زيد بن سهل بن عمرو... ولد في صنعاء وهو أحد ملوك اليمن القدماء. وفي بعض الروايات ذكر ان اسمه هو معد يكرب بن أبي مرة وقد عرف ابوه ب "ابي مرة الفياض"، وكان من أشراف حمير واذواء وأقيال حمير، حكم سيف بن ذي يزن من قصر". المرجع الالكتروني للمعلوماتية- أضاءات. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  5. [5]
    The Oxford Handbook of Late Antiquity (edited by Scott Fitzgerald Johnson)
  6. [6]
    "سيف بن ذي يزن". areq.net. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  7. [7]
    C. E. Bosworth, "ABNA," Encyclopædia Iranica, 1/3, p. 226-228; an updated version is available online at https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abna-term (accessed on 25 January 2014).
  8. [8]
    Mas`udi Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma`adin al-Jawhar. Translated by Tarif Khalidi, 1979, pp. 1015. https://www.khalidilibrary.org//public/files/server/masudi.pdf
  9. [9]
    Hoyland, Robert (2002). Arabia and the Arabs: From the Bronze Age to the Coming of Islam. Routledge. pp. 56–57. ISBN 9781134646340.
  10. [10]
    "Ghamdan Palace... The first skyscraper in the world". 2016-03-04. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  11. [11]
    Zakeri, Mohsen (1995). Sasanid Soldiers in Early Muslim Society: The Origins of 'Ayyārān and Futuwwa. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 98. ISBN 9783447036528.
  12. [12]
    Jayyusi, Lena (1999). The Adventures of Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan: An Arab Folk Epic. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0253213428.
  13. [13]
    "Solomon Legends in Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan | Mizan". Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  14. [14]
    "yazan | Islamic Baby Name Meanings". quranicnames.com. Retrieved 2018-06-21.

Sources
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