Description of Yemen and Its People in the Noble Quran

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Description of Yemen and its People in the noble Quran

Mawlana Muhammad Asif Iqbal Attari Madani

The people of Yemen are mentioned several times in the noble Quran. Here are some verses along with their commentaries:

   1Beloved to Allah

The Quran states:

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مَنْ یَّرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دِیْنِہٖ فَسَوْفَ یَاْتِی اللّٰہُ بِقَوْمٍ یُّحِبُّہُمْ وَ یُحِبُّوْنَہٗۤ ۙ اَذِلَّۃٍ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ اَعِزَّۃٍ عَلَی الْکٰفِرِیْنَ ۫ یُجَاہِدُوْنَ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰہِ وَ لَا  یَخَافُوْنَ لَوْمَۃَ لَآئِمٍ ؕ ذٰلِکَ فَضْلُ اللّٰہِ یُؤْتِیْہِ مَنْ  یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ  وَاسِعٌ  عَلِیْمٌ (۵۴)

O believers! Whoever amongst you will deviate from His religion, then Allah will soon bring such people who are the beloveds of Allah, and Allah is their Beloved, soft towards Muslims and stern towards disbelievers; they will not fear the criticism of any faultfinder; this is Allah’s Bounty; He may give to whomsoever He wills, and Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.^[1]

Mufti NaꜤīm al-Dīn al-Murādābādī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states regarding this verse:

One opinion is that these are the people of Yemen, the praises of whom can be found in narrations from al-Bukhārī and Muslim.^[2]

   2Aiding the people of Makkah

When the polytheists were prevented from performing hajj, the Muslims feared loss in their businesses. Allah Almighty promised to help the Muslims, and this arrived in the form of the people of Yemen. The Quran states:

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِکُوْنَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا یَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِہِمْ ہٰذَا ۚ وَ اِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَیْلَۃً فَسَوْفَ یُغْنِیْکُمُ اللّٰہُ مِنْ فَضْلِہٖۤ  اِنْ شَآءَ ؕ اِنَّ  اللّٰہَ  عَلِیْمٌ  حَکِیْمٌ (۲۸)

O believers! The polytheists are totally impure; so, after this year, they should not come near the Sacred Mosque. And if you fear poverty; so, Allah will soon make you wealthy by His Grace if He wills; indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, Ever Wise.^[3]

If you fear poverty and loss in your businesses after preventing the polytheists from performing hajj, then if Allah wills, He will grant you wealth. Sayyidunā ꜤIkrimah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states that this is exactly what happened: Allah made them wealthy. There was a lot of rain and an abundance of produce. Muqātil said the people of Yemen became Muslim and spent their riches on the people of Makkah.^[4]

   3The miracle of Prophet Sulaymān عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام

One of the miracles that Prophet Sulaymān عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام was granted was a fountain of molten copper, and this appeared in Yemen. The noble Quran states:

وَ لِسُلَیْمٰنَ الرِّیْحَ غُدُوُّہَا شَہْرٌ وَّ رَوَاحُہَا شَہْرٌ ۚ وَ اَسَلْنَا لَہٗ  عَیْنَ الْقِطْرِ ؕ وَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ مَنْ یَّعْمَلُ بَیْنَ یَدَیْہِ  بِاِذْنِ رَبِّہٖ ؕ وَ مَنْ یَّزِغْ مِنْہُمْ عَنْ اَمْرِنَا نُذِقْہُ  مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِیْرِ (۱۲)

And We made the wind subservient to Sulaymān, its morning course equal to a month’s journey and the evening course equal to a month’s journey; and We caused a spring of molten copper to flow for him. And (Allah made subservient to Sulaymān) some of the jinn, who worked before him by the command of his Lord; and those amongst them (i.e. the jinn) who turned away from Our command, We shall make them taste the punishment of the Blazing Fire.^[5]

The noble exegetes state that the spring of molten copper was in Yemen for three days. According to one opinion, the spring would appear for three days every month.^[6]

   4Admonitory signs

Yemen is amongst the countries where the remains of previously destroyed nations can be found. Allah Almighty states:

اَوَ لَمْ یَسِیْرُوْا فِی الْاَرْضِ فَیَنْظُرُوْا کَیْفَ کَانَ عَاقِبَۃُ  الَّذِیْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِہِمْ وَ کَانُوْۤا اَشَدَّ مِنْہُمْ  قُوَّۃً ؕ وَ مَا کَانَ اللّٰہُ  لِیُعْجِزَہٗ  مِنْ شَیْءٍ  فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ لَا فِی الْاَرْضِ ؕ اِنَّہٗ  کَانَ عَلِیْمًا قَدِیْرًا (۴۴)

And did they not travel in the land in order to see what has been the end of those who were before them; whereas, they exceeded them in strength? And Allah is not such that anything in the heavens and in the earth could get away from His grip; indeed, He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.^[7]

Have the disbelievers of Makkah not travelled to Syria, Iraq and Yemen and seen the destruction and punishment of the people who belied the Messengers عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام?^[8]

   5Permission to trade

The journey to perform hajj is for the purpose of worshipping Allah. Therefore, the noble Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم were concerned about their sincerity if they were to trade during the journey. Allah Almighty permitted them to perform business, and the people of Yemen were the reason for this. Allah Almighty states:

وَ تَزَوَّدُوْا فَاِنَّ خَیْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوٰی ۫ وَ اتَّقُوْنِ یٰۤاُولِی الْاَلْبَابِ (۱۹۷)لَیْسَ عَلَیْکُمْ جُنَاحٌ اَنْ تَبْتَغُوْا فَضْلًا مِّنْ رَّبِّکُمْ ؕ

And take provision along with you; that the best provision is piety, and keep fearing Me, O people of understanding. (During Hajj) there is no sin upon you that you seek the bounty (i.e. sustenance) of your Lord.^[9]

The Reviver of Islam, the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states:

Some people from Yemen would travel to hajj with no provisions, saying they are people of reliance; but they would end up having to ask people. Then the command was given to bring provisions for the journey. Some noble Companions were concerned about trading during the hajj season, lest there be a change to the sincerity of their intentions. After that, Allah stated there is no harm in seeking the bounty of your Lord, and there are many verses that indicate towards this.^[10]