Truth of Yemen’s people in believing in Islam

The Holy Prophet’s letter to the king of Iran, as the reason of being Muslim of Yemen’s people
Yemen is one of the countries where people got converted to Islam without compulsion or force. The reason they accepted Islam was the letter the Holy Prophet (S) Wrote to the King of Iran, Khosrow Parviz. In this letter, the Holy Prophet (S) invited the King to Islam. Some ignored the letters which the Holy Prophet (S) wrote to the heads of different countries while others answered respectfully. Some even sent presents to the Holy Prophet and treated His envoys in a friendly way. One of those who did not respond respectfully and tore the letter, was King Khosrow Parviz. He sent somebody to Yemen to ask the King to inquire as to who this Arab was who dared invite him to Islam and insult him by first writing his own name and then the name of the King!

Keep waiting the envoy of Yemen and appearing the Prophet ‘s Prophecy and Truth
The King of Yemen was ordered to send his agents to Arabia to investigate the matter, arrest Muhammad (S) and bring him to the King for trial and Punishment.

The King of Yemen asked the envoy of Khosrow Parviz along with his own envoy to carry his letter to Muhammad (S) and obtain his answer to King Khosrow Parviz’s letter. The Holy Prophet kept envoys waiting longer and longer every time they asked for his reply. After forty days, when the envoys said that they would wait no longer and demanded a reply to the letter, the Holy Prophet (S) finally said, “ Your King was stabbed by his son Shiruye and is dead, so the whole matter is over now. You can go.” They want back and found taht the King of Yemen had not still received the news from Persia. When he head their story, he said, “Glory to God! if what you say is true, then he must be Messenger of God.” A few days letter the envoys of Shiruye arrived and told the King of Yemen that Khosrow Parviz had been Killed by his son Shiruye, who become the King of Persia. They then added that the King of Yemen should not obey Khosrow Parviz ‘s order about the person who claimed to be God ‘s Prophet in Arabia.

Freedom of Iranians of Yemen and its effect an their Islam
This was how Islam found its entry into Yemen. Moreover, there was a great number of Iranians in Yemen and as I have mentioned in the book, “ The Mutual Contributions of Islam and Iran,” Iranians in Yemen were the first to become Muslims who in trun propagated Islam in Iran. The Iranian’s acceptance of Islam in Yemen was more sincere than others. Half the population of Yemen was converted to Islam When the Holy Prophet (S) was still alive. To invite the other half to Islam, the Holy Prophet (S) sent Ma’adh – Ibn – Jabal and then Ali (A.S) there. The letter was sent during the Haj-jatulved’a, two months before the death of the Holy Prophet (S). When Ali ( A.S) returned from Yemen, He met the Holy Prophet (S) in Mecca.