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It is said that a massive human
migration occurred during the earliest part of recorded
history, from the north of the Arabian peninsula, south
to Oman and its coastal periphery due to the drought
affecting the interior of Arabia. The exact date of the
migration has not been established, nor whether it took
place as a single migration or a series. The migrants
came from the Nazarene tribe, Adnani Arabs from the
north. Arab sources relate how Oman was the focus of an
intense influx from Yemen when, in the time of Sharhabil
Yaafar al-Himyari in the mid 5th century AD, the Ma'rib
Dam was breached and destroyed. As a result of an
inability to repair the dam, the Lakhm and the Azd
inhabitants fled the city to various parts of the
peninsula. Some of the Azd travelled into the eastern
part of Oman, while the Awas and the Khazrah settled in
Yathrib. The Bani Amru bin Amer, who were descended from
Mazin bin Al-Azd, headed north towards the hills of
El-Sham. Al-Bilathuri describes how the Azd, after they
had left their home country, went first to Mecca and
there they separated to
travel to
Oman, As'Sirah, Al-Anbar and Al Hirah, and El-Sham.
The historian, Phil, refers to the Azd tribe which
inhabited the Ma'rib at the end of the first century AD.
He remarks that they fled from Ma'rib across the
Hadramaut Valley, arriving at Saihout under the command
of Malik bin Fahm who went on by sea to Qalhat and
embarked on a series of battles with the Persians to
liberate Oman. He thus became Oman's first independent
overlord.
It is said that Malik was the first of the Azd to enter
Oman. Malik crossed into Oman with an armed force of
more than 6000 men and horses. Upon finding the Persians
there, he retired to Qalhat and then engaged in a
protracted and fierce battle with them. The Persians
sought to terrorize the Arabs by bringing a number of
their elephants to the front of their battle lines. But
Malik's company were not intimidated and fell upon the
animals with weapons, until the beasts fell and crushed
many of the Persian troops.
Despite the Persians' spirited resistance, the Azdi
tribesmen were victorious and the Persians were forced
to sue for peace. Under this arrangement, Malik was to
maintain peace for one year, while the Persians moved
out of Oman. However, the Persian King, enraged by the
defeat, reneged on his promise to move out and sent down
reinforcements via Bahrain. Malik, despite an inferior
force, attacked the 3000-strong army and routed them.
Thus, Malik bin Fahm attained control of Oman and seized
all the wealth and possessions of the Persians.
This showdown with the Persians made the Omani Arabs
fiercely protective of their independence, Arab identity
and lineage. They descended on Persia itself and
succeeded in wresting control of Karman, which remained
in Omani hands until the death of Selima bin Malik. The
Persians inflicted defeat on the Omanis and regained
possession of Karman. Thus, a portion of the Omani Arabs
returned to Oman.
For a period before the Julanda came to power, the Azd
tribe had been pouring steadily into Oman. Among the
first to settle was Omar bin Amru bin Amer and his sons,
Al-Hajar and Al-Aswad. From these two are descended many
of the Omani tribes.
The Bani Al-Aswad took part in the Muslim Conquests
after the emergence of Islam and a branch of them was to
travel as far as Andalucia when they went down to Bajana
seaport and partook in a jihad by sea. Of the Bani
Maawiya bin Shams Al-Azdi were Gaifar and Abd, sone of
Al-Julanda bin Karkar bin Al-Mustakbir bin Mas'ud bin
Al-Jarar Abdul Azi bin Ma'wila bin Shams, King of Oman
at the time of the Prophet. Ibn Hazm recounts how the
Prophet sent them a dispatch inviting them to adopt
Islam. This they did with full and complete conviction
and along with them the people of Oman. This was in the
eighth year of the Hegira, soon after Amr bin Al-A'as
had adopted the faith.
It is reported that Amr bin Al A'as recounted his
journey and events in Oman as follows:
"I travelled to Oman and visited Abd who was better than
his brother and behaved himself. I told him that I am
the messenger of Allah's Messenger to you and your
brother. He replied, 'My brother is older than me and
his rank is higher than my own. I will introduce my
brother to you and he will read your letter.' Then he
asked me, 'What are you going to say to him?' I replied
that I would ask him to submit to Allah alone and
nothing other than Allah and to believe that Mohammed is
his servand and messenger. He said, 'O Amr, you are the
son of your people's Master…How did your father Al A'as
bin Waa'el, whom we respect very much, decide?' I said
that he died and did not believe in Mohammed. I wished
that he was the Messenger's follower. I was like him
before, until Allah - may He be exalted - led me to the
right way and I converted to Islam. He asked me, 'When
did you follow Mohammed?' I said recently and he then
asked, 'Where did you convert?'. I told him that I
converted before Al-Najashi and I told him that Al-Najashi
had already converted to Islam. He asked, 'What was the
attitude of your people?' I told him that they approved
and that they had followed suit. He then asked, 'What
about the Christian priests and bishops?' I replied that
they also had converted. He replied to me in disbelief
saying, 'Look Amr, what you say is not more than a lie.'
I said that I told the truth and that lies were
prohibited in our religion. He then said, 'Did Hercules
know about Al-Najashi's submission to Islam?' I told him
that he did. He asked, 'What was the outcome?' I told
him that Al-Najashi used to pay tax to Hercules, but
when Al-Najashi placed his faith in Mohammed (peace be
upon Him) and submitted to Islam, he decided and swore
by Allah that he would never pay Hercules, even if
Hercules asked him to pay a single drachma. Hercules was
told about what Al-Najashi had said and Hercules'
brother asked him, 'How come your slave has decided not
to pay you tax and to believe in a new religion?' and
Hercules replied, 'What can I do for a man who chooses
his religion? In the name of God, if I was not the
country's leader, I would do what he did.'
He then said to me, 'Think Amr, about what you are
saying.' I replied, in the name of Allan I have told you
the truth. Then Abd asked me, 'What is his advice and
from what does he want the people to desist?' I said, He
wants everyone to be obedient to Allah - may He be
exalted. He forbids disobedience and has ordered us to
do everything that is good and to be good to relatives.
He forbids oppression and injustice. He also forbids
adultery, alcoholic drinks and the worshipping of
stones, as well as the prohibition of praying to idols
and the cross. Abd replied, 'What a great thing he is
leading the people to. If my brother agrees with me, we
will travel to, and will believe in, Mohammed. But my
brother is selfish with his property and would not wish
to become a follower.' I said, if he submitted to Islam,
then Allah's Messenger will assign him to be the leader
of his people and will take the alms from the rich and
give it to the poor. He said, 'It is really a wonderful
story, but what are the alms?' I told him that Allah's
Messenger had imposed a certain amount of tax on the
wealthy people. When I mentioned the cattle, he asked
me, 'Do you mean that some of the pasturing cattle will
be taken?' I replied that they would. He said, 'My God,
I don't think that all my people will accept such a
rule.'"
Amr bin Al-A'as remained at this city and continued his
narrative, thus:
"My mission was conveyed to Abd's brother who in turn
invited me to visit him where he lived. His soldiers
took my arm and he told them to enter. When I went in,
they refused to allow me to sit. I looked into his eyes
and he asked me, 'Tell me what you want?' I gave him the
closed letter. He took it and finished reading the
letter and passed it over to his brother to read it.
Then he said, 'Would you tell me what Qureish did?' I
said, they trusted and followed Him, whether through
sincere belief in the religion or whether forced by the
sword to accept it. He then asked, 'Who supports him?' I
replied that the people who accepted and chose Islam as
their religion understood Islam with the help of Allah.
They were in darkness and that I did not know anyone
left in the area who did not believe in Islam, except
him. If he did not submit to Islam and follow it, the
horses would crush him and destroy his followers, If he
submitted to Islam, then he would be assigned the leader
of his people and the horses and the soldiers would not
enter his place. He replied, 'Give me one day to think
and come back tomorrow.'
On the next day, I returned to him, but he did not allow
me to enter his room. I went to his brother and told him
that they did not allow me to see him. He came with me
and entered the room, and Gaifar said to me, 'I have
reflected upon what you demanded but I should be the
greatest weakling of all the Arabs if I were to give
another man rule over all that I possess.' I told him
that I was leaving tomorrow. When he was certain that I
was really leaving, he went to have a private talk with
his brother. On the next morning, he called me and
dedicated himself to Islam, together with his brother
and his people. They paid their alms and ruled their
people. They helped me and stood side by side with me
against any opposition. Both submitted to Islam and many
people followed them too."
Another branch of the Omani Azd came from Al-Hodan bin
Shams, brother of Ma'wila bin Shams. A delegation of
these approached the Prophet after Mecca had fallen to
the Muslims under Maslia bin Mazin Al-Hadani. Another
detachment of them then migrated to Basra and others
stayed in Oman. |
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Emergence of Islam..... Read More |
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All
materials in this site is subject to the views and opinion of the
developers who cannot be held responsible towards any misconception
and misinterpretation.