History Najran

1 history

1.1 history
1.2 christian community
1.3 former jewish community
1.4 najran part of saudi arabia

history

najran museum entrance

the history of najrān can traced 4,000 years ago. once occupied romans; in fact first yemeni city fall romans on way yemeni kingdom of saba . najrān s prosperous trading time during 1st , 2nd centuries bc. in ancient times known al-ukhdūd.

early history

similarly other ancient place names in arabia, najrān may have been name of whole oasis including towns , villages. old name of ruins known al-ukhdūd , may have been central town, ragmat.

najrān focal point of incense route. routes left ancient yemen north or west had meet @ najrān, routes branched 2 general directions, ones leading north through Ḥijāz towards egypt , levant , leading northeast towards gerrha near persian gulf.

najrān conquered around 685 bc sabean mukarrib (king) karib il watar king of yemen. later sabean king yithi amar bayin destroyed raghmat around 510 bc. najrān seems have been under minaean or sabean rule @ different times during next centuries , after part of yemen till 1937.

the roman prefect of egypt aelius gallus led costly, arduous , usuccessful expedition conquer arabia felix , won battle near najrān in 25 bc. occupied city , used base attack sabaean capital @ ma rib. according strabo, called negrana , najrān @ time northernmost city of realm of saba .

when Ḥimyarites conquered sabeans in ad 280 took control of najrān. time during 3rd century people of najrān sided abyssinians sent governor named sqlmqlm in inscriptions. Ḥimyar king ilsharah yahdib crushed rebellion.

the north arabian lakhmid king imru’ al-qays ibn amqu attacked najrān in ad 328. under influence of axum, christians in najrān thrived , started alliance aksum again @ beginning of 6th century.

early christian community

christianity must have been introduced najrān, in rest of south arabia, in 5th century ad or perhaps century earlier. according arab muslim historian ibn isḥāq, najran first place christianity took root in south arabia. according contemporary sources, after seizing throne of Ḥimyarites, in ca. 518 or 523 dhū nuwās, jewish king, attacked aksumite (mainly christian) garrison @ zafar, capturing them , burning churches. moved against najrān, christian , aksumite stronghold. after accepting city s capitulation, massacred inhabitants not renounce christianity. estimates of death toll event range 20,000 in sources; surviving letter (where called dimnon) written simon, bishop of beth arsham in 524 ad, recounts dhū nuwās s persecution in najrān (modern al-ukhdūd in saudi arabia). persecution apparently described , condemned in qur (al-buruj:4).

under reign of caliph ‘umar, christian community of najrān deported mesopotamia, on grounds no non-muslims live in arabian peninsula.

the town of najrān important centre of arms manufacture during lifetime of muhammad. however, more famous leather rather iron.

former jewish community

najrān had jewish community dating pre-islamic times, historically affiliated bnei chorath yemenite jews had conquered city , ruled until christian invasion of yemen. saudi conquest of najrān in 1934, persecution increased, , 200 jews of najrān fled south aden between september , october 1949. saudi king ʻabd al-ʻaziz demanded return, yemeni king aḥmad bin yaḥyá refused, because these refugees yemenite jews. after settling in Ḥashid camp (also called mahane geula) airlifted israel part of larger operation magic carpet.

najran part of saudi arabia

najrān joined newly announced kingdom of saudi arabia in 1934 result of efforts , struggles of sheikh jābir abū sāq, leader of 1 large clan of yam tribe. starting in 1924, forces of former yemeni king launched several unsuccessful raids annex najrān yemeni kingdom. king of yemen performed new maneuvers strengthen tie of najrān tribal leaders counter strong relations of people of najrān bin saʻūd. in 1932 forces of imam yaḥyá of yemen attacked najrān more 50,000 troops, kinds of new weapons. yām, dominant tribe in najrān, along other loyalist najranis, started strong resistance against occupation forces. however, strong segment of tribal leaders in najrān sided occupying power , became passive, waiting take side @ end of crisis. sheikh jābir abū sāq, head of clan of yām @ time, managed quick support king ʻabd al-ʻazīz bin saʻūd , able lead yām tribe , of najrānī resistance fighting yemeni forces in parts of najrān , bilād yām. later, in spring of 1934, army of bin saʻud under command of prince saʻūd son of ʻabd al-ʻazīz carried out massive campaign, surrounding najrān north , northwest, , defeated yemeni army. najrān became part of saudi arabia. in short, najran has been independent , ruled people (yam) choose annexed new kingdom. indeed, there strong treaty between king ʻabd al-ʻazīz , people najrān indicating conditions respected both sides.