In the 10^th year of the Migration, the sun of Islam started to shine magnificently in many towns. Meanwhile, the Prophet sent governors and zakah, sadaqah collectors to all of the towns where Islam spread. Najran, Hadra­mut, San’a, Kinda, Sadif, Yemen, Zabid, Rima, Aden, Sahil, Janad (Ye­men) were among the places where governors and zakah collectors were sent.[1]

Muadh b. Jabal is Sent to Yemen

It was when the Prophet was sending governors and zakah collectors to Muslim towns.

One day, after the morning prayer, he turned to the congregation and asked, “Who would like to go to Ye­men?”

Hazrat Abu Bakr said, “I would, O Messenger of Allah!”

The Prophet did not answer; he kept silent.

After a while, he asked again, “Who would like to go to Ye­men?”

This time, Hazrat Umar stood up and said, “I would, O Messenger of Allah!”

The Prophet did not answer Hazrat Umar, either.

After waiting for a while, he asked again, “Who would like to go to Ye­men?”

Muadh b. Jabal stood up  and said, “I would, O Messenger of Allah!”

Thereupon, the Prophet said, “O Muadh! This is your duty.”

At that time, Yemen was divided into three governorship. Muadh was appointed as the governor of Janad, the biggest one. He was going to be the judge there; he was going to teach people Islam and the Quran; he was also going to receive the zakah and sadaqah collected by the collectors.

While Muadh was about to leave Madinah, the Prophet said to him, “When a case is brought to you to settle, how will you make your judgment?”

Muadh said, “I will decide based on the decrees in the book of Allah.”

The Messenger of Allah asked, “If you cannot find it in the book of Allah, how will you make your judgment?”

Muadh answered, “I will judge based on the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.”

This time, the Messenger of Allah said, “If you cannot find it in the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, how will you make your judgment?”

Muadh said, “Then, I will make ijtihad based on my own view and make a judgment.”

The Prophet became very glad when he heard what he said. He showed his contentment by saying, “Praise be to Allah! He became content with the envoy of the Messenger of Allah and made him successful.”[2]

The Orders and Advice of the Prophet

While Muadh was about to set off, the Prophet gave him the following orders and advice: 

“You are going to a nation from the people of the Book. Invite them to believe in Allah and to witness that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they accept it, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers to be offered in one day and one night. And if they agree to it, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them zakah of their properties and it is to be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor. And if they agree to that, then take from them Zakah but do not take the best property of the people. Avoid the curse of an oppressed person because there is no veil between his prayer and Allah.”[3]

Meanwhile, Muadh b. Jabal asked the Prophet to give him some advice. He said,

“O Messenger of Allah! Give me some advice.”

The Messenger of Allah said, “Fear Allah no matter where you are.”

Muadh said, “O Messenger of Allah! Give me some more advice.”

The Prophet said, “If you commit a sin, do a good deed immediately after it so that it will eliminate the sin.”

Muadh said, “O Messenger of Allah! Give me some more advice.”

The Prophet said, “Treat people with high ethics.”[4]

The last piece of advice the Messenger of Allah gave to Muadh and Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, whom he sent together with Muadh, when he saw them off was:

“Make things easy for people, do not make it hard for them; give them good tidings and do not make them hate. Get on well with each other; do not fall into dispute.”[5]

HAZRAT ALI IS SENT TO YEMEN

(10^th Year of the Migration, the month of Ramadan  / AD 631)

The Prophet gave Ali the duty of going to Mazhijes in Yemen and inviting them to Islam. There were three hundred cavalrymen with Hazrat Ali.[6]

When the Prophet was about to see Hazrat Ali off, Hazrat Ali asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What shall I do?”

The Prophet said, “Proceed until you reach their land; when you reach there, invite them to say, ‘La ilaha illallah’. If they say, ‘La ilaha illallah’, order them to perform prayers. Take zakah from them and distribute it to the poor. Do not ask anything else. Know it very well that if Allah gives someone guidance through you, it is better for you than everything that the sun rises on in the eye of Allah. Do not fight them unless they fight you.”[7]

Upon this order, Hazrat Ali went to Yemen with the mujahids under his command. He invited the people who met him to become Muslims. The people did not accept it and resisted them.

Thereupon, Hazrat Ali arranged his army and fought them. The enemy could not resist the mujahids and had to accept to become Muslims.

Some of their leaders went to Hazrat Ali and told him that they became Muslims and that they were the representatives of the tribes behind them. They also brought their zakah and gave it to Hazrat Ali.

Later, Hazrat Ali returned and reached the Prophet during the Farewell Hajj.[8]