An Analysis and Investigation of Different Aspects of Imam Ali's Battle in Yemen and its Consequences

The early history of Islam has been the source of many important and decisive evolutions, and the role of revelational teachings and the mission of the Prophet and his Household are undeniable in this regard. In the present article, some of the Prophet’s policies used in Imam Ali’s sariya (a battle without the Prophet’s presence) in Yemen and the related consequences are studied. As to the reason why Imam Ali was dispatched to Yemen and the detailed account of the related consequences, there are numerous and various interpretations in Islamic sources, studied in this article. Accordingly, it becomes clear that Imam Ali’s presence in Yemen, which was in accordance with the Prophet’s divine mission, was one of the most important and most effective factors for Arabs’ acquaintance with Islam and the spread of Islamic government. As a result, some of the prominent figures in Yemenite tribes, after converting to Islam, were supporting – in their political and religious leanings – the Prophet’s Household more than others. They played a great role, in proportion to their great population structure and scattering in different Islamic lands, in cultural, political and social changes as well as diffusing and reinforcing the teachings of the Prophet’s Household. In the article, this fact is evaluated and studied by adducing Islamic sources in different historical, social and cultural spheres using a descriptive-analytical – an even a critical – method.