It should be noted...

It should be noted, however, that contrary to the view of some scholars, Hanifiyyah did not play any role in guiding the Arab society towards monotheism; rather, as some other historians have stated, they spent their lives in seclusion. They spent their time in deliberation and contemplation, as they were never well-organized. They did not possess any sect with preset commandments or principles.

What they were fond of was their seclusion and staying away from the population and refraining from worshipping idols. They were convinced that the prevalent ideology was a corrupt one. They did not give themselves the trouble of propagating their right ideas. For this very reason, they did not have any conflict with people of their own time.[^118] Christianity There were some followers of Christianity, too, at some locations of Arabia.

This religion had entered Arabia from the south via Ethiopia, and from the north via Syria (The dominated areas by Byzantine) and also from the Sinai Peninsula.

However, Christianity achieved no progress in that land.[^119] In the northern parts of the Arabian Peninsula, Christianity had found its way among the members of the tribe of Taghlib (a branch of the tribe of Rabi`ah), Ghassan and some members of the tribe of Quza`ah.[^120] Qiss ibn Sa`idah, Hanzalah al-ta’i and Umayyah ibn al-salt have been enumerated as Christians.

Some of these had left their cities and communities and joined monasteries in the deserts.[^121] Christianity in Yemen Christianity entered Yemen during the fourth century AD. Phillip Hatti, a Christian author, writes: The first Christian missionary headed by Theofilus Endus Erius who arrived at southern Arabia was the one sent by Emperor Contantius in 356 AD.

The dispatch of the abovementioned missionary was motivated by the world diplomacy of those days and the rivalry between Iran and Rome over the domination of territories in southern Arabia. Theofilus established a church[^122] in Aden and two in the country of Himyar. The people of Najran accepted the new religion in 500 AD.

At the dawn of Islam, Christianity was prevalent in the tribes of tayy, Majhadh, Bahra', Sulayh, Tanukh, Ghassan, Lakhm and Yemen.[^123] The most important center for Christianity in Yemen was Najran, an advanced city.