Who Was Dhu Nuwas? King of the trench in Islamic History Before the world Before Adam Iblis The one who refused إبليس vs Adam The first nations Adam to Ibrahim Qabil The first murderer قابيل vs Habil Qudar ibn Salif The most wretched of Thamud قدار بن سالف vs Salih Namrud The king who argued about Allah نمرود vs Ibrahim Egypt and Bani Israil c. 1300–1000 BCE Firaun The Pharaoh of Musa فرعون vs Musa Haman Pharaoh's minister هامان vs Musa Qarun The richest man of his people قارون vs Musa The Samiri Maker of the golden calf السامري vs Musa and Harun Jalut The giant جالوت vs Dawud Arabia before Islam 523–570 CE Dhu Nuwas King of the trench ذو نواس vs the believers of Najran Abraha Lord of the elephant أبرهة vs Abd al-Muttalib Enemies of the Prophet ﷺ 610–632 CE Abu Lahab The Prophet's own uncle أبو لهب vs Muhammad ﷺ Abu Jahl Leader of the persecution أبو جهل vs Muhammad ﷺ Umayyah ibn Khalaf Torturer of Bilal أمية بن خلف vs Bilal ibn Rabah al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah Who called the Quran magic الوليد بن المغيرة vs Muhammad ﷺ Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt Who attacked the Prophet ﷺ in prayer عقبة بن أبي معيط vs Muhammad ﷺ Abdullah ibn Ubayy Head of the hypocrites عبد الله بن أبي vs Muhammad ﷺ Musaylimah The Liar مسيلمة الكذاب vs Abu Bakr al-Aswad al-Ansi The false prophet of Yemen الأسود العنسي vs Muhammad ﷺ After the Prophet ﷺ 632–1260 CE Ibn Muljam Assassin of Ali عبد الرحمن بن ملجم vs Ali ibn Abi Talib Abu Tahir al-Jannabi Who stole the Black Stone أبو طاهر الجنابي vs the pilgrims Reynald of Chatillon Raider of the pilgrims أرناط vs Salahuddin Hulagu Destroyer of Baghdad هولاكو vs Qutuz and Baybars The end of time Still to come The Dajjal The false messiah المسيح الدجال vs Isa Yajuj and Majuj The nations behind the wall يأجوج ومأجوج vs Isa Dhul-Suwayqatayn Who will tear down the Kaaba ذو السويقتين vs the Kaaba Ten signs before the Hour The Dajjal Isa ibn Maryam descends Yajuj and Majuj A landslide in the east A landslide in the west A landslide in Arabia The smoke The sun rises from the west The Beast of the earth A fire from Yemen drives people to their gathering Sahih Muslim lists ten major signs before the Hour without fixing their order. This follows a common order given by the scholars. Sahih Muslim 2901a ↗
Villains of history 10 / 26 Dhu Nuwas King of the trench 523 CE
Relied on Fire and the throne of Himyar
→ Undone by An army from across the sea
King of Himyar in Yemen who dug trenches of fire at Najran and burned the believers who would not give up their faith.
How it ended An Abyssinian army took his kingdom. Historians report he rode his horse into the sea.
Cursed were the companions of the trench
Quran 85:4 The lesson The believers lost their lives and won; the king kept his and lost everything.
In the Quran 85:4-11
Stood against the believers of Najran Source In the Quran, named by the commentators Surah al-Buruj tells of 'the companions of the trench'; Ibn Ishaq and the commentators connect it to Dhu Nuwas. See it on the map → ← Jalut Abraha → Every villain in Islamic history, from Iblis to the Dajjal Each entry is drawn from the Quran, authentic hadith (with links to sunnah.com), the classical commentators and the historians. Companions who fought Islam and later became Muslim are not included, nor are figures Muslims disagree about.
Before the worldBefore Adam The first nationsAdam to Ibrahim Egypt and Bani Israilc. 1300–1000 BCE Arabia before Islam523–570 CE Enemies of the Prophet ﷺ610–632 CE After the Prophet ﷺ632–1260 CE The end of timeStill to come 
