Al-Mahdi Abbas
Encyclopedia
Al-Mahdi Abbas was an Imam
of Yemen
who ruled in 1748–1775. He belonged to the Qasimid family, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi
imamate
of Yemen in 1597–1962.
. When the father died in 1748, his son Ali was expected to succeed to the imamate. However, the mother of Abbas, an African slave, prepared the way for her own son. With the help of an influential qadi
, the soldiery and principal governors were made to accept Abbas as the new imam. He took the name al-Mahdi Abbas. Ali was put in confinement and died in 1759. According to his younger contemporary, the renowned scholar Muhammad ash-Shawkani
, al-Mahdi Abbas possessed an excellent character, being intelligent, diplomatic, resolute and just, with a good disposition to scholars. He abolished several abuses that occurred before his reign, such as irregular impositions. Among the Qasimid imams, he appears to have come closest to the Zaidi ideal of the imam as a pious and generous warrior-king.
explorer in Danish
service Carsten Niebuhr
visited Yemen in 1762-1763 at the head of a scientific expedition. He met al-Mahdi Abbas whom he described in racialist terms: "Had it not been for some negro traits, his countenance might have been thought a good one". The imam wore green robes with flowing sleeves, embroidered with gold lace. On his head he wore a large turban. Niebuhr and the other Europeans were permitted to kiss his hand and robe. In a subsequent interview, Niebuhr was allowed to show the imam their scientific instruments, and al-Mahdi Abbas posed several questions about European manners, commerce and learning. Niebuhr related that a number of areas in Yemen were autonomous or independent of imamic rule by this time:
trade. Nevertheless, al-Mahdi Abbas was a wealthy prince, who erected several public buildings and mosques in San'a. Al-Mahdi Abbas died in 1775, and the imamate was successfully claimed by his son al-Mansur Ali I
.
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
who ruled in 1748–1775. He belonged to the Qasimid family, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi
Zaidiyyah
Zaidiyya, or Zaidism is a Shi'a Muslim school of thought named after Zayd ibn ʻAlī, the grandson of Husayn ibn ʻAlī. Followers of the Zaydi Islamic jurisprudence are called Zaydi Shi'a...
imamate
Imamate
The word Imamate is an Arabic word with an English language suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam.-Theological usage:...
of Yemen in 1597–1962.
Ascension and character
Abbas bin al-Husayn was the son of the Imam al-Mansur al-Husayn IIAl-Mansur al-Husayn II
Al-Mansur al-Husayn II was an Imam of Yemen who ruled in 1727-1748. He belonged to the Qasimid family, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, who dominated the Zaidi imamate of Yemen in 1597-1962.-Accession:...
. When the father died in 1748, his son Ali was expected to succeed to the imamate. However, the mother of Abbas, an African slave, prepared the way for her own son. With the help of an influential qadi
Qadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
, the soldiery and principal governors were made to accept Abbas as the new imam. He took the name al-Mahdi Abbas. Ali was put in confinement and died in 1759. According to his younger contemporary, the renowned scholar Muhammad ash-Shawkani
Muhammad ash-Shawkani
Muhammad ash-Shawkani was a Yemeni scholar of Islam, jurisprudent, and reformer.-Name:His full name was Muhammad Ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Shawkani...
, al-Mahdi Abbas possessed an excellent character, being intelligent, diplomatic, resolute and just, with a good disposition to scholars. He abolished several abuses that occurred before his reign, such as irregular impositions. Among the Qasimid imams, he appears to have come closest to the Zaidi ideal of the imam as a pious and generous warrior-king.
Niebuhr's visit
The GermanGermans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
explorer in Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
service Carsten Niebuhr
Carsten Niebuhr
Carsten Niebuhr or Karsten Niebuhr , a German mathematician, cartographer, and explorer in the service of Denmark, is renowned for his travels on the Arabian peninsula.-Biography:...
visited Yemen in 1762-1763 at the head of a scientific expedition. He met al-Mahdi Abbas whom he described in racialist terms: "Had it not been for some negro traits, his countenance might have been thought a good one". The imam wore green robes with flowing sleeves, embroidered with gold lace. On his head he wore a large turban. Niebuhr and the other Europeans were permitted to kiss his hand and robe. In a subsequent interview, Niebuhr was allowed to show the imam their scientific instruments, and al-Mahdi Abbas posed several questions about European manners, commerce and learning. Niebuhr related that a number of areas in Yemen were autonomous or independent of imamic rule by this time:
- AdenAdenAden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
under its own ruler. - KawkabanKawkabanKawkaban is a town midway between Sana'a and Al-Mahweet. It is of particular historical importance for the Zaidiyyah, having been a stronghold for Yemeni kings due to its advantageous position. It is situated atop a plateau at 2750m above sea level. The sole entrance to the town is via a single...
under a SayyidSayyidSayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
lord. - The HashidHashidThe Hashid tribal federation is the second largest tribal federation in Yemen. Member tribes of the Hashid Confederation are found primarily in the mountains in the North and Northwest of the country. It was headed by Sheikh Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar until his death on December 29, 2007 and is...
and BakilBakilThe Bakil federation is the largest tribal federation in Yemen. Imam Yahya's campaign to subject the country, and more specifically the tribes, to his control, led him to undertake massive campaigns against their influence and power; in fact, his efforts succeeded in permanently eliminating all but...
tribes under several shaykhs in a confederation. - Abu Arish under a SharifSharifSharīf or Chérif is a traditional Arab tribal title given to those who serve as the protector of the tribe and all tribal assets, such as property, wells, and land. In origin, the word is an adjective meaning "noble", "highborn". The feminine singular is sharifa...
. - Khawlan or Bani Amir under a shaykh.
- Sa'dahSa'dahSa`dah is the capital city of Saada Governorate in north-western Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of about 1,800 meters. Known in antiquity as Karna, its population in 2004 was estimated at 51,870.- External links :*...
under a Sayyid and some independent shaykhs. - NajranNajranNajran , formerly known as Aba as Sa'ud, is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen. It is the capital of Najran Province. Designated a New town, Najran is one of the fastest-growing cities in the kingdom; its population has risen from 47,500 in 1974 and 90,983 in 1992 to...
under the Makrami. - Qahtan.
- NihimNihm DistrictNihm District is a district of the Sana'a Governorate, Yemen. As of 2003, the district had a population of 41,502 inhabitants....
. - KhawlanKhwlan DistrictKhwlan District is a district of the Sana'a Governorate, Yemen. As of 2003, the district had a population of 28,925 inhabitants....
east of San'a under four independent shaykhs. - JawfAl Jawf GovernorateAl Jawf is a governorate of Yemen.-Districts:*Al Ghayl District*Al Hazm District*Al Humaydat District*Al Khalq District*Al Maslub District*Al Matammah District*Al Maton District*Az Zahir District*Bart Al Anan District*Khabb wa ash Sha'af District...
or Marib under a Sharif and independent shaykhs. - YafaYafaYafa is a state in southern Yemen. Situated northeast of the city of Aden, it is composed of Upper Yafa and Lower Yafa....
under the sultans of Rassas-Maidabah, Mawsatah and Qarah.
Political events
Al-Mahdi Abbas reportedly preserved the shrunk borders of the Zaidi state vigorously. His reign was punctuated by a series of internal conflicts which he managed to overcome. In spite of the autonomous position of the Hashid and Bakil tribes, the imam kept several regiments of tribesmen, and paid them better than others. In 1750 a certain magician Ahmad al-Hasani attacked Hashid and Bakil forts but was eventually slain. In 1759 a raid by Bakil tribesmen was likewise defeated, as was a revolt by Barat tribes in 1770. Religious opposition to the imam's rule surfaced in 1768. Some qadis propagated revolt against the imam's governors since the people of San'a acted in a heretic way. They did not gain a following, however. In San'a itself, the scarcity of corn caused a rebellion in 1772. Al-Mahdi Abbas led a force that defeated the insurgents. At his help he had a Scotch and a French renegade of military experience.Economic conditions and end of reign
The account of Niebuhr testifies to the relative economic decline of the Zaidi state. While the revenue in the 17th century had been as much as 830,000 riyals per year, it decreased drastically to 300,000 under the reign of al-Mansur al-Husayn II (1727-1748). Under al-Mahdi Abbas the annual revenue again rose to 500,000 riyals, still far below the record years before the 1720s, which had been conditioned by the lucrative coffeeCoffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
trade. Nevertheless, al-Mahdi Abbas was a wealthy prince, who erected several public buildings and mosques in San'a. Al-Mahdi Abbas died in 1775, and the imamate was successfully claimed by his son al-Mansur Ali I
Al-Mansur Ali I
Al-Mansur Ali I was an Imam of Yemen who ruled in 1775–1809. He belonged to the Qasimid family, descended from the Prophet Muhammad, which dominated the Zaidi imamate in 1597–1962.-Early reign:...
.
Further reading
- Husain ibn Abdullah al-Amri, The Yemen in the 18th and 19th Centuries; A Political and Intellectual History. London 1985.