Al-Mahdi Ahmad bin al-Husayn
Encyclopedia
Al-Mahdi Ahmad bin al-Husayn (died 20 February 1258) was an imam
of the Zaidi
state in Yemen
who ruled in the period 1248-1258 and was considered by some a sacred figure on account of his violent end in battle.
who belonged to the house of the Rassids
. His exact relationship to previous imams of Yemen is disputed, but according to one pedigree he was a descendant of al-Qasim ar-Rassi (d. 860) in the eleventh degree. He was a trained jurist who was well acquainted with the doctrines of the Zaydiyyah. His religious credentials were acceptable, since he was consistent in prayers and fasting. He was proclaimed in the mountain stronghold Thula in June 1248, becoming imam with the approval of the family of the former imam al-Mansur Abdallah
. The new imam took the traditional capital of the Zaidi imams, Sa'dah
, from the Sulaimanids, and extended his sway over 20 fortresses. The Zaidi positions were helped through the murder of the powerful Rasulid
sultan Nur ad-Din Umar in 1250. In the same year, al-Mahdi Ahmad managed to seize San'a, where the Rasulid kinsman Asad ad-Din governed. Asad ad-Din withdrew to the nearby fortress Birash, from where he tried to disturb the imam's moves. Nevertheless, al-Mahdi Ahmad's sphere of power soon stretched as far south as Dhamar
. He received a setback when he had to abandon San'a after less than a year. Instead, he bought the Birash stronghold from Asad ad-Din, whose loyalty to his kinsman the Rasulid sultan was doubtful. Al-Mahdi Ahmad entered into negotiations with al-Muzaffar Yusuf, the new sultan of the Rasulid Dynasty which ruled much of Yemen from the lowland. However, the differences between the Sunni Rasulids and the Zaidi imam were too obvious, and a falling-out ensued. Al-Muzaffar Yusuf sent assassins to kill al-Mahdi Ahmad. The imam was injured by a dagger, but his life was saved by his attendants.
as laid down by Zaydiyyah tradition. Al-Mahdi Ahmad's popularity also decreased due to some cases of extortion. Dissatisfied Zaidis rallied behind Shams ad-Din Ahmad, a son of al-Mansur Abdallah, whom they proclaimed imam in 1254. With the help of the ever-vacillating Asad ad-Din, Shams ad-Din marched into Sa'dah and al-Mahdi fled. In the same year, Shams ad-Din and his brother Sarim ad-Din Da'ud visited the Rasulid sultan in Zabid
and were received as royals. Another claimant to the imamate was the Sharif al-Hasan bin Wahhas
. The people was enjoined to support his candidature in 1256, and certain ulema
s accepted him. In 1257, a Zaidi convent declared al-Mahdi Ahmad deposed. Shams ad-Din took command over the insurgents and received support from the Rasulid sultan al-Muzaffar Yusuf. Al-Mahdi Ahmad tried to maintain his position with his remaining followers. The opposing forces eventually met in Shuwabah in 1258. The troops of al-Mahdi Ahmad were defeated and fled the field. The imam was left almost alone on the battlefield. He was surrounded by enemies and killed. His head was severed and carried to Shams ad-Din Ahmad. Miraculous occurrences were reported at his grave in Shuwaba. The battle supposedly took place on the same day as al-Musta'sim
, the last caliph
of Bagdad
, was killed by the Mongols
. The killing of the imam was followed by further internal strife among the Zaidis. Shams ad-Din Ahmad attempted to secure his claim and acknowledged the overlordship of the Rasulids. However, he was immediately challenged by Sharif al-Hasan bin Wahhas
who was also proclaimed as the new imam.
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 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...
state in 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 the period 1248-1258 and was considered by some a sacred figure on account of his violent end in battle.
Assumption of the imamate
Ahmad bin al-Husayn was a Yemeni SayyidSayyid
Sayyid 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,...
who belonged to the house of the Rassids
Rassids
The Imams of Yemen and later the Kings of Yemen were religiously consecrated leaders belonging to the Zaidiyyah branch of Shia Islam. They established a blend of religious and secular rule in parts of Yemen from 897. Their imamate endured under varying circumstances until the republican revolution...
. His exact relationship to previous imams of Yemen is disputed, but according to one pedigree he was a descendant of al-Qasim ar-Rassi (d. 860) in the eleventh degree. He was a trained jurist who was well acquainted with the doctrines of the Zaydiyyah. His religious credentials were acceptable, since he was consistent in prayers and fasting. He was proclaimed in the mountain stronghold Thula in June 1248, becoming imam with the approval of the family of the former imam al-Mansur Abdallah
Al-Mansur Abdallah
Al-Mansur Abdallah , was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who held the imamate from 1187 to 1217.-Background:...
. The new imam took the traditional capital of the Zaidi imams, Sa'dah
Sa'dah
Sa`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 :*...
, from the Sulaimanids, and extended his sway over 20 fortresses. The Zaidi positions were helped through the murder of the powerful Rasulid
Rasulid
The Rasulid was a Muslim dynasty that ruled Yemen and Hadhramaut from 1229 to 1454. The Rasulids assumed power after the Egyptian Ayyubid left the southern provinces of the Arabian Peninsula....
sultan Nur ad-Din Umar in 1250. In the same year, al-Mahdi Ahmad managed to seize San'a, where the Rasulid kinsman Asad ad-Din governed. Asad ad-Din withdrew to the nearby fortress Birash, from where he tried to disturb the imam's moves. Nevertheless, al-Mahdi Ahmad's sphere of power soon stretched as far south as Dhamar
Dhamar, Yemen
Dhamar is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of around 2400 metres.-Overview:Dhamar is situated 100 km to the south of Sana'a, north of Ibb, and west of Al-Beidha, 2700 m above sea level. Its name “Dhamar” goes back to the king of Sheba and Dou-Reddan at 15-35 AD...
. He received a setback when he had to abandon San'a after less than a year. Instead, he bought the Birash stronghold from Asad ad-Din, whose loyalty to his kinsman the Rasulid sultan was doubtful. Al-Mahdi Ahmad entered into negotiations with al-Muzaffar Yusuf, the new sultan of the Rasulid Dynasty which ruled much of Yemen from the lowland. However, the differences between the Sunni Rasulids and the Zaidi imam were too obvious, and a falling-out ensued. Al-Muzaffar Yusuf sent assassins to kill al-Mahdi Ahmad. The imam was injured by a dagger, but his life was saved by his attendants.
The battle of Shuwabah
The family of al-Mansur Abdallah soon became dissatisfied with al-Mahdi Ahmad. The imam was accused of lacking the prescribed qualifications for the imamateImamate
The word Imamate is an Arabic word with an English language suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam.-Theological usage:...
as laid down by Zaydiyyah tradition. Al-Mahdi Ahmad's popularity also decreased due to some cases of extortion. Dissatisfied Zaidis rallied behind Shams ad-Din Ahmad, a son of al-Mansur Abdallah, whom they proclaimed imam in 1254. With the help of the ever-vacillating Asad ad-Din, Shams ad-Din marched into Sa'dah and al-Mahdi fled. In the same year, Shams ad-Din and his brother Sarim ad-Din Da'ud visited the Rasulid sultan in Zabid
Zabid
Zabid is a town with an urban population of around 23,000 persons on Yemen's western coastal plain. The town, named after Wadi Zabid, the wadi to its south, is one of the oldest towns in Yemen...
and were received as royals. Another claimant to the imamate was the Sharif al-Hasan bin Wahhas
Al-Hasan bin Wahhas
Al-Hasan bin Wahhas was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in 1258-1260.The previous imam al-Mahdi Ahmad bin al-Husayn made a number of enemies among the Zaidi elite during his lifetime, which eventually resulted in his violent death in the Battle of Shuwaba in 1258...
. The people was enjoined to support his candidature in 1256, and certain ulema
Ulema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
s accepted him. In 1257, a Zaidi convent declared al-Mahdi Ahmad deposed. Shams ad-Din took command over the insurgents and received support from the Rasulid sultan al-Muzaffar Yusuf. Al-Mahdi Ahmad tried to maintain his position with his remaining followers. The opposing forces eventually met in Shuwabah in 1258. The troops of al-Mahdi Ahmad were defeated and fled the field. The imam was left almost alone on the battlefield. He was surrounded by enemies and killed. His head was severed and carried to Shams ad-Din Ahmad. Miraculous occurrences were reported at his grave in Shuwaba. The battle supposedly took place on the same day as al-Musta'sim
Al-Musta'sim
Al-Musta'sim Billah was the last Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad; he ruled from 1242 until his death.-Biography:...
, the last caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
of Bagdad
Bagdad
-Places:Australia* Bagdad, TasmaniaMexico* Bagdad, TamaulipasPoland* Bagdad, PolandUnited States* Bagdad, Arizona* Bagdad, California* Bagdad, Butte County, California* Bagdad, Florida* Bagdad, Kentucky* Bagdad, New York* Bagdad, Virginia...
, was killed by the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
. The killing of the imam was followed by further internal strife among the Zaidis. Shams ad-Din Ahmad attempted to secure his claim and acknowledged the overlordship of the Rasulids. However, he was immediately challenged by Sharif al-Hasan bin Wahhas
Al-Hasan bin Wahhas
Al-Hasan bin Wahhas was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in 1258-1260.The previous imam al-Mahdi Ahmad bin al-Husayn made a number of enemies among the Zaidi elite during his lifetime, which eventually resulted in his violent death in the Battle of Shuwaba in 1258...
who was also proclaimed as the new imam.