Al-Mahdi Salah ad-Din
Encyclopedia
Al-Mahdi Salah ad-Din was a claimant for the Zaidi
state in Yemen, whose tenure as imam
is counted from 1436 to 1445.
Salah ad-Din bin Ali was a descendant of the imam al-Mansur Yahya
(d. 976) in the thirteenth generation. His father was the well-known Zaidi scholar Ali bin Muhammad bin Abu'l-Qasim, who died in 1433. When the old imam al-Mansur Ali
succumbed to the plague in 1436, three Sayyid
s made claims to the imamate. One of them was Salah ad-Din bin Ali, who took the honorific name al-Mahdi Salah ad-Din. His rivals were al-Mansur an-Nasir
and al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
who belonged to other Rassid
branches. Al-Mansur an-Nasir, who had family ties with the deceased imam, became dominant among the Zaydiyyah community in highland Yemen. He eventually captured al-Mahdi Salah ad-Din, who died in prison in Kawkaban
in 1445. He was buried in the Masjid Musa, one of the smaller mosques of San'a.
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, whose tenure as 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...
is counted from 1436 to 1445.
Salah ad-Din bin Ali was a descendant of the imam al-Mansur Yahya
Al-Mansur Yahya
Al-Mansur Yahya was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen, whose tenure as imam is counted from 934 to 976.Yahya bin Ahmad was the fifth son of the imam an-Nasir Ahmad. Even before the death of an-Nasir in 934, three of his sons quarreled bitterly among themselves...
(d. 976) in the thirteenth generation. His father was the well-known Zaidi scholar Ali bin Muhammad bin Abu'l-Qasim, who died in 1433. When the old imam al-Mansur Ali
Al-Mansur Ali bin Salah ad-Din
Al-Mansur Ali bin Salah ad-Din was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in 1391-1436, partly in rivalry with other claimants to the imamate.-Contest over the imamate:...
succumbed to the plague in 1436, three Sayyid
Sayyid
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,...
s made claims to the imamate. One of them was Salah ad-Din bin Ali, who took the honorific name al-Mahdi Salah ad-Din. His rivals were al-Mansur an-Nasir
Al-Mansur an-Nasir
Al-Mansur an-Nasir was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who held power in parts of the northern Yemeni highland in 1436-1462.The old imam al-Mansur Ali bin Salah ad-Din died from the plague in 1436. His position was then claimed by three different Sayyids, of which one was al-Mansur an-Nasir...
and al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled between 1436 and 1474, in rivalry with other claimants for the imamate.-Rivalry for the imamate:...
who belonged to other Rassid
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...
branches. Al-Mansur an-Nasir, who had family ties with the deceased imam, became dominant among the Zaydiyyah community in highland Yemen. He eventually captured al-Mahdi Salah ad-Din, who died in prison in Kawkaban
Kawkaban
Kawkaban 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...
in 1445. He was buried in the Masjid Musa, one of the smaller mosques of San'a.