al-Mahdi al-Husayn (987 - 1013) was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who claimed power in the years 1003-1013, in rivalry with another imam.
Al-Husayn bin al-Qasim was a Sayyid originally from Hijaz (present-day Saudi Arabia). His father was the imam al-Mansur al-Qasim al-Iyyani who briefly held power in the Yemeni inland in 999-1002, and died in 1003. After the death of al-Mansur, al-Husayn set forth his claim to the imamate, in rivalry with his distant relative ad-Da'i Yusuf. In 1010 he declared himself with the title al-Mahdi, in the chiliastic sense of a redeemer of Islam.[1] He was supported by large groups from Himyar and Hamdan. At this time, the key city San'a was governed by the Zaidi sharif al-Qasim bin al-Husayn. The sharif was expelled from the city, pursued and killed in 1012. The rival imam ad-Da'i died in the same year. With this, the power of al-Mahdi al-Husayn extended from Alhan to Sa'dah and San'a. However, already in 1013, the imam was in turn driven out of San'a. He was attacked by a Hamdanite force near Dhu Bin and lost his life. For a long time afterwards, his adherents believed that he was actually not dead.[2] Like many Zaidi imams, al-Mahdi al-Husayn was a prominent author. After his demise, his brother Ja'far played a political role as emir in the Yemeni highlands for several decades.
| Preceded by al-Mansur al-Qasim al-Iyyani |
Imam of Yemen 1003–1013 |
Succeeded by al-Mu'ayyad Ahmad |