Al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah (d. 1066) was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in 1060-1066.
Hamzah was the son of the imam Abu Hashim al-Hasan, and assisted his father when he proclaimed his da'wa (call for the imamate) in 1031. After the death of imam Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami in 1053 at the battle of Najd-al-Jah, no new imam appeared for some time. Much of Yemen was dominated by the powerful Sulayhid king Ali as-Sulayhi, who ruled San'a and the land south of it by 1063. In the northern highland, the Zaidis attempted to stall the Sulayhid advance. Hamzah became imam in 1060, being known by the title al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah. The title muhtasib meant that he was only imam in the sense of protector of the community, but was not entitled to lead the public prayers or pass legal sentences.[1] His chance seemed to come in 1066, when Ali as-Sulayhi was assaulted and killed by the Najahid ruler Sa'id bin Najah from Zabid. Al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah immediately grabbed the opportunity and attacked San'a with 500 cavalry and 15,000 infantry, mainly tribesmen of Hamdan. The attack was repulsed by loyal Sulayhid commanders.[2] The imam himself was killed in battle in the same year. A Zaidi clan, the Hamzite Sharifs, was descended from him. His demise was followed by an extended period of 72 years when no Zaidi imam was appointed.[3]
| Preceded by interregnum, preceded by Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami |
Imam of Yemen 1060–1066 |
Succeeded by interregnum, followed by al-Mutawakkil Ahmad bin Sulayman |