Ahmad bin Ali al-Fathi

Ahmad bin Ali al-Fathi (died 1349) was a claimant to the Zaidi state in Yemen, who posed as imam in 1329-1349, in rivalry with other figures.

Ahmad bin Ali al-Fathi was a seventh-generation descendant of Imam Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami (d. 1053).[1] He originated from the village Wakash in the Bani Matar area west of San'a. After the death of Imam al-Mahdi Muhammad bin al-Mutahhar in 1328, several pretenders surfaced. Ahmad bin Ali al-Fathi made his da'wa (call for the imamate) in 1329, from his base in the Sufian area. He is sometimes known by the title ad-Da'i (the one who practices da'wa). However, he had to contend with three other claimants called al-Mu'ayyad Yahya (d. 1346), an-Nasir Ali bin Salah (d. 1329), and al-Wathiq al-Mutahhar (d. 1379/80). The competition was fierce and many lives were lost. Al-Mu'ayyad Yahya soon triumphed, and stood out as the main political force in the Zaidi territory until his death in 1346.[2] The career of Ahmad bin Ali al-Fathi after c. 1330 is obscure. He died in Rughafa, close to Sa'dah, in 1349.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Imam Zaid bin Ali Cultural Foundation, http://www.izbacf.org/page_display.php?book_id=37&page_num=48 (in Arabic). The line of descent is Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami - al-Husayn - Muhammad - Abdallah - Muhammad - Mudafia - Ali - Ahmad bin Ali al-Fathi.
  2. ↑ R.B. Serjeant & R. Lewcock, San'a'; An Arabian Islamic City. London 1983, p. 66.
  3. ↑ Zaidi biographies, in http://www.al-aalam.com/personinfo.asp?pid=2262 (in Arabic).
Preceded by
al-Mahdi Muhammad bin al-Mutahhar		 Imam of Yemen
1329–1349 		Succeeded by
al-Wathiq al-Mutahhar
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