Al-Mansur al-Qasim al-Iyyani
Encyclopedia
Al-Mansur al-Qasim al-Iyyani (922? - July 11, 1003) was an imam
of the Zaidi
state in Yemen
who briefly reestablished a comprehensive Zaidi realm in the years 999-1002.
from Tarj in the Khath'am region (present-day south-western Saudi Arabia
). His year of birth is (doubtfully) given as 922 or 928. He was a great-great-grandson of al-Qasim ar-Rassi (d. 860), a key figure in the emerging of the Zaydiyyah brand of Shi'a Islam
. He received a reputation for religious learning from early age. For decades, Zaidi figures from Yemen visited him and asked him to intervene in the Yemeni highland. After the death of the Zaidi imam an-Nasir Ahmad
in 934, political conditions had been unstable in the Zaydiyyah-influenced areas. In 993, a-Qasim proclaimed the imamate in Hijaz, but his movement was defeated in the next year by the governor of Mecca
. Still, the Fatimid
caliph
treated al-Qasim with respect and courtesy.
, the traditional capital of the Zaydiyyah domain. As imam he was known as al-Mansur a-Qasim. He subsequently returned to Tarj, and his power in Yemen immediately crumbled. He then returned again, permanently, in 999. This time he was able to extend his power over an extensive area from Bilad Khath to San'a. However, he could not secure an outlet to the sea, and the lowland of Yemen was subjected to the Ziyadid Dynasty in Zabid
. Al-Mansur al-Qasim resided in Iyyan (Ayyan), south-east of Sad'ah, and therefore became known as al-Iyyani. He called on certain tribes to perform military service. One of his adherents composed a poem which emphasized the enthusiastic response among the tribesmen, and the role of the imam as a restorer: "Rise and lead the people, and send them with justice; remove darkness and ignorance from them. Restore the religion of your ancestor after it had disappeared, and inflict death upon your opponents."
(descendants of al-Qasim ar-Rassi) claimed power over the Zaydiyyah community. After his failure to subdue the recalcitrant tribesmen of Banu Harith in Najran
, he faced opposition from al-Malih Ibrahim and the former imam ad-Da'i Yusuf
. The governor in Dhamar
, az-Zaidi, rebelled and captured the imam's son Ja'far. A reconciliation took place in 1002. Az-Zaidi offered al-Mansur al-Qasim al-Iyyani to retain power over Bakil
and Wada. The imam, however, preferred to retire from governance altogether. He lived a private life in Madhab and Iyyan where he wrote a text to his defence. He passed away in the following year in Iyyan. As a religious scholar, he followed al-Qasim ar-Rassi and al-Hadi ila'l-Haqq Yahya
in the essentials, although he was also accused of theological deviations. After his death, the imamate was contested between his son al-Mahdi al-Husayn
and the old imam ad-Da'i Yusuf.
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 briefly reestablished a comprehensive Zaidi realm in the years 999-1002.
Early activities
Al-Qasim bin Ali was a 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,...
from Tarj in the Khath'am region (present-day south-western Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
). His year of birth is (doubtfully) given as 922 or 928. He was a great-great-grandson of al-Qasim ar-Rassi (d. 860), a key figure in the emerging of the Zaydiyyah brand of Shi'a Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. He received a reputation for religious learning from early age. For decades, Zaidi figures from Yemen visited him and asked him to intervene in the Yemeni highland. After the death of the Zaidi imam an-Nasir Ahmad
An-Nasir Ahmad
An-Nasir Ahmad was the third imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen. Through his active leadership he confirmed and expanded the polity founded by his two predecessors.-Early years and succession:...
in 934, political conditions had been unstable in the Zaydiyyah-influenced areas. In 993, a-Qasim proclaimed the imamate in Hijaz, but his movement was defeated in the next year by the governor of Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. Still, the Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
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"...
treated al-Qasim with respect and courtesy.
Imam in Yemen
Al-Qasim invaded Yemen in 997 or 998 and appropriated Sa'dahSa'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 :*...
, the traditional capital of the Zaydiyyah domain. As imam he was known as al-Mansur a-Qasim. He subsequently returned to Tarj, and his power in Yemen immediately crumbled. He then returned again, permanently, in 999. This time he was able to extend his power over an extensive area from Bilad Khath to San'a. However, he could not secure an outlet to the sea, and the lowland of Yemen was subjected to the Ziyadid Dynasty 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...
. Al-Mansur al-Qasim resided in Iyyan (Ayyan), south-east of Sad'ah, and therefore became known as al-Iyyani. He called on certain tribes to perform military service. One of his adherents composed a poem which emphasized the enthusiastic response among the tribesmen, and the role of the imam as a restorer: "Rise and lead the people, and send them with justice; remove darkness and ignorance from them. Restore the religion of your ancestor after it had disappeared, and inflict death upon your opponents."
Abdication
His position was nevertheless precarious, since other RassidsRassids
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...
(descendants of al-Qasim ar-Rassi) claimed power over the Zaydiyyah community. After his failure to subdue the recalcitrant tribesmen of Banu Harith in Najran
Najran
Najran , formerly known as Aba as Sa'ud, is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen. It is the capital of Najran Province. Designated a New town, Najran is one of the fastest-growing cities in the kingdom; its population has risen from 47,500 in 1974 and 90,983 in 1992 to...
, he faced opposition from al-Malih Ibrahim and the former imam ad-Da'i Yusuf
Ad-Da'i Yusuf
Ad-Da'i Yusuf was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled for two highly turbulent terms .-Struggles against Yu'firids and Ziyadids:...
. The governor in 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...
, az-Zaidi, rebelled and captured the imam's son Ja'far. A reconciliation took place in 1002. Az-Zaidi offered al-Mansur al-Qasim al-Iyyani to retain power over Bakil
Bakil
The Bakil federation is the largest tribal federation in Yemen. Imam Yahya's campaign to subject the country, and more specifically the tribes, to his control, led him to undertake massive campaigns against their influence and power; in fact, his efforts succeeded in permanently eliminating all but...
and Wada. The imam, however, preferred to retire from governance altogether. He lived a private life in Madhab and Iyyan where he wrote a text to his defence. He passed away in the following year in Iyyan. As a religious scholar, he followed al-Qasim ar-Rassi and al-Hadi ila'l-Haqq Yahya
Al-Hadi ila'l-Haqq Yahya
Al-Hadi ila’l-Haqq Yahya was a religious and political leader on the Arabian Peninsula. He was the first Zaydiyya imam who ruled over portions of Yemen, in 897-911, and is the ancestor of the Rassid Dynasty which held intermittent power in Yemen until 1962.-Background:Yahya bin al-Husayn bin...
in the essentials, although he was also accused of theological deviations. After his death, the imamate was contested between his son al-Mahdi al-Husayn
Al-Mahdi al-Husayn
al-Mahdi al-Husayn was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who claimed power in the years 1003-1013, in rivalry with another imam....
and the old imam ad-Da'i Yusuf.