Al-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah
Encyclopedia
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. 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. 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.
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 ruled in 1060-1066.
Hamzah was the son of the imam Abu Hashim al-Hasan
Abu Hashim al-Hasan
Abu Hashim al-Hasan was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled part of the Yemeni highland in 1031-1040.Abu Hashim al-Hasan was a fifth-generation descendant of al-Qasim ar-Rassi , the theological portal figure of Zaydiyyah Islam. In 1031, the year after the violent death of the former imam...
, 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
Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami
Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled from c. 1038 to 1053.-From Deylaman to Yemen :Abu'l-Fath was a Sayyid but not a member of the dynasty of the Rassids. He traced his descent from Zaid bin al-Hasan bin Ali, grandson of the caliph Ali...
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
Sulaihid State
The Sulaihid State was a Yemeni Ismaili Shia dynasty founded by Ali ibn Muhammad al-Sulaihi.The Sulaihid Dynasty was an autonomous satellite state of the Fatimid Caliphate and throughout its existence was a constant enemy of the Zaydi Shia of Yemen....
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
Muhtasib
A ' was a supervisor of bazaars and trade in the mediæval Islamic countries. His duty was to ensure that public business was conducted in accordance with the law of sharia....
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. 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
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-Muhtasib al-Mujahid Hamzah immediately grabbed the opportunity and attacked San'a with 500 cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
and 15,000 infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, mainly tribesmen of Hamdan
Hamdan
Hamdan is a name of Arab origin. Among people named Hamdan include:*Al-Hamdan, famous Druze family*Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Yemeni Guantanamo detainee, driver and bodyguard of Osama bin Laden*Gibran Hamdan, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills...
. The attack was repulsed by loyal Sulayhid commanders. 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.
Further reading
- Robert W. Stookey, Yemen; The Politics of the Yemen Arab Republic. Boulder 1978.