Al-Mukhtar al-Qasim was an imam

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 held or claimed power from 936 to 956.

Al-Qasim bin Ahmad was the eldest son of the 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:...

 who died in 934. An-Nasir's death ushered into a period of internal political turbulence among the Zaidis of highland Yemen. His third son al-Muntakhab al-Hasan

Al-Muntakhab al-Hasan

Al-Muntakhab al-Hasan was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen in the period 934-936. He was the fourth ruler of the Rasssid DynastyAl-Hasan bin Ahmad was the third of the six sons of imam an-Nasir Ahmad...

 demanded the imamate

Imamate

The word Imamate is an Arabic word with an English language suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam.-Theological usage:...

, but the latter's elder brother al-Mukhtar al-Qasim lodged counterclaims. Al-Muntakhab died in 936. However, a younger brother called al-Mansur Yahya

Al-Mansur Yahya

Al-Mansur Yahya was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen, whose tenure as imam is counted from 934 to 976.Yahya bin Ahmad was the fifth son of the imam an-Nasir Ahmad. Even before the death of an-Nasir in 934, three of his sons quarreled bitterly among themselves...

 is recognized by Zaidi historiography

Historiography

Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...

 as the legitimate successor of an-Nasir after 934; he was supported by the majority of the Zaidis after al-Muntakhab's death. In 956, al-Mukhtar al-Qasim, who ruled from his base in Sa'dah

Sa'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 :*...

, was able to seize the important commercial and political centre San'a, which had hitherto mostly belonged to the rival Yu'firid Dynasty. However, before the year was over, al-Mukhtar was murdered by a powerful lord from 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...

, Muhammad bin ad-Dahhak. With his death, San'a temporarily reverted to the Yafurids.