Al-Hadi Izz ad-din
Encyclopedia
Al-Hadi Izz ad-Din was an imam
of the Zaidi
state in Yemen
, who held the imamate
in 1474-1495 in rivalry with other claimants.
Izz ad-Din bin al-Hasan bin Ali was a grandson of the counter-imam al-Hadi Ali
(d. 1432) and a seventh-generation descendant of imam al-Hadi Yahya
(d. 1239). He proclaimed his da'wa (call for the imamate) in 1474, after the death of the former imam al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
. He was considered a forceful leader who revived some of the power of the Zaydiyyah imamate. He was also a man of learning. Among his works were a text about how to prepare for afterlife
, and a treatise on manumission
of slaves as compensation for received injuries. Nevertheless, he had to contend with a number of other rivals for the title: an-Nasir Muhammad
(d. 1488), al-Mansur Muhammad
(d. 1505) and al-Mu’ayyad Muhammad
(d. 1503). At his death, he was buried in Rughafa. He sired eight sons, called an-Nasir al-Hasan
, al-Husayn, Ahmad, al-Mahdi, Abdallah, Salah, Abdallah Junior, and Salah Junior. Of these, an-Nasir al-Hasan then claimed the imamate.
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 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:...
in 1474-1495 in rivalry with other claimants.
Izz ad-Din bin al-Hasan bin Ali was a grandson of the counter-imam al-Hadi Ali
Al-Hadi Ali
Al-Hadi Ali was a claimant to the Zaidi state in Yemen, who posed as imam from 1393 to 1432 in rivalry with another prince.Ali bin al-Mu'ayyad was a fifth-generation descendant of the imam al-Hadi Yahya...
(d. 1432) and a seventh-generation descendant of imam al-Hadi Yahya
Al-Hadi Yahya
Al-Hadi Yahya was an imam of part of the Zaidi state in Yemen. He ruled from 1217 to 1239, partly in rivalry with a contender.Najm ad-Din Yahya bin Muhsin was a seventh-generation descendant of imam al-Mukhtar al-Qasim...
(d. 1239). He proclaimed his da'wa (call for the imamate) in 1474, after the death of the former imam al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar
Al-Mutawakkil al-Mutahhar was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled between 1436 and 1474, in rivalry with other claimants for the imamate.-Rivalry for the imamate:...
. He was considered a forceful leader who revived some of the power of the Zaydiyyah imamate. He was also a man of learning. Among his works were a text about how to prepare for afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
, and a treatise on manumission
Manumission
Manumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...
of slaves as compensation for received injuries. Nevertheless, he had to contend with a number of other rivals for the title: an-Nasir Muhammad
An-Nasir Muhammad bin Yusuf
An-Nasir Muhammad bin Yusuf was a contender for the Zaidi state in Yemen, whose term as imam is counted from 1474 to 1488....
(d. 1488), al-Mansur Muhammad
Al-Mansur Muhammad
Al-Mansur Muhammad was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in 1475-1504, in rivalry with other claimants for the imamate.-Zaidi disunity:...
(d. 1505) and al-Mu’ayyad Muhammad
Al-Mu’ayyad Muhammad
Al-Mu'ayyad Muhammad was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen who ruled in parts of the Yemeni highland including San'a in 1462-1503.-Repulsing the Tahirides:...
(d. 1503). At his death, he was buried in Rughafa. He sired eight sons, called an-Nasir al-Hasan
An-Nasir al-Hasan
An-Nasir al-Hasan was an imam of the Zaidi state in Yemen, who exerted a limited authority in the northern Yemeni highland in 1495-1523....
, al-Husayn, Ahmad, al-Mahdi, Abdallah, Salah, Abdallah Junior, and Salah Junior. Of these, an-Nasir al-Hasan then claimed the imamate.