Muhammad bin Yahya Hamid ad-Din

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Muhammad bin Yahya Hamid ad-Din (

Qaflat Idhar) was an Imam of Yemen who led the resistance against the Ottoman
occupation in 1890–1904.

Outbreak of rebellion

Muhammad bin Yahya Hamid ad-Din was a descendant of the founder of the

Hudaydah where they were kept under surveillance for two years. Muhammad survived the exile and returned to Sana'a.[2] Meanwhile, Zaidi resistance was kept alive by local groups including the followers of imams al-Mutawakkil al-Muhsin (d. 1878) and al-Hadi Sharaf ad-Din
(d. 1890). These were unable to threaten Turkish rule in Sana'a and the coastland, although large parts of the highlands could not be controlled by the Ottoman administration.

After the death of al-Hadi Sharaf ad-Din, the Zaidi

Sa'dah further to the north, where resistance was based. It was around this time in 1890 that Muhammad had claimed the title of Imam of the Imammate from 1890.[3] He had access to the treasury of his predecessor, which facilitated his leadership. He allotted stipends of grain and money to the ulema, and circulated letters among the tribesmen. He was able to stir up most of the northern tribes against the Turkish officials and troops.[4] A number of towns and forts around Sana'a, such as Hajjah, Yarim and Dhamar, were captured by the imam's followers. In 1892 Sana'a itself was besieged for a while by rebel troops. The initial successes of Muhammad's followers decreased the prestige of the Turks, already unpopular through extortions and maladministration.[5]

Religious basis of resistance

Although the Turks were able to prevail, they were never able to regain the military initiative. Reinforcements of troops could not stop the expansion of Muhammad bin Yahya Hamid ad-Din's sphere of influence. The hit-and-run tactics of the tribesmen wore out the Ottoman militaries. Sultan

Islamic precepts. In other words, Muhammad was able to frame his resistance in the professed protection of religion, against the secular and Western-influenced Turks.[6]

Imamic resistance continued with new outbreaks of fighting in 1898. In the following year the imam asked the Sultan of

Qasimid imams. He put an end to customary laws in most of the northern tribal areas, organized stipends for men of religion, and alms for widows, orphans and teachers.[8] He died in 1904, leaving a son, Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din
, who was accepted as his successor as imam. Yahya would eventually drive the Turks out of Yemen in 1918.

See also

References

  1. ^ The filiation was: al-Qasim al-Mansur – al-Husayn – Muhammad – Isma'il – Muhammad – Yahya – Muhammad – Yahya Hamid ad-Din – Muhammad bin Yahya Hamid ad-Din.
  2. ^ Yehuda Nini, The Jews of the Yemen 1800–1914. Harwood 1991, p. 15.
  3. ISBN 978-0-521-79482-4
    .
  4. ^ R.B. Serjeant & R. Lewcock, San'a'; An Arabian Islamic City. London 1983, p. 92.
  5. ^ Caesar E. Farah, pp. 158–62.
  6. ^ J.M. Willis, 'Leaving Only Question-Marks; Geographies of Rule in Modern Yemen', in M. Al-Rasheed & R. Vitalis (eds), Counter-Narratives; Contemporary Security, and Politics in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. New York 2004, p. 128.
  7. ^ Caesar E. Farah, pp. 174, 178, 188.
  8. ^ R.B. Serjeant & R. Lewcock, p. 94.

Further reading

  • R.W. Stookey, Yemen; The Politics of the Yemen Arab Republic. Boulder 1983.
Preceded by
Zaydi Imam of Yemen

1890–1904 		Succeeded by
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