Fatima.Mernessi_The-Forgotten-Queens-of-Islam-EN

The Shi'ite Dynasty of Yemen 127
military men who taught recruits the use of arms; they were great
scholars of Shi'ite doctrine, who dazzled the newcomers with their
extraordinary vision of a world where human life is secretly entwined
with the movement and the wisdom of the stars.
The advent of the Fatimid caliphate, first in North Africa (297/909)
and then in Egypt a half-century later (358/969) - major dates in
the history of Islam - constitutes the most oustanding political event
of the fourth century of the Hejira. The founder of the dynasty,
'Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi, known as al-Mahdi al-Fatimi
(259/873-322/934), took power in Africa after his da'i (the person
charged with da'wa, indoctrination), Abu 'Abdallah al-Husayn,
counselled him to proceed there. Abu 'Abdallah al-Husayn, the
real brains of the Shi'ite conversion project, knew what he was
talking about: an area was ready to be conquered by force of arms
once its population had been imbued with Shi'ite doctrine, carefully
distilled and precisely measured out. Abu 'Abdallah al-Husayn was
such an expert da'i, a propaganda technocrat, that he was given as
a surname just simply 'the Shi'ite'. He had begun his fieldwork in
Mecca during the pilgrimage, seeking out the fiercely independent
Berber delegations, particularly the Ketama tribesmen, warriors
who would become the spearhead of the Fatimid armies. 'Where
are the Ketama pilgrims?' he asked in the midst of the sea of
humanity which in principle came to pray and call upon Allah. 27
When he had spotted them, he introduced himself and entered
discussions with their chieftains. Then came the moment when he
raised the crucial question: 'Do you bear arms?' And the Ketama
chieftains replied with surprise: 'But that is our occupation!' 28 This
was a meeting marked by destiny: the Middle East Shi'ite revolution
had found its military troops in the Far West of the Muslim world
(al-maghrib al-aqsd).
Once the contacts had been made in Mecca, the Yemeni arrived
in the Maghrib in 280/893 and began to indoctrinate the Berber
tribesmen with the idea of the 'expected mahdi' (al-mahdi almuntazar).
Abu 'Abdallah al-Husayn was creating an expectation,
the need for an imam able to solve all problems. Once his aim was
achieved, the d0'//missionary sent his messengers to notify al-Mahdi
al-Fatimi, who was living in hiding, to come to North Africa,
where he would be enthusiastically received - which proved to be
absolutely true, both spiritually and militarily. In year 296, the
Fatimid appeared in Sijelmassa and announced that he was the one
who was expected, the one who was going to save the world 29 and