Editing Ahmed al-Hasan

{{Short description|Iraqi Shia Yamani-claimant (born 1968)}}
{{similar names|Ahmed Hassan (disambiguation)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=August 2015}}
{{Over-quotation|date=May 2024}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=June 2024}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Ahmed al-Hasan
| native_name        = احمد  الحسن
| native_name_lang   = ar
| birth_name         = Ahmed bin Ismail <br /> {{Nobold|{{lang|ar|أحمد بن إسماعيل}}}}
| birth_date         = {{birth_year and age|1968}}
| birth_place        = [[Basra]], [[Iraq]]
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| image              = 
| caption = 
| other_names        = 

| occupation         = Religious Leader
| known_for = Claiming to be [[Yamani (Shiism)|al-Yamani]] and the deputy of [[Muhammad al-Mahdi]]
| movement           = Ansar of Imam al-Mahdi
| spouse             = 
| children           = 
| parents            = 
| website            = {{URL|saviorofmankind.com}}
}}
<!--Edit No. Ansar0001, removed disappeared 2007 from infobox
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'''Ahmed al-Hasan''' ({{Langx|ar|أحمد الحسن|ʾAḥmad al-Ḥasan}}) is an Iraqi Shia Muslim religious leader. He has been called the most prominent of figures claiming to be the pre-messianic [[Yamani (Shiism)|al-Yamani]], in the upheaval following the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|US invasion of Iraq]] in 2003. In [[Twelver Shi'ism]] Islam, the majority religion of Iraq, al-Yamani is "the deputy of the [[Mahdi]], the Twelfth Imam, and a precursor to his Reappearance" and to End Times.<ref name="Who"/>

Ahmed al-Hasan, who was born in Iraq, started his call in 1999 and began a public "religious call" in 2002. He was last seen, photographed, and interviewed in 2007, and is presumed to have gone into hiding following the [[Battle_of_Najaf_(2007)|Battle of Najaf]] sometime in 2008. An office in [[Najaf]] claims to exclusively speak for him through various social media platforms including Facebook and Telegram, which his followers believe to be managed by Ahmed al-Hasan himself.<ref name="Who"/>

==Life ==
Ahmed al-Hasan was born in [[Basra]], Iraq. He is the son of Ismael, son of Saleh, son of Hussain, son of Salman, who Ahmed claims to be son of [[Muhammad al-Mahdi]]. His uncle, Muhsin ibn Saleh, claims that the family tree traces back to Muhammad al-Mahdi. Along with two tribal Sheikhs among others, Sheikh Idaan Khizaawi Muhammad and Sheikh Shayaa' Ismail, who testify that the family tree traces back to Muhammad al-Mahdi.<ref>[https://www.saviorofmankind.com/ahmed-al-hasan/ The family tree including approving testimonies]</ref> Twelver scholar Sayyid Muneer al-Khabbaz has said that Muhammad al-Mahdi was married and has an offspring, and that there is a well known tribe which traces its lineage to Imam al-Mahdi, which tribe exists until today.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK2BtgFE0s0 | title=Sayed Muneer Khabaz says: Imam AlMahdi was married(not Yamani follower) | via=[[YouTube]] | date=23 November 2014 }}</ref>

In an interview given in 2007, Ahmed al-Hasan said that he had received a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering while living in Basra, Iraq.<ref>[https://www.nsr313.com/home/archives/220 An Interview with Mr. Ahmed Alhasan regarding the American newspapers (Arabic Original)]</ref><ref>[https://www.saviorofmankind.com/articles/interview/ An Interview with Mr. Ahmed Al-Hasan regarding the American newspapers (English Translation)]</ref> He also reportedly received seminary education in Najaf in the school of Sayyed Mohammad al-Sadr.<ref name="Who"/>

=== Religious call ===
{{Quote box
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| align = right
| quote = I want freedom and salvation for you, so, for the sake of yourself assist me. I am calling you on behalf of Imam Mahdi. I do not want anything for myself but for him. I do not want my glory but his glory. Whoever does not answer my call, he has not accepted my father's call who has sent me to you. Let me tell you the truth: whoever does not respect the child, he has not respected the father.
| source = Ahmed al-Hasan<ref name="Who">{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/religion/meet-shia-islams-latest-claimant-of-messiah/10959614 |title= Who is Ahmed Alhasan al-Yamani |last=Pargoo |first= Mahmoud | date=1 April 2019 |website= ABC Editorial Standards |access-date= 13 April 2019 }}</ref>
}}
According to one of his sermons, in 1999, Ahmed al-Hasan had been commanded by Muhammad al-Mahdi, the twelfth Imam of Shiites, to enter the [[Hawza Najaf]] and make some reformation in it. He criticized the available financial corruption, which caused some minor changes in their financial policies.<ref name="The Sermon of Meeting Story">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Sermon of Meeting Story"|year=2003 |pages=6 |url=https://almahdyoon.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1.pdf}}</ref> As for scientific activities, in that interval, he published two books, ''Wilderness or the Path to Allah'' and ''The Calf'', which were admired by some of the scholars of Hawza at that time.<ref name="The Calf">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Calf, Vol 1 (English Translation)"|year=2001 |pages= |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-Calf-Volume-1-Part-1-3.pdf}}</ref><ref name="The Wilderness or the Path to Allah">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Wilderness or the Path to Allah (English Translation)"|year=1999 |pages= |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/wilderness.pdf}}</ref>

He publicly started his call in 2002. In the sermon of [[Hajj]] and the sermon of ''Meeting Story'', he states that a group of students in [[Hawza Najaf]], decided to give allegiance to him as the messenger of Muhammad al-Mahdi, after seeing visions, revelations, and miracles.<ref name="Meeting Story page7">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Sermon of Meeting Story"|year=2003 |pages=7 |url=https://almahdyoon.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Hajj page6">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Sermon of Hajj (English Version)"|year=2006 |pages=6 |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/Sermon-of-Hajj.pdf}}</ref> Ahmed al-Hasan is referred to as the "savior of mankind" on his official website.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://saviorofmankind.com/homepage/86-english-uk/slideshow/97-glad-tidings|title=Glad Tidings|work=saviorofmankind.com|access-date=18 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812025024/http://saviorofmankind.com/homepage/86-english-uk/slideshow/97-glad-tidings|archive-date=12 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Claims ==
Ahmed al-Hasan, in his books like ''The Ideology of Islam'', after discussing the meaning of the religion, elaborates on the method by which the previous prophets and representatives of God introduced themselves and proved their righteousness.<ref name="Ideology of Islam"/><ref name="Law of Identifying the Vicegerent">{{cite book|last=Hashem al-Dirawi|first=AbdulRazaaq|title= "Law of Identifying the Vicegerent"|year=2012 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/9anon-ma3rifat-Al7oja.pdf}}</ref> He states that the most important element of their method is an identifying text or statement from their previous prophets, and anyone who claims that he is a representative of God, including himself, should come up with an identifying text in which he is mentioned.<ref name="Ideology of Islam"/><ref name="Evidence">{{cite book|last=Hashem al-Dirawi|first=AbdulRazaaq|title= "Comprehensive Evidence"|year=2014 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/198-Jami3-al-2adilla-2.pdf}}</ref> He also emphasizes a lot on visions and revelations seen by people in confirmation of messengers and representatives of God. He considers it a direct way by which God testifies to them.<ref name="Ideology of Islam">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "Ideology of Islam"|year=2016 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/204-3aqaed-islam.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Hajj">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Sermon of Hajj (English Version)"|year=2006 |pages= |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/Sermon-of-Hajj.pdf}}</ref> Many of his followers have reported experiences such as seeing visions and revelations confirming him <ref name="Meeting Story">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Sermon of Meeting Story"|year=2003 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88-%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1.pdf}}</ref> 
.<ref name="Jawab AlMuneer">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "الجواب المنير عبر الأثير(Vol 1-7)"|year=2010 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Al-Jawab-AlMonir-1.pdf}}</ref>

Ahmed al-Hasan claims there are many texts and prophecies, in the scriptures of different religions, mentioning him and his matter.<ref name="Successor in books Arabic">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Successor and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi pbuh in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran (Original Arabic)"|year=2010 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Wassiy-fi-9oran-tawrat-injil.pdf}}</ref> He has brought up texts, narrations, and prophecies from different resources like the [[Quran]], the [[Gospel]], and the [[Torah]], and has addressed why they are referring to him.<ref name="Successor in books English"/><ref name="Ahmed the Promised One"/>

===Purpose===
Regarding the purposes of his movement, he claimed:
"The goal of my message is the goal of the Prophets: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, which is to spread the true monotheism with which God is satisfied, and for the earth to be filled with peace and justice after it had been filled with oppression and injustice."<ref name="The Successor and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi (pbuh) in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Successor and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi (pbuh) in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran"|year=2010 |pages=3 |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/successorandmessenger.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Zyad interview">{{Cite web |url=http://the-savior.com/home/index.php/79-slideshow/108-interview.html | title = Interview with Ahmad al-Hassan by independent journalist Zyad Qasim Al-Zubaidi | access-date = 2012-05-13 | work = the-savior.com | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410083200/http://www.the-savior.com/home/index.php/79-slideshow/108-interview.html | archive-date = 2012-04-10 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

===Muslims===
{{Quote box
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| quote = " O Ali, there will be twelve Imams after me, and after them there will be twelve Mahdis. You, O Ali, are the first of the twelve Imams... Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, Muhammad, the Preserver of the Holy family of Muhammad. These are the twelve Imams. After him there will be twelve Mahdis. So if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, the first of the close ones. He has three names, one like mine and my father’s: Abdullah and Ahmed, and the third name is al-Mahdi. He is the first of the believers."
| source = Muhammad's Will according to Occultation by Al Tousi <ref name="Will in Tusi">{{cite book|last=(Shaykh Tusi)|first=Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi|title= "Ghaybat Al Tousi (Occultation by Al Tousi)"|year= |pages= 96 & 150|url= https://thaqalayn.net/chapter/27/1/26}}</ref>
}}
The most important text that Ahmed al-Hasan refers to is the [[Muhammad]]'s will, in which he states after him there will be twenty-four successors, twelve Imams, and twelve Mahdis.<ref name="Will in Tusi">{{cite book|last=(Shaykh Tusi)|first=Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi|title= "Ghaybat Al Tousi (Occultation by Al Tousi)"|year= |pages= 96 & 150|url= https://thaqalayn.net/chapter/27/1/26}}</ref> Muhammad names the first thirteen of his successors, from the first Imam, [[Ali]] ibn Abi Talib, to the first Mahdi, Ahmed, and Ahmed al-Hasan claims he is the Ahmed mentioned in the will of Muhammad. In other words, Ahmed al-Hasan introduced himself as the thirteenth successor of Muhammad and the direct successor of Imam [[Muhammad al-Mahdi]].

Muhammad's will is narrated in one of the oldest and most reliable narration books for Shiites, ''The Occultation'' ({{Langx|ar|کتاب الغیبه|links=no}}) by [[Shaykh Tusi]].<ref name="Will in Tusi"/> There are many studies about the will of Muhammad and its authenticity, such as ''The Sacred Will'' by Ahmed Alhasan and ''Frequency of Narrating the Will'' by Nadhem Aloqaili.<ref name="Sacred Will">{{cite book|last= Alhasan |first= Ahmed|title= The Sacred Will: The Statement Protecting from Misguidance|year=2012 |pages=|url= https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wasiya.pdf}}</ref><ref>[https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/210-twator-wasiya.pdf Frequency of Narrating the Will (Arabic Version)]</ref><ref>[https://almahdyoon.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Vasiat-3Book.pdf The Will and The Successor, Ahmed Alhasan (Persian Version)]</ref> There exist other narrations in which Muhammad describes his will as a statement after which his nation never goes astray.<ref>[https://www.quranexplorer.com/hadithebook/English/Hadith/bukhari/007.070.573.html Sahih al-Bukhari, 7:70:573, Fath Albari in explaining Sahih Bukhari Hadith number: 5345.  Sahih al-Bukhari, 8:160]</ref><ref>[https://thaqalayn.net/hadith/22/2/4/11 Al-Ghaybah by Al-Noa’mani, 81. The book of Occultation English version pg. 87]</ref> Ahmed al-Hasan by emphasizing this description, states the first person who brings this will as his identifying text must be the true claimant.<ref name="Sacred Will"/>

Ahmed al-Hasan has claimed, "I am the Messenger of Imam [[Mahdi]], and I am his vicegerent, and I am the first of the twelve Mahdis from the sons of Imam Mahdi".<ref name="بيان الحق والسداد الجزء الثاني">{{cite book|last=الحسن|first=احمد|title=بيان الحق والسداد|year=2006 |pages=16 |url=http://www.almahdyoon.org/arabic/documents/books-saed/Bayan-l7a9-al2a3dad-2.pdf}}</ref><ref name= "40 nar">{{cite book|last= Aloqaili |first= Nadhem|title= "Forty Narrations about Mahdis and Offspring of Riser" |year=2011 |pages= |url= https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/40-feMahdyin.pdf}}</ref> He claims he is the Yamani, who paves the way for the appearance of Imam Mahdi, after his [[Major Occultation|major occultation]].<ref name="Moneer">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first= Ahmed|title= "Enlightening Answers across the Ether, Vol 1 (Original Arabic)"|year=2010 |pages= |url= https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Al-Jawab-AlMonir-1.pdf }}</ref> The appearance of Al-Yamani is one of the major [[signs of the appearance of the Mahdi]], the 12th Imam of Shi'a Muslims.<ref>[https://thaqalayn.net/chapter/22/2/14 Narration from Muhammad al-Baqir about al-Yamani (The Book of Occultation by al-Nu'mani)]</ref>

Also concerning the Sunni Muslims, as it is narrated in their narration books, Muhammad named the Mahdi ''The Vicegerent of God Al-Mahdi'', and has urged people to pledge allegiance to him.<ref>[https://ketabonline.com/ar/books/40585/read?part=4&page=1531&index=3653912/3653942 السلسلة الصحيحة للألباني: برقم 1529]</ref><ref>[https://quranx.com/hadith/IbnMajah/DarusSalam/Volume-5/Book-36/Hadith-4084 Narration from Muhammad (the vicegerent of God, al-Mahdi)]</ref><ref name="Welcome Mahdi">{{cite book|last= |first= |title= "Welcome to The Vicegerent of God, The Mahdi"|year=2013 |pages=|url= https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/koras-sunna.pdf
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Aloqaili |first= Nadhem|title= A Letter about the narration of "The Vicegerent of God, al-Mahdi"|year=2014 |pages=|url= https://almahdyoon.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Resaleh-Khalife-Khoda-Mahdi.pdf}}</ref>

Ahmed al-Hasan, in some of his books like ''The Allegories'' and ''The Sacred Will'', interprets some verses of the Quran that mention Imam Mahdi, himself, and the twelve Mahdis.<ref>{{cite book|last= Alhasan |first= Ahmed|title= The Sacred Will: The Statement Protecting from Misguidance|year=2012 |pages= 11|url= https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wasiya.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Alhasan |first= Ahmed |title= The Allegories (Vol 4) |year= 2010 |pages= 250 (Question 155)|url= https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Motachabihat-1-2-3-4.pdf}}</ref>

===Christians===
{{Quote box|width=25em |align=right |quote= "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together."|source=Matthew 24:23-28 (KJV)}}
Ahmed al-Hasan has introduced himself as the messenger of Imam al-Mahdi, Jesus, and Elijah.<ref name="Successor in books English"/> He has brought forth many verses of the Bible as his identifying text. Among these texts, one can mention the ''one sitting on the throne'' and the ''twenty-four elders'' mentioned in the Book of [[John's Revelation]].<ref>[https://www.bible.com/bible/111/REV.4.NIV Revelation chapter 4]</ref> He interprets them as Muhammad and his twenty-four successors, i.e. the twelve Imams and the twelve Mahdis mentioned in Muhammad's will.<ref name="13b">{{cite book|last= Alhasan |first= Ahmed|title= The Thirteenth Disciple|year= 2012 |pages=|url= https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/13th-Disciple.pdf}}</ref> Also, he has introduced himself as the ''comforter'' sent by Jesus mentioned in the [[Gospel of John]],<ref>John chapters 14 and 16</ref><ref name = "Letter of Guidance">{{cite book|last= Alhasan |first= Ahmed|title= The Letter of Guidance|year= 2010 |pages=|url= https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/letterofguidance.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Jawab AlMuneer q92">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "الجواب المنير عبر الأثير(Vol2)"|year=2010 |pages= 69 (Question 92) |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Al-Jawab-AlMonir-2.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Successor in books English">{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Successor and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi pbuh in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran (English Translation)"|year=2010 |pages= |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/successorandmessenger.pdf}}</ref> the ''Son of Man'' coming from the east and the ''faithful and sensible slave'' in the [[Gospel of Matthew]],<ref>[https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.24.NIV Matthew chapter 24]</ref><ref name="Ahmed the Promised One"/><ref name="Successor in books English"/> ''one like a son of man'' on the white cloud,<ref>[https://www.bible.com/bible/111/REV.14.NIV Revelation chapter 14]</ref><ref name="Ahmed the Promised One">{{cite book|last=Alsalem|first=Alaa|title= "Ahmed the Promised One (English Translation)"|year=2012 |pages= |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The-Promised-One-Ahmed.pdf}}</ref> and the ''lamb'' in the Revelation of John <ref>Revelation, chapters 4, 5, 14, etc</ref> In addition to these verses from the [[New Testament]], Ahmed al-Hassan also presented other verses from the [[Old Testament]] as identifying texts, the interpretations of which are available in his books.<ref name="Successor in books English"/><ref name = "Letter of Guidance"/><ref name="13b"/>

===Jews===
{{Quote box|width=25em |align=right |quote= "'I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."|source=Daniel 7:13-14 (KJV)}}
There are other verses in the old testament that Jews also believe in, and Ahmed al-Hasan has brought them up as his identifying text. For example, in the [[book of Isaiah]] chapter 11, he has interpreted that ''the shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse'' as Imam Al-Mahdi, and ''the branch from his roots'' as himself.<ref>[https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.11.NASB1995 Isaiah, chapter 11]</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Successor and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi pbuh in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran (English Translation)"|year=2010 |pages= 14 |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/successorandmessenger.pdf}}</ref>
Ahmed al-Hassan has interpreted ''The Ancient of Days'' mentioned in the [[book of Daniel]] as referring to Imam Al-Mahdi.<ref>[https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.7.NASB1995 Daniel, chapter 7]</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Successor and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi pbuh in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran (English Translation)"|year=2010 |pages= 17 |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/successorandmessenger.pdf}}</ref> In the same verse, ''One like a Son of Man'' that came up to ''The Ancient of Days'' is also interpreted as the messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi, Ahmed al-Hasan himself.<ref>{{cite book|last=Alsalem|first=Alaa|title= "Ahmed the Promised One (English Translation)"|year=2012 |pages= 66 |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The-Promised-One-Ahmed.pdf}}</ref> Ahmed al-Hasan brings forth ''The Stone'' seen in the vision of [[Nebuchadnezzar]], the king of Babylon, in the book of Daniel<ref>[https://www.bible.com/bible/100/DAN.2.NASB1995 Daniel, chapter 2]</ref> as another identifying text.<ref>{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= الجواب المنير عبر الأثير (Vol 4)|year=2011 |pages= 56 |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Al-Jawab-AlMonir-4.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Alhasan|first=Ahmed|title= "The Successor and Messenger of Imam Al-Mahdi pbuh in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran (English Translation)"|year=2010 |pages= 15 |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/successorandmessenger.pdf}}</ref> There exist other verses interpreted as referring to Ahmed al-Hasan and his matter.<ref>[https://www.bible.com/bible/100/ISA.63.NASB1995 Isaiah, chapter 63]</ref><ref name="Ahmed the Promised One"/> Multiple books have been written about the evidence of this call, the connection between these texts, and why they refer to their interpreted characters like Imam Al-Mahdi and Ahmed al-Hasan. Among these works by the followers of Ahmed al-Hasan concerning the Bible, one can mention the books by Adil Alsaeedi, Alas Alsalem, Abdurazaq Aldeeravi, Ali Abdulreza, Sadiq Al-Muhammadi, and Hussain Al-Mansuri.<ref name="Ahmed the Promised One"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Alsaeedi|first=Adil|title= "The Glad Tidings of Ahmed, the Comforter and Discussions of the Christian Doctrine (English Translation)"|year=2011 |pages= |url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/wp-content/uploads/Ahmed-the-Comforter-and-the-Christianity-Doctrine.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Alsaeedi|first=Adil|title= البشارة بالمعزي احمد|year=2011 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/mo3azi.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Al-Mansuri|first=Hussain|title= مجمع نيقية|year=2011 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ni9iya.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Aldeeravi|first= Abdurazaq |title= الشبيه عیسی (من هو المصلوب)|year=2010 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/shabeh.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Abdulreza|first= Ali |title= خطاب عيسى عن القيامة الصغرى|year=2013 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/184-khetab-issa.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Al-Muhammadi|first= Sadiq |title= المسيح سر الله |year=2011 |pages= |url=https://almahdyoon.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/massi7-sir-ALLAH.pdf}}</ref>

== Supporters and opponents==
===Supporters===
The adherents of Ahmed al-Hasan collectively identify themselves as ''Ansar al-Mahdi'' ({{Literally}} supporters of the [[Imam Mahdi|Mahdi]], {{Langx|ar|أنصار المهدي|links=no}}),<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Ansar al-Mahdi and the Continuing Threat of the Doomsday Cults in Iraq|url=https://jamestown.org/program/the-ansar-al-mahdi-and-the-continuing-threat-of-the-doomsday-cults-in-iraq/|last=Rafid Fadhil Ali|date=22 February 2008|website=[[The Jamestown Foundation]]|language=en-US|access-date=30 May 2020}}</ref> (also ''Ansar al-Imam al-Mahdī''), and are sometimes called ''Ansars''. His followers have described his call as being universal,<ref name="Mahdiwatch Questions">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mahdiwatch.org/2008.03.01_arch.html#1205465357892 | title = Questions sent to Ahmad al-Hassan followers (Ansars) | date = 13 March 2008 | access-date = 30 July 2012 | publisher = Dr. Timothy Furnish | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418071841/http://www.mahdiwatch.org/2008.03.01_arch.html#1205465357892 | archive-date = 18 April 2012 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name="MERIP">{{Cite web |url=http://www.merip.org/mer/mer242/basra-reluctant-seat-shiastan | title = MERIP Basra analysis | date = 13 March 2008 | access-date = 30 July 2012 | publisher = Dr. Reidar Visser }}</ref> because his preaching addresses Muslims, Christians, Jews, and all of mankind.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Skelly|first=Joseph|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FPceAsg_bpwC&q=%22ahmad+al-hassan%22+jews+christians&pg=PA187|title=Political Islam from Muhammad to Ahmadinejad: Defenders, Detractors, and Definitions|date=25 November 2009|publisher=[[Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa]]|isbn=978-0-313-37224-7|pages=187|language=en}}</ref>

Many of his supporters are in his native land, Iraq. While his prominence has wained since his first burst of publicity,<ref name="Who"/> there are reportedly "more than 15 official public offices and representatives in major cities" there.<ref name="Who"/> 
He is believed to have followers in many other countries as well, including Iran, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and Australia. And his websites provide teachings in several languages.<ref name="Who"/> In Iran, the Yamani movement is said to have "more than 6,000" converts and to be more popular among clerics than lay people, especially due to clerics being more knowledgeable eschatological hadiths and because of the similarities between Ahmed al-Hasan's characteristics and the descriptions given of the promised al-Yamani in the Shīʿa scriptures. This support has begun to cause friction with the [[Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran|Iranian government]]. According to the chief of Basra police his followers are mostly intellectuals and educated people, including university professors, seminary graduates and engineers.<ref>{{cite news|title=شرطة البصرة تكشف معلومات عن 'رسول' المهدي المنتظر|trans-title=Basra police reveal information about the expected 'messenger' of Mahdi|last=Neouf|first=Hayan|url=https://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008%2F02%2F03%2F45126|date=3 February 2008|work=[[Al Arabiya]]|language=ar}}</ref>

Ahmed al-Hasan has an official website and [[Telegram (software)|Telegram]] channels. There are many books devoted to supporting or debunking him.<ref>[https://almahdyoon.com/main/ansarlib/ Online Arabic library on official Ahmed Alhasan's website]</ref><ref name="Who"/>

===Arrests and fabricated charges===

Ahmed al-Hasan's supporters said that their cause is humanitarian, not terrorist, and that they have no worldly ambitions. Rather, their cause is reform as Sayeed Ahmed al-Hasan has said: "I did not come to demolish."

The group said that the judicial rulings that took place in Iraq and the charges that were falsely and slanderously imposed on people from the group are considered an infringement on the freedom of belief of a group with a non-utilitarian religious orientation. They raise demands to the relevant Iraqi authorities, whether judicial or governmental, to the governments of major countries, and to humanitarian organizations to intervene, reopen investigations with the detainees, and remove Article 4 terrorism charges against them. It is noted that the fatwas to arrest Sayeed Ahmed Al-Hasan, shed his blood, and target his group were issued by the Iraqi Shia authority, followed by the Iranian Shia authority. In 2008, sentences were passed against 43 individuals within days amidst continuous torture and coercion to confess to fabricated charges: 19 men were sentenced to life imprisonment, and 24 men from our group were sentenced to death.

Additionally, one of Sayed Ahmed Al-Hasan's followers was arrested while performing the Husseini rituals during the Arbaeen pilgrimage procession. He had no prior arrest warrant against him, and the charge was his affiliation with the Yamani group, which is Sayeed Ahmed Al-Hasan's group. This has no connection to terrorism, yet they included it under Article 4 terrorism and sentenced him to ten years in prison. The religious authorities in Iraq have influence over the government authorities, intelligence, and police departments, so it is no surprise that they are fighting Sayeed Ahmed Al-Hasan by pushing their agendas. They continue to incite against Sayeed Ahmed Al-Hasan's group through their channels and media, monitoring their movements, and fabricating charges against them whenever the opportunity arises.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.alwatanvoice.com/arabic/news/2013/11/27/464806.html | title=جماعة احمد الحسن بالعراق تستنكر اعتقال اتباع الجماعة على يد المرجعيات الشيعية | date=27 November 2013 }}</ref>

===Saraya al-Qaem===
[[File:Saraya al-Qaem.jpg|thumb|Riser Brigades poster in Basra]]
Ahmed al-Hasan founded the Riser Brigades in 2015 which fought together with the Iraqi Army against ISIS. Ahmed al-Hasan has stated that Riser Brigades were founded to fight ISIS and protect the Shia shrines and not against the government or the Sunni brothers.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Ahmed.Alhasan.10313/posts/pfbid02F9rNrBmou61LCzEyC72pSLmDzWBcWY5skaaAzb4qSSg4DaaatsXqEAXe2gxpoJ6wl Ahmed al-Hasan on why Saraya al-Qaem was founded]</ref> He also asked the members of Saraya al-Qaem to refrain from any armed demonstrations inside the cities unless they coordinate with the security authorities in those cities.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Ahmed.Alhasan.10313/posts/pfbid02oTF1UkVm9kdDs2bZV8YwttghUkjcrX9nVKuV9ZN6RPaiaczvokbq5zAHJGUu1ji4l?locale=ar_AR Ahmed al-Hasan message to members of Saraya al-Qaem]</ref>

According to a colonel from the police in [[Dhi Qar Governorate]] a number of officers and members of the security forces were within the ranks of Ahmed al-Hasan.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://al-akhbar.com/Arab/22517 | title="اليماني" يُطل برأسه مجدداً في جنوب العراق: حان اليوم الموعود | newspaper=الأخبار }}</ref>

===Declaration of disassociation===
In April 2023, the Najaf office published a declaration of disassociation, to explicitly reannounce that Ahmed al-Hasan and his office are disassociated from the group ''The Black Banners'' led by [[Abdullah Hashem]], and the group ''The Army of Anger'' led by Razaq al-Jaberi. The disassociation from Abdullah Hashem was also announced in 2015, and before that, the disassociation from Razaq al-Jaberi and his group took place in 2014. They stated that none of these people have ever met Ahmed al-Hasan.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Alnajafalashraf The post on April 16, 2023]</ref> Ahmed al-Hasan reposted this declaration on his Facebook account too.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Ahmed.Alhasan.10313 The post on April 17, 2023]</ref>

=== Opponents ===
The Shia clerics that are informed about Ahmed al-Hasan's call have largely condemned him, and issued corresponding ''[[fatwa]]''s classifying Ahmed al-Hasan as an impostor, a fabricator, a deceiver, an innovator, and a liar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aqaed.com/faq/6586/|title=»الإجابة على الأسئلة العقائدية »مركز الأبحاث العقائدية|access-date=18 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sh-alsagheer.com/index.php?show=news&action=article&id=677|title=سماحة الشيخ جلال الدين الصغير - الموقع الرسمي|access-date=18 August 2016}}</ref> According to Iraqi Basra police, investigations conducted revealed that his ancestry does not go back to the prophet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/02/04/45160.html |title=Iraqi police expose doomsday cult chief |date=4 February 2008 |work=[[Al Arabiya]] |access-date=26 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209213632/http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/02/04/45160.html |archive-date=9 December 2015 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Shi'a Muslim scholars such as Sheikh [[Ali Al-Kourani|Ali al-Korani]] and [[Jalal al-Din Ali al-Saghir]] have expressed their negative views of Ahmed al-Hasan's claims in numerous TV broadcasts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.alameli.net/|title=جديد مكتبة الوسائط |work=alameli.net}}</ref> He has been accused by his opponents of plotting to assassinate [[Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani]].<ref name="Who"/>

An example of his opposition is a question and answer in the pro-Islamic Republic of Iran, Shi'i website "Al-Islam": <br />
Question: What do scholars say about Ahmed al-Hasan, who "makes a various claims, including being the son, messenger, vicegerent, and executor of the affairs of Imam Mahdi, al-Yamani, an infallible Imam, the first of 12 Mahdis."<br />
Reply: "He is a liar. He has been appointed and financially supported by our enemies to create dispute and cause trouble among the followers of Ahlul Bayt" (i.e. Shia Muslims).<ref name="Al-Islam 2022">{{cite web |website=Al-Islam |title=What is the opinion of the Maraji on Ahmad al-Hassan who makes various claims including being the son, messenger, vicegerent, and executor of the affairs of Imam Mahdi, al-Yamani, an infallible Imam, and the first of 12 Mahdis? |date=2022 |url=https://www.al-islam.org/person/ahmad-al-hassan |access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref>

Sheikh [[Ali Al-Kourani|Ali al-Korani]] says about the Yamani: "And from them are those who will not obey him! And the reason is, that the clerics and the Hawzas will find it from the difficult matters to accept what opposes what they have studied about and were used to in their concepts and [[Sharia]] rulings."<ref>AlYamanyoon Qadimoon, page 150</ref>

Ahmed al-Hasan claims that Shia Muslims are being "deceived" by the [[Marja']].<ref name="Who"/> He claims that imitating (following and obeying) a scholar is not obligatory for Muslims, and it is considered ''Shirk'' (polytheism) to blindly follow a scholar.

=== Muhammad al-Sadr ===
{{Very long section|date=July 2025}}
The Shia scholar [[Muhammad al-Sadr (jurist)|Muhammad al-Sadr]] has said that there is a Messenger from the 12th Imam [[Muhammad al-Mahdi]] in 1999 and Ahmed al-Hasan's followers bring it forward as proof. Sayyid al-Sadr has said that "the man with the Iqala is the Messenger of the Imam and this must be kept a secret".<ref>50 positions with Shaheed al-Sadr, volume 4, page 58.</ref> Another statement made by al-Sadr which is connected with the first one is when he said 12 days before his martyrdom that "Basra has great advantage over the rest of the nations and that there is a great point in Basra but that they should not speak about it now and it should remain a secret".<ref>Magazine Amal AlMawood 1424 of Thi Qi'da 10th count first print, page 39.</ref> al-Sadr was also teaching his followers that al-Yamani will not come from Yemen and that this was a common misconception, rather he was tied to Iraq.<ref name="Sayyid al-Sadr's approach about the Yamani">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAWpQlq32Ag | title=سيد محمد صادق الصدر لا يعتقد بان اليماني من اليمن Sayed AlSaders approach about the Yamani | via=[[YouTube]] | date=5 September 2013 }}</ref>

Another Shia figure Sheikh [[Jalal al-Din Ali al-Saghir]] has said in a lecture that al-Yamani has nothing to do with Yemen but Iraq. al-Saghir has said: "There are those who say that Yamani's emergence has nothing to do with Yemen at all. And his army has nothing to do with Yemen at all. Rather, his army and this is what I say: His army, his personality and the map of his movements is all tied to the awaited Iraqi area."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mQURCcSyq8 | title=Sheikh Sagheer:Yamani is not from Yemen | via=[[YouTube]] | date=27 October 2014 }}</ref>

Ahmed al-Hasan has said: "First, it is necessary to know that Mecca is from Touhama and that Touhama is from Yemen. Sheikh AlMajlesy: He (Prophet (p)) said that because Imaan (faith) started from Mecca which is Touhama from the region of Yemen and so it was called: The Yamani Kaaba.<ref>Sheikh Ali AlNumazi v.10 p.602</ref><ref>Bihar Al-Anwar v.22 p.1</ref> Thus, Muhammed℗ and the Holy Family of the Muhammed℗ are all "Yamanis" (they are from Yemen). Muhammed℗ is "Yamani", Ali ℗ is "Yamani", Imam Al Mahdi ℗ is "Yamani", the twelve Mahdis are "Yamani", and First Mahdi is also "Yamani". The working jurists in the past knew that (May God's mercy be upon them). "Now there hath succeeded them a later generation whom have ruined worship and have followed lusts. But they will meet deception." (Maryam: 59). Also Al-Majlisi (may God's mercy be upon him) in the book of [[Bihar al-Anwar|Bihar Al-Anwar]], named the speech of the progeny of Muhammed℗ as the "Yamani wisdom."<ref>Bihar Al-Anwar volume 1 p. 1</ref> That was also reported by the messenger of God℗, as he named Abd Al-Mutalib℗ the sacred house the Yamani Ka’aba.<ref>Bihar Al-Anwar. Volumes. 22, 51, 75</ref> Concerning the Features defining Al Yamani's character, it was narrated by Al-Imam Al-Baqir℗ "There is no banner better than that of the banner of Yamani, it is the banner of guidance because he calls to your companion, so if the Yamani comes out, selling weapons to people or any Muslim becomes prohibited, and if the Yamani appears, stand up to him, because he’s banner is the banner of faith, and it is prohibited for any Muslim to turn away from him, and whoever turns away from him, then he’s from the people of hell because he calls to the truth and to the right path."<ref>Al-Ghaybah – Muhammed Ibn Ibrahim A’ Nomani p. 264</ref> In this account there is the following:- First: "and its prohibited for any Muslim to turn away from him, and whoever turns away from him, then he’s from the people of hell"... : and this means that Al Yamani has the role of a Divine vicegerent because no character can be a Hujjah (i.e. proof) upon people to a point that if they turn away from him they will enter hell, even if they pray, fast, unless they are the vicegerents of God on his earth and they are Prophets, messengers, Imams and Mahdis. Second: "because he calls to the truth and to the right path": And the call to the truth and the straight path means that this person never makes a mistake where it will make people enter into falsehood or takes them out of the path of truth. Therefore, this person is an infallible and his infallibility is mentioned in a text. And based on that meaning, this constraint or limitation to his character will be useful for us to determine the character of the Yamani. So if one makes his own assumption to the meaning of this narration "because he calls to the truth and to the right path", is rendering the words of the Imams ℗ useless since there will be no limits or restrictions to the character of the Yamani, and may [[God Forbid|God forbid]] people saying such a thing about our holy Imams℗. The result of what was discussed above (in the first and second part) is that Al Yamani is one of the proofs of God on His earth and he is infallible, his infallibility is mentioned in a text. And it has also been proven by many frequently narrated accounts and irrefutable texts that the proofs after the Prophet Muhammed℗ are the 12 Imams℗ and after them, there are 12 Mahdis and that there is no proof from God on this earth who is infallible other than them. And through them is the completion of favors and the perfection of religion and the heavenly messages are sealed. Additionally speaking, the 11 Imams ℗ have all been deceased and there only remains imam al Mahdi℗ and the 12 Mahdis℗. The Yamani calls to imam al Mahdi℗. Therefore, the Yamani must be the First of the Mahdis because the 11 Mahdis after him are from his progeny "They were descendants one after another. God is the Hearer and Knower." (34 Al-Imran) They also come after the period of the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi℗, indeed they arrive during the state of divine justice and what is known and is proven is that the first Mahdi will be during the time of imam al Mahdi and he is the first believer in imam al Mahdi℗ when he first emerges. His aim is to provide the necessities for the emergence of imam al Mahdi as it was narrated in the will of Prophet Muhammed℗. And from the characteristics of the Yamani become limited to the fact that the Yamani is the first Mahdi and he is from the 12 Mahdis..."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.saviorofmankind.com/yamani-evidence/ | title=Evidence of the Yamani }}</ref>

=== Battle of Najaf ===
Shortly after the January 2007 [[Battle of Najaf (2007)|Battle of Najaf]], conflicting reports and news coverage emerged as to who exactly was involved in the clashes. The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' and RFERL identified the leader of the Soldiers of Heaven group as [[Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim]], who was killed in the clashes.<ref name="7 la times">{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-31-fg-village31-story.html | title = Cult had dug in for huge battle |newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date = 31 January 2007 | access-date = 19 May 2012 | first1=Saad |last1=Fakhrildeen |first2=Borzou |last2=Daragahi}}</ref><ref name="rferl">{{Cite news |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1074465.html | title = Iraq: Al-Najaf Mystery Reflects Iraqi Divisions | date = 2 February 2007 | access-date = 21 May 2012 | work = RFERL free press}}</ref> However, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Iraqi officials at a press conference had named the group that was involved in the clashes as [[Soldiers of Heaven]] (''Jund al-Samaa’''), but offered several names for the group's leader, including Ahmad Ismail and Diyah Abdul Zahraa Khadom. The ''Times'' article also reported that Diyah Abdul Zahraa Khadom was the same person as Ahmed al-Hasan al-Yamani, and whose alleged role was deputy of the group, not the leader.<ref name="NY times">{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/01/world/middleeast/01iraq.html?_r=3 | title = Mystery Arises Over Identity of Militia Chief in Najaf Fight| date = 1 February 2007 | access-date = 19 May 2012 | first = Damien |last=Cave |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

Timothy Furnish of mahdiwatch.org wrote, "Security officials say that Ansar Ahmed [al-Hasan] al-Yamani and the Jund al-Samaa [Soldiers of Heaven] are one and the same, while National Security Minister Shirwan al-Waili denies any relation between the two [groups]."<ref name="Mahdiwatch 2/2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mahdiwatch.org/2008.02.01_arch.html#1201988991880 | title = Dr. Timothy Furnish reporting on Battle of Najaf | date = 2 February 2008 | access-date = 19 May 2012 | work = mahdiwatch.org | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414081649/http://www.mahdiwatch.org/2008.02.01_arch.html#1201988991880 | archive-date = 14 April 2012 | url-status = dead }}</ref>{{Unreliable fringe source|date=May 2015}}

Sheikh Saadiq al-Hasnawi, who is a teacher in the Scientific Hawza of Honorable Najaf says, "This movement (Soldiers of Heaven), we have never heard about it before, and we used to guess that the leader of it is Sayed Ahmad al-Yamani, and they told me about the book Qathi al-Sama which was spread around in multitudes and by anonymous people, and when I read the content of the book I was shocked in its strange ideas completely, over the method of Ahmad al-Hasan al-Yamani."<ref name="Akhbaar">{{Cite web |url=http://www.akhbaar.org/home/2007/02/24518.html | title = Sheikh al-Hasnawi on Soldiers of Heaven | date = 1 February 2007 | access-date = 10 January 2018 | work=akhbaar.org}}</ref>

Sayyed Hasan bin Muhammad Ali al-Hamami (son of the late Marja Sayed Muhammad Ali Musawi al-Hamami) states that Soldiers of Heaven was led by Dhiyaa' [Abdul-Zahra] Al-Qara'wi, who had rejected the 12 Imams of Shia Islam, had claimed to be the 12th Imam Mahdi himself, and had later died in the battle.<ref name="8 hamami">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfePFfJ0POA  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/MfePFfJ0POA |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live| title = Interview with the son of the late Marja Sayed Muhammad Ali Musawi Alhammamy |date=2 February 2012 | access-date = 19 May 2012 | publisher = Ansar Imam Mahdi |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Ahmed al-Hasan himself and representatives of his group Ansar of Imam al-Mahdi have denied any involvement in these clashes, and claim they have no links to the group Soldiers of Heaven.<ref name="historiae.org">{{Cite web | url = http://www.historiae.org/mahdism.asp | title = Analysis of what happened in the Battle of Najaf | date = 13 March 2008 | access-date = 30 July 2012 | publisher = Dr. Reidar Visser | archive-date = 31 January 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130131025212/http://www.historiae.org/mahdism.asp | url-status = dead }}</ref>
== Dar al-Zahra ==
{{Quote box
| quote = The goal of orphan care organizations is to sponsor as many orphans as possible. We hope to take care of hundreds of thousands of orphans in the future and provide for every orphan that makes their way  to these organizations...
| source = Ahmed al-Hasan<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/Ahmed.Alhasan.10313 |title= The post on July 28, 2016 |website= [[Facebook]] }}</ref>
| align = right
| width = 25em
}}
Ahmed al-Hasan established an orphanage called [[Dar al-Zahra]] to support thousands of orphans in Iraq. Ahmed al-Hasan said in regards to Dar al-Zahra: "Through our continuous interaction with thousands of orphans, a significant portion of whom have been left parentless due to the government's failure in effectively managing the country, we witness the dire circumstances faced by these orphans and impoverished individuals. Many of them struggle to fulfill even their most fundamental of life's necessities…"<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Ahmed.Alhasan.10313 The post on June 22, 2016]</ref>

== Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light ==
The [[Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light]] considers al-Hasan to be the prophesied ''[[Yamani (Shiism)|Yamani]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light – WRSP |url=https://wrldrels.org/2024/06/23/ahmadi-religion-of-peace-and-light/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |language=en}}</ref> and the first of twelve Mahdis appointed in the will of the [[Islamic prophet|prophet]] [[Muhammad]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Introvigne |first=Massimo |date=2024-04-05 |title=The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. 2. From Ahmed al-Hassan to Abdullah Hashem |url=https://bitterwinter.org/the-ahmadi-religion-of-peace-and-light-2-from-ahmed-al-hassan-to-abdullah-hashem/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |language=en-US}}</ref> A group known as the "White Banners" or "Office of Najaf" emerged, sharing messages attributed to him that some followers rejected as inauthentic. This led to a division, with Egyptian-American disciple [[Abdullah Hashem]] spearheading a "Black Banners" faction based in the [[United Kingdom]] that accused the White Banners of fabricating messages under [[Iraqi government]] influence. The White Banners proceeded to excommunicate Abdullah Hashem in 2015 and again in 2023. While both groups venerate al-Hasan, they interpret his role differently. The AROPL has the largest international following, while the White Banners remains primarily an Iraqi-based faction.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Introvigne |first1=Massimo |last2=Kotkowska |first2=Karolina Maria |date=2024-05-10 |title=The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light: An Introduction |url=https://cesnur.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/tjoc_8_3_2_introvigne.pdf |journal=The Journal of CESNUR |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=33–51 |doi=10.26338/tjoc.2024.8.3.2 |issn=2532-2990}}</ref>

In 2015, Abdullah Hashem announced that he was the [[Qa'im Al Muhammad|''Qāʾim Āl-Muḥammad'']], succeeding Ahmed al-Hasan.<ref name="Ahmadi2">{{cite web |last=Introvigne |first=Massimo |date=2024-04-05 |title=The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. 2. From Ahmed al-Hassan to Abdullah Hashem |url=https://bitterwinter.org/the-ahmadi-religion-of-peace-and-light-2-from-ahmed-al-hassan-to-abdullah-hashem/ |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=Bitter Winter}}</ref> He and his followers linked the death of [[King of Saudi Arabia|King]] [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia]] to a widely circulated Shīa prophecy predicting the emergence of [[Mahdi|Imam al-Mahdī]] after the death of a King of [[Hejaz]] named "Abdullah".<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-23 |title=Hadith about the death of Abdullah of Hijaz and the reappearance of Imam Mahdi, are they authentic? • Ask the Sheikh |url=https://www.askthesheikh.com/hadith-about-the-death-of-abdullah-of-hijaz-and-the-reappearance-of-imam-mahdi-are-they-authentic/ |access-date=2025-01-30 |language=en-US}}</ref> They further interpreted [[Fahd of Saudi Arabia|King Fahd]]'s name and eye condition as aligning with these prophetic descriptions. Hashem, who was aged 32 in 2015 and of Egyptian descent, also connected his identity to prophecies about the Mahdi emerging from [[Egypt]]. The AROPL believes that the [[ancient Egyptian religion]] was originally aligned with [[Tawhid|Islamic monotheism]]. Citing Muhammad's "will", which allegedly mentions figures named Ahmed and Abdullah, AROPL asserts this refers to both Ahmed al-Hasan and Abdullah Hashem. The group claims al-Hasan personally identified Hashem as the ''Qāʾim'' of the [[Ahl al-Bayt|family of Muhammad]], meeting three prophesied criteria: being named in the last will, possessing exceptional knowledge, and advocating for [[God in Islam|God]]'s supremacy over human rule. These same criteria, they argue, validated al-Hasan's role as the prophesied ''Yamani''.<ref name=":0" />

== See also ==

* [[Abdullah Hashem]]
* [[List of Mahdi claimants]]

== References ==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}


===Bibliography===
*{{cite book |last = Filiu |first = Jean-Pierre |translator-last = DeBevoise |translator-first = M. B. |title = Apocalypse in Islam |url = https://archive.org/details/apocalypseinisla0852fili_W3CSK |year = 2011 |publisher = University of California Press |location = Berkeley |isbn = 978-0-520-26431-1 |ref=JPFAiI2011}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hassan, Ahmad}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Founders of new religious movements]]
[[Category:Iraqi Shia Muslims]]
[[Category:University of Basrah alumni]]
[[Category:Muslim critics of atheism]]
[[Category:Mahdism]]
[[Category:Islamic new religious movements]]

== External links ==
* [https://www.saviorofmankind.com/official-media-channels-and-representation-policy/ Official media channels & representation policy]