Shaykh Ahmad

Sheikh Ahmad al - Ahsa'i (Arabic شيخ أحمد بن زين الدين بن إبراهيم الأحسائي Sheikh Ahmad ibn Zayn al - Dīn ibn Ibrāhīm al - Ahsā'ī, * 1753 in al - Hasa, Ottoman Empire, † 1826) was the founder the Schaichismus, a Shiite movement in the Ottoman Empire and Persia. He studied in Bahrain and the theological centers of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq. In the last twenty years of his life he was supported by the prince of the Persian Qajar dynasty.

Life

About the early years and origin al - Ahsa'is is only known that he came from a background with Shiite Sunni family, which lived in the northern Arab region al - Hasa.

Al- Ahsa'is began at the age of about 40 years studying in the religious centers of Najaf and Karbala, reached there sufficient recognition and was appointed mujtahid, an interpreter of Islamic law. In discussions with Sufis and Neoplatonic scholars he was able to hold and so learned its recognition. He explained that these were all sciences within the framework of the Qur'an, and that the Quran contains all the knowledge of mankind. To this end, he developed a system for the interpretation of the Koran and tried to gather information to then-current scientific topics of the Muslim world. His views were by some clerics, with whom he debated before his trip to Yazd, appreciated. During his stay in Yazd, he wrote most of his books and letters.

As his successor he appointed Sayyid Kazim Raschti, who led the Schaichismus until shortly before his death. This taught his followers how they should recognize the coming of the Mahdi. After his death in 1843, many of his followers went in search of the Mahdi in Africa, Asia and Europe.