Ahmad al-Hassan

The Yamani is one of the major signs that is awaited by Shi'a Muslims before the appearance of the 12th Imam Mahdi. The Shia clerics that are informed about Ahmad al-Hassan's call have largely condemned him, and issued corresponding fatwas classifying Ahmad al-Hassan as an impostor, a fabricator, a deceiver, an innovator, and a liar. According to Iraqi Basra police, investigations conducted revealed that his ancestry does not go back to the prophet. Shi'a Muslim scholars such as Sheikh Ali al-Korani and Jalal al-Din Ali al-Saghir have expressed their negative views of al-Hassan's claims in numerous TV broadcasts. He has been accused by his opponents of plotting to assassinate Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

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.

Shortly after the January 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 Dhiyaa' Abdul Zahra, who was killed in the clashes. 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 Ahmad Hassan al-Yamani, and whose alleged role was deputy of the group, not the leader.

Ahmad al-Hassan started his religious call privately, only first announcing it publicly in 2002, during the last months of Saddam’s rule, after his attempted Hawza reformations. Middle East Research and Information Project has reported that "the majority of his public affrays—they often take the form of theological duels known as munazarat—have been with Sadrist followers." He uses the Star of David as his logo.

Al-Hassan studied civil engineering at the University of Basra, where he graduated in 1992. After having a vision during which the Imam Mahdi, a messianic figure, told him to enroll in the Hawza Ilmiya (religious institute) of Sayyed Muhammad al-Sadr in Najaf, Iraq, al-Hassan started claiming to be the messenger of the Imam Mahdi. He isolated himself at home to learn the sciences of the Hawza with an attempt of reforming it, as he claims it to be disordered. He later formed a group called the Ansar.

Ahmad al-Hassan, full name Ahmad bin Ismail bin Saleh bin Hussain bin Salman (Arabic: احمد بن اسماعيل بن صالح بن الحسين بن سلمان ‎) (born 1968) is the leader of the Shia Iraqi movement Ansar of Imam al-Mahdi who claims to be the savior of mankind. His followers believe him to be al-Yamani, the eschatological leader from Yemen who will precede the return of the Imam, although this is not a mainstream belief in Shia Islam. He has written some books, and answers questions posed to him by his followers on his website.