Person

Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah

proclaimed caliph 909 · 10th century

Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah was the founder of the Fatimid Caliphate, proclaimed caliph in 909 in Ifriqiya. An Ismaili imam who claimed descent from Fatima, the Prophet's daughter, he came to power after the missionary campaign of Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i among the Kutama Berbers overthrew the Aghlabid rulers. His proclamation established a Shia caliphate in direct rivalry with the Abbasids.

Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah
Image: PHGCOM · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 profile

Fatimid CaliphateFoundation

Mentioned in 1 state history

Midrarid emirate

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abdallah-al-mahdi-billah
MLA
“Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abdallah-al-mahdi-billah. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abdallah-al-mahdi-billah.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abdallah-al-mahdi-billah (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻