SHI'I, ABU 'ABD ALLAH ASH-

born , San'a', Yemen died AD 911 Isma'ili propagandist and commander, architect of the Fatimid Muslim ascendancy in North Africa. Ash-Shi'i appeared among the Kutama, a Berber tribe of North Africa, at the end of the 9th century, proclaiming himself a precursor of the mahdi (messianic deliverer) and urging the people to revolt. He had met the Berbers at an earlier time during a pilgrimage to Mecca. After several years of preparation, the Berbers, under ash-Shi'i's leadership, captured portions of present-day Tunisia and eastern Algeria from the Aghlabids (nominal vassals of the Baghdad caliphs) and entered al-Qayrawan, the Aghlabids' capital, in March 909. When news of ash-Shi'i's success reached 'Ubayd 'Allah al-Mahdi, the leader of the Isma'ilis, at his headquarters at Salamiyya, 'Ubayd disguised himself as a merchant and traveled toward northwest Africa. He was captured and jailed by the Khariji emir of Sijilmassa but was then rescued by ash-Shi'i in August 909. In January of the following year, 'Ubayd made a triumphal entry into Qayrawan, proclaiming himself caliph. This marked the beginning of Fatimid power in North Africa. Ash-Shi'i was executed soon after on the orders of the caliph for plotting against him.