Abu'l-Fadl al-Isfahani

Abu'l-Fadl al-Isfahani, also known as the Isfahani Mahdi, was a young Persian man who in 931 CE was declared to be "God incarnate" by the Qarmatian leader of Bahrayn, Abu Tahir al-Jannabi. This new apocalyptic leader, however, caused great disruption by rejecting traditional aspects of Islam, and promoting ties to Zoroastrianism.^[1]

Abu Tahir thought that he had identified the Mahdi as a young Persian prisoner from Isfahan by the name of Abu'l-Fadl al-Isfahani, who claimed to be a descendant of the Sassanid Persian kings.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Al-Isfahani had been brought back to Bahrayn from the Qarmatians' raid into Iraq in 928.^[6] In 931, Abu Tahir turned over the state to this Mahdi-Caliph, said in fact to be a Zoroastrian revivalist with anti-Arab sentiments. He reinstituted the veneration of fire and engaged in burning of religious books during an eighty-day rule. Isfahani also is thought to have some links with established Zoroastrian orthodoxy as the high priest of the Zoroastrians. Esfandiar Adarbad^{[clarification needed]} was executed by the Abbasid Caliph after being accused of complicity with Abu Tahir.^[7] His reign culminated in the execution of members of Bahrayn's notable families, including members of Abu Tahir's family.^[8] Abu Tahir's mother conspired to get rid of Abu'l-Fadl; she faked her death and sent a messenger to call the Mahdi to resurrect her. When he refused, he was exposed as being a normal human, and Abu Tahir's brother Sa'id killed Abu'l-Fadl after the Mahdi had reigned for only eighty days.^[9] Other accounts say fearing for his own life, Abu Tahir announced that he had been wrong and denounced the al-Isfahani as a false Mahdi.^[10] Begging forgiveness from the other notables, Abu Tahir had him executed. According to another account, al-Isfahani's attempt to institute Zoroastrian worship led Abu Tahir to have him murdered less than three months after proclaiming him the Mahdi.^[11]