He was a Chief Justice (Qāđi), scholar, verifier/editor (muhaqqiq), and a well-known ascetic. He studied under some of the most well-known imams and scholars of his time; one of whom was Imam Nāšir ‗Abdullah bin al-Hasan, upon him be peace. He accompanied the imam to Yemen in the year 1257 A.H. He remained with the imam until the latter was killed.
After which, he emigrated to Sa‘dah, the then seat of Zaydi knowledge. It is there that he met Imam Ahmed bin Hāshim. He served as a judge for the imam and called others to pledge allegiance to him. He served a series of other imams after that but it was under the imamate of Imam Ahmed bin Hāshim that Qāđi Ahmed authored the present book.
He served as the Chief Justice of Sana‘a and remained there until he died. He passed away in a small village of Sana‘a called Jadr in the year 1282 A.H. His untiring devotion to the Household of the Prophet earned him the nickname ―Supporter of the Purified Imams‖ (Našīr al-A`immati al-Aťhār).
He authored three books:
1. Al-Mukhtaŝar al-Mufīd fī mā Lā Yajūz al-Ikhlāl Bihi li Kulli Mukallaf min al-A’bīd (Tr. ―The Beneficial Summary Regarding What is Impermissible for the Responsible Slaves to Neglect‖)
2. Sulāfa al-Muā’šir fī Nubdha min Sīrat al-Imam Nāšir ‘Abdullah bin al-Hasan bin Ahmed bin Mahdi (Tr. ―The Contemporary‘s Wine concerning the Overview of the Biography of Imam Nāšir ‗Abdullah bin al-Hasan...‖)
3. Ar-Risālat al-Gharā` (Tr. ―The Beautiful Letter‖)