[2] The need for the epistle arose because of religious persecution and heresy in the 12th century Yemen, marked by a messiah claimant who had arisen there.
Haggai Mazuz believes this unnamed claimant was al-Samawal al-Maghribi, author of the Confutation of the Jews (Arabic: افحام اليهود, romanized: Ifḥām al-Yahūd).
[3] One of the leaders of the Jewish community in Yemen, Jacob ben Nathanael, the son of the illustrious Natan'el al-Fayyumi, had addressed his concerns in a letter which he had sent to Maimonides, who was in Egypt.
Jacob had conjectured that perhaps the influences of the stars were responsible for these occurrences, to which conjectures Maimonides replied that Jacob ought to expunge from his heart the vain concept of being able to determine the influences of the constellations, yet counselled him and the Jewish people of Yemen on how they were to act concerning the messiah claimant to be saved from his harmful effects.
The persecution[5] and increasing apostasy led Jacob ben Nathanael to write for counsel to Maimonides.
For, verily, from the root of truth and righteousness has blossomed a faithful offshoot, and from the wellspring of loving kindness, a large ravine has stretched itself out in the land of Yemen, to water therewith all gardens, [and] to cause the flowering of [all] buds.
It conducts itself in a slow pace, for all who are exhausted and thirsty in the wilderness, and by it have the wayfarers and isles of the sea supplied their want until, at length, they were completely made satisfied thereby!
It bore witness before us concerning you, that you are of the servants of the Lord who dwell in His quarter, who are encamped beside His banner, and who are of those who pursue [diligently] the [divine] Law, and those who love its commissions, [even] those who attend fervently at its doors[.