The Houthis: Their Origins and Ideology الحوثيون .. نشأتهم وعقيدتهم

Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah's peace, blessings, and praise be upon His servant and messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, his companions, and his followers in righteousness. To proceed: I ask Allah, the Almighty, Lord of the Generous Throne, to grant success to me and to you, O virtuous listeners, in attaining beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds, and sincerity in speech and action, just as I ask Him, the Exalted and Glorious, to spare us tribulations, both apparent and hidden. Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, sent His Messenger Muhammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it prevail over all religions. So he—peace and blessings be upon him—conveyed the Message, fulfilled the trust, advised the nation, and strove in the cause of Allah as He deserves, until certainty (death) came to him. Then, the banner was carried after him by his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and they conveyed the religion of Allah in its pure form, just as they received it from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. Then, the Successors took up this sublime duty, and they carried it out in the proper manner, and likewise the third generation, who were the followers of the Successors, and so on and so forth. However, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, willed and decreed by His universal decree and profound wisdom that there should occur in this nation what has occurred: disagreement, division, and the introduction of innovations and newly invented matters into the religion. This matter was early, occurring towards the end of the companions' era, when there appeared some deviation from the straight path, then the matter increased after them, then it aggravated further after that, until there was fulfilled the statement of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, concerning this nation: "It will divide into seventy-three sects." This division, there is no doubt that it is a blameworthy division; because the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, threatened these sects with the Fire, except for one sect, for he said: "All of them are in the Fire except one." They asked, "And which one is it, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "The Jama'ah," meaning: the one united upon the truth, upon the Book and the Sunnah. And in another narration, he said: "Those who adhere to what I and my companions are upon today." And among the afflictions and ordeals by which the nation has been tested in this present era, is the tribulation of the Houthis. They are an affliction with which the nation has been tested in this Ummah, in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, and the dust of their sedition reached far beyond their own area and homeland. And I wish, during these few minutes, And in this fine session, which I ask Him, the Exalted, to place in the scale of good deeds of both the speaker and the listener. We want to get acquainted with this movement and with this trend, because knowing falsehood is of paramount importance. He, Exalted and Glorified is He, said: "And that the way of the criminals may become evident." Therefore, it is necessary to know the truth in detail and to follow it. And it is also necessary to know falsehood in detail and to avoid it. Both things are necessary together: that you know the truth and that you know falsehood. And whoever does not know evil, whoever does not know falsehood, how quickly they fall into it! I can summarize the contemporary Houthi movement, and we are speaking in the early part of the year 1436, while the region is undergoing rapid changes, such that the power of this group has reached a point where it has taken control of Yemen's vital sectors and seized large parts of it, we are therefore talking about a real issue that has an impact on reality, and its influence is also feared on our country, the land of the Two Holy Mosques. I say: this movement is a Jarudi Zaydi movement that originated in Saada in northern Yemen at the hands of a Zaydi scholar named Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and also at the hands of his sons, especially his son Hussein, and his brothers after him. This movement intended to replicate the Iranian Khomeini revolution under the banner of reviving and protecting the Zaydi doctrine. The movement arose roughly in the year 1982 CE. And excuse me, for the dates I mention are Gregorian, even if this is contrary to what is preferable, but this is because it is what was recorded in the sources I referred to.

And what I mention is only an extract from reliable sources related to in-depth studies about this movement. In the year 1982, this movement roughly arose in the wake of the Iranian Revolution, and Iran was undoubtedly its financial, political, cultural, and media supporter since its inception until today. Over time, this movement combined the intellectual, creedal, and organizational dimensions, along with material support, political alliance, and the environment... the suitable geography, and the multiple media platforms, in addition to the force of arms, until we came to see it as we see it today. The nucleus from which this movement emerged into the arena and into public view was a political party that was founded after Yemeni unification. After the door was opened for political parties, a party was established there called Hizb al-Haqq. Badr al-Din, whom we spoke about earlier, was its vice president.

From this party emerged an organizational arm that nurtured youth, called the Believing Youth Forum. It evolved until its name became the Believing Youth Organization, then the matter crystallized until the party became—I mean, this organization evolved until it became the Ansar Allah party, along the lines of Hezbollah in Lebanon. The leaders of this thought: The head of this organization and its spiritual father, Badr al-Din al-Houthi, died in the year 2010.

And this man was an ambitious man who claimed the Imamate, but his efforts in that regard failed, and his call on his own behalf found no acceptance. And an issue arose following the unification between him and the government, so he traveled to Iran, where he lived for a period and was nourished there on the Rafidi ideology, becoming imbued with it.

Then, after that, he returned to Yemen following mediation that took place between him and the government, so he returned to Yemen as a result, and began to spread his ideas in earnest. The most important man in the organization after this man was his son, Hussein al-Houthi, Hussein ibn Badr al-Din al-Houthi. This man died in the year 2004, and he was, in fact, the leader of the movement, its ideologue, and its most prominent influencer. And his speeches, his lectures, which were later compiled in treatises that exceeded one hundred, are, in fact, the constitution of this movement. Whoever wants to know the fundamentals of this movement and its intellectual depth, must look to the writings of this man. Regarding this man, his group holds great extremism. Rather, as his words in these treatises suggest, he viewed himself as the Awaited Mahdi who would deliver this world from injustice. And his group believed this about him. So much so that after he died in the year 2004, many of his followers believed that he would return. These people believe in the doctrine of Raj'a (the return); meaning, if a person dies, there is a return for him, for the righteous Imams. They believe... that he has a return, or many of them believe that he has a return after his death, to this world to complete the course of leading the group.

Among those who were also influential in the group was his brother, Muhammad, and he is considered the most prominent man scholarly after Badr al-Din. Also among the group's leaders, the fourth leadership, is Yahya ibn Badr al-Din al-Houthi. And this man is the external political representative and defender of the movement in international forums.

Finally, Abdul-Malik ibn Badr al-Din, who is the current leader of the group; nothing distinguishes him except intelligence and an ability for public speaking. were able to The proponents of this ideology polarize youth, their call was focused, in particular, on the youth. They were able to attract the youth through what they called: "The Believing Youth Forum," which evolved until it became "The Organization of the Believing Youth" . It was merely a peaceful, educational, and pedagogical movement that gathered in camps, gathered in training courses, but through these camps and through these youth gatherings, Hussein was able to propagate his ideas among these youth and to attract them to the ideology that he believes in. However, matters evolved until these camps became training military and political institutions.

This was roughly from the year nineteen ninety- nine. keen This man, Hussein, was on attracting the youth by stirring them up against the state, and through complaining about the poor services provided in their region, Saada, through the government's poor performance in development, and through calling for the necessity of accountability against administrative corruption. And as I mentioned, the summer centers and training courses were the outlet through which he was able to instill into the hearts of the youth this ideology. Accompanying that, this man raised the slogan of loving the Prophet's family, then the matter escalated to the degree of extremism and sanctification, then they escalated to defaming the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, claiming that they - according to his claim - usurped the right of the Prophet's family, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, their right, and coveted that which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, had bestowed upon them, until the matter reached insulting, cursing, and even declaring them to be disbelievers, may Allah be pleased with them. The man was intelligent; he was also able to attract the youth through raising the issues that concern the nation and its wounds, upon which all people agree; so he raised the banner of sympathy for the Palestinian cause, and criticizing America and the Jews, so that he would take on the mantle of defending the nation and being keen on its interests, and for that reason he raised a slogan that became favored by him, and became an appealing means to attract people to them. This slogan they write and constantly chant: "God is the greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse upon the Jews, Victory to Islam."

This slogan is an inciting, attractive slogan, nothing more, nothing less. Neither Hussein nor anyone else had any impact against the Jews or against America. Rather, the whole issue is incitement against Ahl al-Sunnah, because, as he claimed, they are agents of America and the Jews. The emotional charge that this man employed to defame Ahl al-Sunnah and gloss over his sect is an immense matter. And whoever followed his belief, their rage against Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah and against the rulers—especially in our country—has reached an immense level. And the reality is that the goal and purpose he pursues is merely this: to establish a microstate from Saada to the port of Midi on the sea border, so that this state would be a dagger in the side of the land of Tawhid, and the launching pad for the Rafidi prophecies to liberate the Two Holy Mosques. This is the ultimate goal that this movement strives for.

This man exploited Shia occasions to propagate his ideology and to rally and mobilize people, such as the holidays of what they call: Karbala, Ghadir, the assassination of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Ashura, al-Isra and al-Mi'raj, and so forth. Also among the methods he adopted: educational missions and military training missions. He would send his followers to Iran, to Iraq, to Syria, to Lebanon, to acquire the Rafidi belief and also for military training. The Houthis and their leaders—especially this man, Hussein—have a distinctive style indeed in mocking Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, alienating others from them, and labeling them with the stigma of being Wahhabis who hate the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), or anthropomorphists who liken our Lord, the Exalted and Majestic, to creation, and claiming that they hate the family of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and so on. Now we come, my brothers, to the creed of this sect: what is the creed of the Houthis? The Houthis are originally Zaidiyyah, and the Zaidiyyah, as al-Isfarayini mentioned in "Al-Tabsir fi al-Din", split into three groups, and all other sub-sects trace back to these three main groups: the Sulaymaniyyah, the Batriyyah or al-Abtariyyah, and likewise the Jarudiyyah. The Houthis belong to these Jarudiyyah.

The Jarudiyyah are followers of a man named Abu al-Jarud, who is Ziyad ibn al-Mundhir al-Hamdani; he died around 150 and... 260 AH. The Zaydi sect is almost confined to the Jarudi sect in the later centuries. Of course, these are the extremists of the Zaydiyyah, and the distance is very short between them and the Rafidi Twelver Imamiyyah, as will be discussed later, God willing. The creed of these Houthis: First: In terms of divinity (Uluhiyyah):

The people are grave-worshippers, venerators of graves, given to seeking deliverance and polytheistic blessing-seeking. The letters of their supreme authority, Badr al-Din, overflow with this, especially in a book of his entitled "Al-Ijaz fi al-Radd 'ala Fatawa al-Hijaz". There is no doubt, dear ones, that the Tawheed of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is the most important of matters and the foremost of priorities, and the most prominent subject in the Sharia of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was only sent by Allah so that worship would be for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, alone. This is the essence of Islam; this is the essence of "There is no deity except Allah." "So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold."

Yet these people brought the opposite of this, with deep regret. They were among the people of graves, venerating them, who associated their occupants as partners with Allah, Blessed and Exalted. This is the reality of polytheism; this is the reality of the religion of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab, which is nothing but attachment to other than Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. However, the matter shifted from attachment to idols to attachment to the dead. In their origin, idols were only made and fashioned for the sake of the dead; thus, the origin of polytheism is attachment to the dead. And this is the reality of polytheism.

He, the Exalted and Glorious, said: "If you call upon them, they do not hear your call; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will deny your association." Therefore, attachment to the dead and invoking them alongside Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, is polytheism with Allah, Glory be to Him and Exalted is He. Regarding the attributes of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: The people are Jahmis, deniers of the attributes, following the methodology of the Mu'tazilah. They accuse Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah—who affirmed for Allah His attributes to which the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, point— they call them anthropomorphists (Mushabbihah), and they call them corporealists (Mujassimah). And the writings of Hussein that I mentioned to you are the greatest witness to this matter.

There is no doubt that what is obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman is to believe in the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, informed us that He has glorious, sublime attributes, and so did His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him; and he is the most knowledgeable of Allah, the most fearful of Allah, the most eloquent of creation, and the keenest of people for the guidance of creation. So there is no doubt that what he informed us of, peace and blessings be upon him, is truth, and what the texts indicate, taken at their face value, is established for Allah, Blessed and Exalted, in a manner befitting Him, the Exalted and Glorious. For Ahl al-Sunnah, the people of truth, believe in what is established for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, of His attributes: such as transcendence, rising over the Throne, descending, the Face, the two Hands, love, anger, and so forth, in a manner befitting Him, Glory be to Him and Exalted is He, in accordance with His saying, Exalted and Glorious: "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing." The third matter: The Houthis believe in the imamate, and the imamate is their most prominent issue and their most important issue in religion by far. The most important issue for them is the issue of the imamate. The imamate, according to their doctrine, belongs to Ali, may God be pleased with him, after the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him; for they used to believe that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, issued an explicit text stating that the caliph after him was Ali, may God be pleased with him. Consequently, the succession of the three before him, who were: Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, may God be pleased with them, is invalid. Then, the caliphate after Ali, may God be pleased with him, is restricted to the two lines: in al-Hasan, and in al-Husayn, and in their offspring. The fourth matter: They believe in Ali, may God be pleased with him, and in the imams of Ahl al-Bayt, infallibility. According to them, Ali, may God be pleased with him, and the imams of Ahl al-Bayt were infallible. And they harp, they always harp on the two concepts of divine selection and the salvation expected, as they claim, by the alleged Mahdi.

Thus, the authority of the Prophet's household, according to them, is a mandate from God, the Exalted and Majestic; meaning that God has chosen them for sovereignty, leadership, and religious authority, to the extent that they compare the Prophet's household to the prophets of the Children of Israel among the Children of Israel. And there is no doubt that this is contrary to the true belief indicated by the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. In al-Bukhari and elsewhere, Ali, may God be pleased with him, was asked: "Did the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, single you out for anything?"

So he, may God be pleased with him, said, "No, except for what is in this scroll." And he took out a scroll that was in the scabbard of his sword, containing some jurisprudential rulings written from the words of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning blood money, zakat, and other matters. Thus, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not single out Ali, may God be pleased with him, nor the household of the Prophet, with anything to the exclusion of the Ummah, in terms of rulings, or in terms of a specific characteristic that God, Blessed and Exalted, placed in them. Yes, that which the family of the Prophet's household, peace and blessings be upon him, was specifically granted is a specific matter related to loving them, and respecting them, and observing the counsel of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, concerning them. As for before God, Blessed and Exalted, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "O Fatima, daughter of Muhammad," she is the closest of people to the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him; she is a part of him, a piece of him, peace and blessings be upon him, yet he still says: "O Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, buy your soul; I can avail you nothing against God." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, says: "Whoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage." The bond that connects a person to God, Blessed and Exalted, is not the bond of lineage, even if it were the noblest of lineages, even if one were from the lineage of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The bond that connects you to God, Blessed and Exalted, is only faith and righteous deeds. We come to the stance of these people toward the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Houthis believe, as do their brothers among the Rafidah, in hating the Companions, may God be pleased with them, and cursing them, and slandering them, even declaring them disbelievers. Regarding this, their imam, Badr al-Din al-Houthi, says in a press interview conducted with him, saying: "As for myself, I believe in declaring them disbelievers;" meaning the Companions; "because they opposed the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him."

Look with utter... With all insolence and utmost candor, he announces his excommunication of the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. This is their leader, the real one, Hussein Al-Houthi. Whoever looks into his words and memoirs will find that there is no offensive word except that he has attached it to the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Among his statements—and what wretched statements they are—he says: "Every injustice that befell the nation, and every suffering that the nation has experienced, the ones responsible for it are Abu Bakr, Omar, and Othman, Omar in particular, no one on the face of the Earth hates anyone as much as they hate Omar, may Allah be pleased with him." He says, "Omar in particular, because he is the mastermind behind the whole operation." And who are the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, O brothers? Are they not the ones about whom Allah said: {And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment}? Are they not the ones about whom the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, spoke? And look at this commendation, for what commendation could be greater than it! Are they not the ones about whom he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The best of people are my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them"?

Indeed, whoever examines the biography of the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them, with knowledge and insight, and recognizes the virtues that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, bestowed upon them, will know with certainty that they are the best of creation after the prophets, so there never was, nor will there ever be, anyone like them. As for the Houthis' stance on the Holy Quran, they believe in the creation of the Quran. The creation of the Quran is a doctrine that the righteous predecessors unanimously agreed is a doctrine of disbelief. To them, the Quran is created, just like trees, stones, and mountains; it is not the speech of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He.

And in this, they follow the approach of their predecessors among the Jahmiyyah and the Mu'tazilah. Indeed, they cast doubt on its compilation, and they hint at the possibility of its alteration, alleging tampering by the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, just as their Sheikh and Imam, Hussein Al-Houthi, hinted at this. They also interpret the Quran according to their whims; since it is, in their claim, an exclusive right of the Ahl al-Bayt, who receive their knowledge directly from Allah. Whoever looks into his memoirs and lectures will find that he tampers with the Book of Allah in an astonishing way, casting aside, casting aside the sayings of the leading scholars of exegesis, and coming up with strange and bizarre notions that no one has uttered except him; because, in his claim, he receives this knowledge directly from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. As for the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, they have also attacked it, by attacking its sources. What is the most important source of the Hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, among Muslims, O brothers? The most important book or the most important books that compiled for us the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, what are they? Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, to the Houthis, are two fabricated sources, which are impugned. Their Sheikh Badr al-Din, and their Imam Badr al-Din explicitly stated in a book of his titled "Tahrir al-Afkar" that... their consensus, meaning the Zaidis and the Imamis, on not accepting the narrations of the two, meaning the two Sahihs. Rather, the Houthi movement has come under the banner of the Rafida, and one of the arms of the Safavid expansion in the Arabian Peninsula.

Therefore, their discourses and speeches, especially Hussein's, were teeming with praise for Iran, Khomeini, his revolution, Hezbollah, and other such Rafidi currents. Badr al-Din, their leader, addressed one of the leading figures of the Rafida in Iran, saying to him, and he is an authority named al-Shirazi, he once sent to him, he sent him in one of his letters, saying: "We in Yemen view these observations as an insurmountable obstacle to the success of the movement in Yemen, which is guided by the methodology of the Imam of the Ummah and leader of the Islamic revolution, the leading Imam and mentor, Sayyid Ruhollah Ayatollah Khomeini, may Allah sanctify his secret and make us among his servants from this day until the Day of Judgment," until he said: "Because of our awareness of your efforts to strengthen the Shiite house, and restore the rule of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, to governing Yemen." Therefore, we are not surprised by the well-known Iranian Rafidi authority, Ali al-Kourani, when he made an intervention on the Al-Mustakillah channel, in which he stated clearly: "Sunnis are not our brothers, and the Houthis are part of the avenues for our expansion." This is, in fact, a statement that summarizes a lot of talk, or summarizes many words indeed, regarding understanding the nature of the relationship between the Houthis and the Rafida in Iran: "Sunnis are not our brothers, and the Houthis are part of the avenues for our expansion." The relationship between, or the aspects of the relationship and mutual influence between the two doctrines—the Rafidi doctrine and the Houthi doctrine— are summarized in the following: First, both groups are deviant regarding the Tawhid (monotheism) of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Both are grave-worshippers, as you know. Second, their belief regarding the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as both groups, as you have known, declare the Companions to be disbelievers.

Also, among the aspects of convergence between the two sects is advocating temporary marriage (Mut'ah). Mut'ah is one of the fundamentals of the Rafidi religion, as you know, and it was something unknown, rather detested and loathed among the Zaydis, but the Hou- but the Houthis, in recent times, have introduced it into their thoughts and views, out of an excessive desire for alignment with the Rafida. Also among the aspects of convergence between both groups is their belief in an awaited Mahdi, as is well known of both groups. A sixth matter: their stance on the Quran and the Sunnah, in terms of compilation and interpretation.

The seventh matter: both groups' belief in the Guardianship of the Jurist (Wilayat al-Faqih), meaning the jurist acts as a deputy for the infallible Imam in his authorities. The eighth matter: the Houthis being influenced by Khomeini, his slogan, and his revolution. The ninth matter: reviving celebrations and religious occasions, as we mentioned earlier, such as Ashura, Ghadir—which is on the eighteenth of Dhu al-Hijjah—and the Prophet's Birthday. the martyrdom of Ali, and the Night Journey and Ascension, have become seasons for incitement, mobilization, instilling enthusiasm for their doctrine, and spreading hatred against Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah and their prominent figures. And what shows you the level of their mentality is that on the day of al-Ghadir, they gather in massive marches until they reach a mountain on the outskirts of Saada called Mount Al-Makhrouq. And they say: "This mountain is Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him," then they shower it with a heavy barrage of bullets.

Venting their hatred, or acting as though they are taking revenge on Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, in the form of what? This mountain. This is an example that shows you the level of mentality that these people have reached. And whoever Allah leaves to stray, there is no guide for him, and whoever Allah wills to test, you will never possess anything for him against Allah. I ask Allah the Almighty to protect me and you from misleading trials, and to spare us the evil of these people, and to spare us the evil of every evil-doer; indeed, our Lord is the Hearer of supplication. And may Allah send blessings, peace, and grace upon His servant and messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, his companions, and his followers in righteousness.