Interview Analysis of Houthi Leader's Views

Recently, an interview with Muhammad Abd al-Azim

al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi family who considers

himself most entitled to the imamate and leadership, sparked widespread controversy on

social media platforms.

The interview, conducted with an Iranian institution,

addressed many sensitive and controversial issues,

such as his stance on the republican system, the September

26 Revolution, rule by non-Hashemites,

and his positions on prominent religious figures

such as al-Shawkani and al-Amrani.

In this video, we review the key views he

put forward in response to the interview questions.

How does al-Houthi view the republic and the September 26 Revolution?

من سبتمبر؟

It followed the revolutionaries, and the revolutionaries were Nasibis

with the utmost hatred for the Sayyids.

Does al-Houthi accept a non-Hashemite Yemeni

assuming the reins of power in Yemen?

Rule belongs to God, the Most High, the Great. He chooses whomever He wills.

Rule belongs to God, His Messenger, and the Messenger’s household until the Day of Judgment.

The ruler must be

from the descendants of Fatima,

from the descendants of Ali and Fatima.

Rule belongs to God, His Messenger, and the Prophet's family. No one else has any share in it.

What about the legitimacy of someone outside the Prophet's family ruling, even

if he were Shiite?

If he is not.

His rule is legitimate.

No, it is not legitimate.

It is only in wartime. What about military campaigns? He has no right to wage war.

He has the right to uphold justice unless

he is opposed by someone from the Prophet's family, and he may not impose legal punishments.

Does the Houthi accept the presence of non-Shiite residents?

There is no danger to us. Between you and me, there is no longer any real danger.

Then we are more dangerous than them, Juma.

God willing.

May they be well and make it good for you.

We are not suspicious of them.

We have no right to complain about them.

I told you, I am someone who gets driven out of the lands of Wa'il, which is what they want.

But if we gather together, Juma, no one can frighten us or anything.

How does the Houthi view al-Shawkani?

Al-Shawkani, may God curse him, said, “We praised Ali more than

you praise him.”

Al-Shawkani is hostile to the Prophet's family

and hostile to the Sunnis.

Between you and me,

he is neither Sunni

nor anything. He is a renegade.

How does the Houthi view the scholar al-Umrani?

Not at all. He is not a Zaydi.

As long as these are Zaydis to you, then they are Zaydis.

I don't know how the enemies of the Zaydis are Zaydis, writing against

the Zaydis. They harshly insult the Zaydis and insult the Prophet's family,

all of them, even Fatimah al-Zahra.

What is the Houthis' موقف on Sheikh Muqbil al-Wadi'i?

Al-Wadi'i got himself killed, got himself killed.

He cursed al-Hadi and al-Mansur Abdullah ibn Hamza and died that

day. His liver burst. He is one of the leading figures

of Salafism. He is a Salafi. He does not follow

al-Zindani's doctrine. Al-Zindani

is Wahhabi, but political.

Muqbil was not political.

He knew nothing about politics. They say he was doctrinal.

A deviant, renegade doctrine.

How do the Houthis view Ali Abdullah Saleh and Sheikh Abdullah ibn

Hussein al-Ahmar?

Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime, al-Ahmar himself, they are Wahhabis,

all of them.

They call Ibn al-Ahmar a Zaydi because he is in the north, in northern

Yemen, but he is the head of Wahhabism and their protector.

What is the Houthis' opinion of Sheikh Abdul Majeed al-Zindani?

Multiple factions.

Among them are al-Zindani and his group, called the

Islah Party,

and Wahhabis.

They are politicized.

Some are Salafis, not politicized.

And these

Salafis are called doctrinal Salafis.

And these followers of al-Zindani are politicized, they want

to rule.

They reached Dahyan and Saada.

These were the most prominent.