The Twelver Shi'a in Yemen: Interview

Complex Relations with the Houthis

As I highlighted previously, Sunni views of Shi‘a can distinguish between different sects among the Shi‘a, with the Zaydis of Yemen generally being seen as the closer to Sunnism and thus more acceptable than the Twelver Shi‘a, who form the dominant sect of Shi‘ism in the Muslim world today. The Twelver Shi‘a are known as such for their acceptance of twelve imams who led the Muslim community beginning with the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin Ali, and they are often called Ja‘afaris because of the dominant school of jurisprudence among them that is named for the sixth Twelver imam who was called Ja‘afar al-Sadiq.

The distinctions between different kinds of Shi‘a in turn prompt a closer look at the Twelver Shi‘a in Yemen and their relations with the Zaydis in general and the Ansar Allah movement (aka the Houthis, who are also Zaydis) in particular. Certainly, Ansar Allah receives support from Iran and is seen by the Iranians as a valuable ally in the broader ‘axis of resistance’ in opposition to the United States and Israel. Moreover, Ansar Allah and Twelver Shi‘a ‘resistance’ factions like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Kata’ib Hezbollah in Iraq convey a sense of unity. For example, Ansar Allah leader ‘Abd al-Malik al-Houthi speaks of “our brothers” in Hezbollah, while Kata’ib Hezbollah’s secretary general sent a message of solidarity to ‘Abd al-Malik al-Houthi following the renewed U.S. designation of Ansar Allah as a terrorist organisation for their attacks on international ships. It is also true that the Twelver Shi‘a in Yemen have generally taken the Ansar Allah-led side in the Yemeni civil war, fighting in the ranks of the Houthis’ forces and dying on the frontlines and in airstrikes.

But these points can obscure the fact that Ansar Allah remains a Zaydi movement, despite its alliance with Iran and the broader ‘resistance axis.’ Undoubtedly, Iran would like to promote Twelver Shi‘ism in Yemen and win new converts to the faith, since Iran is after all a theocratic state and engages in religious outreach both at home and abroad. Iran has undoubtedly engaged in such outreach in Syria (where Twelver Shi‘a remain a small minority, outnumbered by larger minorities such as the Alawites and Druze). But it would seem that attempts to promote Twelver Shi‘ism have made little headway in Yemen, and for all the solidarity that Ansar Allah might proclaim with Twelver Shi‘a allies in the ‘resistance axis’, the movement actually seems to work to suppress promotion of Twelver Shi‘ism in Yemen. A somewhat similar picture applies to Hamas: despite its alliance with Iran, it remains a movement that is firmly Sunni in its religious affiliation.

For more insight on the matter of Yemen’s Twelver Shi‘a, below is an interview conducted with a small online community of Twelver Shi‘a in Yemen (“The Ja‘afari Shi‘a in Yemen”), who engage in outreach for their faith and make clear their support for the Houthi side in the Yemeni civil war and their broader support for the ‘resistance axis.’ Nonetheless, they criticise the Houthis for suppressing expressions of Twelver Shi‘ism and opposing the spread of it.

Below is the interview. Any parenthetical insertions in square brackets are my own.