The Houthis
&
Their Deviant Beliefs
By
Shaykh Abdurahman al-Mowasi
Translated
By
Abbas Abu Yahya
Generally, the Houthis belong to the Zaidiyyah sect, and their core religious beliefs go back to the Jarudiyyah sect
Here are the main points of their deviant beliefs, as recorded in their own books
(Summarized from the lectures and lessons of Shaykh Abdul-Rahman Al-Mowasi)
- Declaring the Companions of the Prophet (Sahabah) as Disbelievers
The Houthis adopt the belief of the Jarudiyyah sect, declaring the Companions of the Prophet as disbelievers. They claim the Companions failed to recognize Ali’s leadership, which they believe was clearly designated by the Prophet -SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, and because they chose Abu Bakr -RadhiAllaahu anhu- instead they became disbelievers.
- Belief in “Raj’ah” (Return of the Dead)
This is the belief that the dead will return to life in this world before Judgment Day. This belief is attributed specifically to the Jarudiyyah sect and is not held by other Zaydi groups.
- Deviations in Worship and Tawheed al-Uloohiya (singling out Allaah alone with worship)
They have deviated regarding the worship and Tawheed al-Uloohiya (singling out Allaah alone with worship). Among them are practices of Shirk (associating partners with Allaah), such as praying to people in graves, asking them to fulfill needs, and taking intermediaries between themselves and Allaah -far is He from imperfection and the Most High. It is well known in Islam that directing any act of worship to anyone other than Allaah is Shirk, which Allaah forbade.
- Their Stance on the Qur’aan
They go way beyond believing that the Qur’aan is created (a view associated with the Mu’tazilah sect); they also cast doubt on how the Qur’aan was collected and they claim that it has been altered.
- Their Stance on the Prophetic Sunnah
They deny the Prophetic Sunnah and do not accept it as a binding source for Islaamic law. They criticize the noble Companions and Hadeeth narrators, and reject established Hadeeth collections accepted by Muslims, such as Saheeh al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim.
There are many other deviant beliefs and ideas that should be made clear and warned against; these points represent only a small part of their overall deviations.