Abdul Malik as a religious reference.. An Iranian project and an attempt to dissolve differences
English - Saturday 08 July 2023 الساعة 10:33 am
Sana'a, NewsYemen, exclusive:
In light of the political changes that Iran's arm in Yemen is witnessing in the context of the general scene, the group seeks through its media discourse to reproduce the Iranian experience by promoting the transformation of its leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, into a religious authority.
This shift in the discourse of the group, which takes the Iranian model as a reference for its political and ideological approach, has recently appeared prominently in the words of leaders within the militia, and promoted it more clearly with the start of talk about international and regional efforts to bring peace and end the war in Yemen.
While Iran's arm continues to promote its leader as a religious authority and an impeccable heavenly leader, observers believe that this transformation comes as an extension of the Iranian project that was implemented in Lebanon and Iraq, as Tehran seeks to build its regional influence in accordance with the principles of the Guardianship of the Faqih.
Iranian project
At a time when observers see the group's tendency to export its leader as a religious reference, an attempt to separate the man from the practices his group has been involved in against the Yemenis, they also believe that this discourse is a natural extension of the Iranian project in the region.
In this context, the Yemeni writer and political analyst in strategic and military affairs, Dr. Ali al-Dahab, says: "The foundations of the Houthi group were built according to the concept of Wilayat al-Faqih, thus embodying a reflection of the Iranian model."
Al-Dahab added, in the context of his interview with "Newsyemen": "What Hezbollah or Tehran provided to the Houthis in terms of political, technical or material support, is with the aim of creating a model similar to Hezbollah and the Shiite currents in the region, especially Iraq, so that they draw their strength, ideas and policies from the Iranian experience." .
He continued: "This explains the reincarnation of Abdul-Malik al-Houthi to the personality of Hassan Nasrallah, the supreme leader of the Iranian revolution, and Shiite references such as al-Sistani and the like in Iraq, and these features are what highlight the approach of the Houthi group."
While it is complicated that "the danger is that this group seeks to show Abdul-Malik al-Houthi in this way, to represent the Yemeni people as a popular leader and leader of the revolution."
He emphasized by saying: "This is what the group is seeking at the present time, and it has recently begun to implement it through the speeches of some of its leaders, as it is trying to show this trend more clearly."
While al-Dhahab expects that the Houthi group will, through this step: "prepare for a political process imposed on it, and realize that it is on the verge of a transformation in which Abdul-Malik al-Houthi must be a religious, political and revolutionary reference at the same time." As he said.
He pointed out that: "Transforming Abdul-Malik al-Houthi into a religious reference comes with the aim of negotiating his actions and positions, and for them to be expressive not only of the group, but of all Yemenis, or at least those loyal to the group outside the geographical framework of its control."
In a different context, al-Dahab believes that, at the general level: "The Houthi group is moving within a regional project led by Iran, which is the Wilayat al-Faqih project."
He pointed out that this project: "is trying in one way or another to amplify the Shiite geopolitics in the region, and it must be fundamentally linked to the faith of the peoples who believe in this leadership, and belief in it, must be on popular acceptance, and be based on religious, political and revolutionary foundations."
He emphasized by saying: "This is what the group is trying to impart to Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and disassociate him from any mistakes it committed, military defeat, political or moral failure, financial corruption, or crimes."
He said: The group seeks to "mislead the people that the practices and mistakes it has been involved in are not approved by the man, and that he is sometimes unaware of them, and therefore he is relied upon that he will be the reference to which intractable issues return and his word is the final decision."
He concluded: “This approach is a policy followed by religious groups in general to beautify the leader in them, and make him an exemplary and impeccable leader, and he is usually a haven for the masses, and it is a deceptive means, as the leader is supposed to start from within the group, and his group is an expression of him and his behavior, and the leader is an expression of it.” ".
dissolving the differences
And at a time when Iran's arm conflicts with the various Yemeni sects and components, it seeks, by exporting its leader as a religious reference and popular leader, to dissolve other religious groups and components into itself.
The group has not yet gained full acceptance from the Zaidi sects in the areas under its control, as Zaidi references such as Muhammad Abdul-Azim Al-Houthi, who is one of the cousins of the militia leader, does not see Abdul-Malik qualified to represent his sect, despite the common ethnic factors that unite them.
In this context, journalist Muhammad al-Mayas says: "There is a great discrepancy between Zaydism and the Houthi movement, as the Iranian interventions imposed by the group on the Zaydi sect generated, at least, some kind of doctrinal schism."
Al-Mayass added, in his interview with "Newsyemen": "This discrepancy between Zaidiism and Houthiism has created great ideological reservations on both sides, despite the common factors between them, but most of the Zaidi references contradict the group."
At the end of his speech, he indicated that: "Iran's efforts to export its leader as a religious reference will enable it to at least dissolve these differences between it and the other Zaidi components, so that the man will thus become a representative of various religious sects despite the great differences, including non-Zaydi sects."
