Shia Islam in Yemen

Last updated

Shia Islam in Yemen is practiced by a substantial minority of the population, [1] with the vast majority of Shia Muslims in Yemen being Zaydi, while a minority are Twelver and Isma'ili. [2] Sunni Muslims make up 65% percent of Yemen, while 35% of the country are Shia Muslims. These Shia Muslims are predominantly concentrated in the northwestern regions of the country, including the capital and major cities that are some of the most densely populated areas of Yemen.

Contents

Historically, the Zaydi Muslims ruled Yemen for a thousand years until 1962. During this time, they fiercely defended their independence, resisting foreign powers such as the Umayyads, Egypt, and the Ottomans, who aimed to control Lower Yemen and expand their rule northward. [3] The Zaydi branch of Islam, known as the Fivers, is a sect almost exclusively prevalent in Yemen, making it a distinctive feature of the religion in Yemen. [4]

Population

Religion in Yemen primarily consists of two major Islamic branches. According to the CIA's World Factbook, [5] approximately 65% of the population practices Sunni Islam, while around 35% adhere to Shia Islam. The vast majority of the Shia population are Zaydi, with minorities of Twelver and Isma'ili Shias. [6] [7] Collectively, Yemeni Shias account for over two-quarters of the country's 25 million people. [8]

Zaydi Muslims are predominantly located in the north and northwest regions of Yemen, while Shafi'is, a Sunni sect, are prevalent in the south and southeast. [9] In addition to the Islamic population, Yemen is home to a small number of Christians, estimated to be around 3,000, as well as approximately 400 Jews. [10]

History

According to historical narrations, Islamic identities in Yemen have been categorized into two main Islamic orientations: Shia Zaydism and Sunni Shafi‘i. Also, small groups of Shia Ismailis and some Jewish communities are seen in the country. The population density of Zaydis historically is placed in the north of Yemen, in Sa’dah, Amran, al-Jawf, Hajjah and Dhamar provinces, as well as Shafiism, is the dominant school of jurisprudence in lower Yemen the eastern part of the country and the Tihamah. However, it can not be said that Zaydies and shafei populations live in Separated regions. For instance, the Sa’dah region, is known as the residents of Zaydism but in some areas, notably al-Hishwah, al-Zahir, Shida and Ghamr, Sunnis make up a considerable part of the population. [11]

The Zaydis belong to a sect of Shia Islam established by followers of Zayd ibn Ali, the great-grandson of Ali, Shia Islam's first Imam. Zayd ibn Ali rebelled against the Umayyad government in 740 CE after the death of Husayn ibn Ali at Karbala, this being seen as justification for his status as the legitimate Imam in the eyes of the Zaydi sect. The first Zaydi Imam in Yemen, Yahya b. al-Husayn (d.911) made efforts to establish his rule over the tribes in the north of Yemen. [11]

Houthi movement

According to Charles Schmitz, a professor at Towson University, the Houthis' origins harken back to Al-Shabab al-Muminin (the Believing Youth), a group active in the early 1990s. The Believing Youth concentrated on raising awareness about the Zaydi branch of Shia Islam, which had ruled Yemen for centuries. However after the North Yemen Civil War in the 1960s, they were suppressed by the Yemeni government. Out of them became Yemen's Shia minority, containing 25% of the country's Muslims. [12]

Although similar to Sunni Muslims in matters of religious law and rulings in other respects, the Houthi believe in the concept of an Imamate as being essential to their religion, making them distinct from Sunni Muslims. [13]

The Houthi movement, which belongs to Yemen's Zaydi Muslim community and that fought a series of rebellions against Ali Abdullah Saleh during the last decade, took control of its northern heartland around Saada province and its nearby areas. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib (656–661 CE) as his successor as Imam, most notably at the event of Ghadir Khumm, but that after Muhammad's death, Ali was prevented from succeeding as leader of the Muslims as a result of the choice made by some of Muhammad's other companions at Saqifah. This view primarily contrasts with that of Sunni Islam, whose adherents believe that Muhammad did not appoint a successor before his death and consider Abu Bakr, who was appointed caliph by a group of Muhammad's other companions at Saqifah, to be the first Rashidun ('rightful') caliph after Muhammad (632–634 CE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isma'ilism</span> Branch of Shia Islam

Isma'ilism is a branch or sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (imām) to Ja'far al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelver Shia, who accept Musa al-Kazim, the younger brother of Isma'il, as the true Imām.

In Shia Islam, the Imamah is a doctrine which asserts that certain individuals from the lineage of the Islamic prophet Muhammad are to be accepted as leaders and guides of the ummah after the death of Muhammad. Imamah further says that Imams possess divine knowledge and authority (Ismah) as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt, the family of Muhammad. These Imams have the role of providing commentary and interpretation of the Quran as well as guidance.

Zayd ibn ʿAlī, also spelled Zaid, was the son of Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, and great-grandson of Ali ibn Abi Talib. He led an unsuccessful revolt against the Umayyad Caliphate, in which he died. The event gave rise to the Zaydiyya sect of Shia Islam, which holds him as the next Imam after his father Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abidin. Zayd ibn Ali is also seen as a major religious figure by many Sunnis and was supported by the prominent Sunni jurist, Abu Hanifa, who issued a fatwa in support of Zayd against the Umayyads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zaydism</span> Branch of Shia Islam

Zaydism is one of the three main branches of Shia Islam that emerged in the eighth century following Zayd ibn Ali's unsuccessful rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate. Zaydism is typically considered to be a branch of Shia Islam that comes closest to the Sunni, although the "classical" form of Zaydism over the centuries had changed its posture with regard to Sunni and Shia traditions multiple times, to the point where interpretation of Zaydi as Shia is often based on just their acceptance of Ali as a rightful successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Mainstream ("twelver") Shia sometimes consider Zaydism to be a "fifth school" of Sunni Islam. Zaydis regard rationalism as more important than Quranic literalism and in the past were quite tolerant towards Sunni Shafi'ism, a religion of about half of the Yemenis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad al-Baqir</span> Fifth of the Twelve Shia Imams

Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sadiq. Muhammad's honorific title al-Baqir is short for baqir al-ilm, which means 'the one who splits knowledge open', a reference to his fame as a religious scholar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali al-Sajjad</span> Great-grandson of Muhammad and fourth Shia imam (659–713)

Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad, also known as Zayn al-Abidin was the great-grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and the fourth imam in Shia Islam, succeeding his father, Husayn ibn Ali, his uncle, Hasan ibn Ali, and his grandfather, Ali ibn Abi Talib.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saada</span> City in Yemen

Saada, situated in the northwest of Yemen, is the capital and largest city of the governorate of the same name, and the seat of the eponymous district. The city is located in the mountains of Serat (Sarawat) at an altitude of about 1,800 meters. In 2004, it was the tenth-largest city in Yemen and had an estimated population of 51,870.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic history of Yemen</span>

Islam came to Yemen around 630 during Muhammad's lifetime and the rule of the Persian governor Badhan. Thereafter, Yemen was ruled as part of Arab-Islamic caliphates, and became a province in the Islamic empire.

The Mahdi is a figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the End of Times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad, who will appear shortly before Jesus.

Islam is divided into two major sects, Sunni and Shia Islam, each with its own sub-sects. Large numbers of Shia Arab Muslims live in some Arab countries including Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, and Qatar.

The Revolt of Zayd ibn Ali was a revolt led by Zayd ibn Ali against the Umayyad Caliphate, which had taken over the Rashidun Caliphate since the death of his great-grandfather, Ali.

The Constitution of Yemen provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice; however, there were some restrictions. The Constitution declares that Islam is the state religion, and that Shari'a is the source of all legislation. Government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion; however, there were some restrictions. Muslims and followers of religious groups other than Islam are free to worship according to their beliefs, but the Government prohibits conversion from Islam and the proselytization of Muslims. Although relations among religious groups continued to contribute to religious freedom, there were some reports of societal abuses and discrimination based on religious belief or practice. There were isolated attacks on Jews and some prominent Zaydi Muslims felt targeted by government entities for their religious affiliation. Government military reengagement in the Saada governorate caused political, tribal, and religious tensions to reemerge in January 2007, following the third military clash with rebels associated with the al-Houthi family, who adhere to the Zaydi school of Shi'a Islam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holiest sites in Shia Islam</span>

Muslims, including Shia, Sunni, Ibadi and other branches, agree on the three holiest sites in Islam being the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca; the Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina; and the Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.

The Dukayniyya Shia were a sect of the Zaidi branch of Shia Islam. The Dukayniyya Shia were led by Abu Nu'aym al-Fadl ibn al-Dukayn and Ibrahim ibn al-Hakam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Hadi ila'l-Haqq Yahya</span> 10th-century Arab religious leader; founder of the Zaydi Imamate in Yemen

Abūʾl-Ḥusayn Yaḥyā ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Qāsim ibn Ibrāhīm Ṭabāṭabā al-Ḥasanī, better known by his honorific title of al-Hādī ilāʾl-Ḥaqq, was a religious and political leader in the Arabian Peninsula. He was the first Zaydi imam who ruled portions of Yemen from 897 to 911. He is also the ancestor of the Rassid Dynasty which ruled Yemen intermittently until the North Yemen Civil War in 1962.

Jarudiyya, also known as Jarudism, is among the first branches of Zaydi Islam, attributed to Abu'l-Jarud Ziyad ibn al-Mundhir. Among the theorists of the Jarudiyya are Fadl ibn Zubayr al-Rasani, Mansur ibn Abi al-Aswad, and Harun ibn Saad al-Ajli. Abu Khalid al-Wasiti is another prominent figure in this school. Jarudiyya beliefs include: Zayd ibn Ali as imam, Ali's preference over other Sahabah and the necessity of rising up against a Tyrant.

Batriyya or Butriyya is an early branch of Zaydī Islam.

In Zaydi Islam, the imamate is the supreme political and religious leadership position. In common to other Shi'a sects, it is reserved for Alids, i.e. descendants of Muhammad via Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah. Unlike the Twelver or Isma'ili imamate, however, it was not hereditary and could be claimed by any qualified Alid; nor were its holders ascribed semi-divine attributes of infallibility and miracle-working. Necessary qualifications were a grounding in Islamic jurisprudence and a public call to allegiance, usually in the form of leadership of an uprising against unlawful authority. In practice, this meant that there could be several Zaydi imams at the same time, even in the same region, or none at all. This resulted in the unique concept of a 'restricted' imamate, for holders of political power who did not meet the scholarly credentials. Moreover, the personal nature of the imamate for a long time prevented the rise of persistent institutions, rendering the Zaydi states established in Yemen and Tabaristan unstable. As a result, the imamate often came to be passed down in hereditary fashion, especially as the Imams of Yemen abandoned Zaydi doctrines for Sunni ones in the 18th century.

References

  1. ↑ "Yemen", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2023-10-03, retrieved 2023-10-08
  2. ↑ Al-Deen, Maysaa Shuja (June 7, 2021). "Yemen's War-torn Rivalries for Religious Education". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Yemen: The conflict in Saada Governorate – analysis". IRIN. 24 July 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Al-Shamahi, Abubakr (7 February 2014). "Yemen is more nuanced than 'Sunni' & 'Shia'". Yemen Times. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Yemen", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2023-10-03, retrieved 2023-10-08
  6. ↑ "Yemen: The conflict in Saada Governorate – analysis". UN High Commissioner for Refugees. 24 July 2008. Archived from the original on 2012-11-20. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  7. ↑ Al-Zaidi, Hassan (22 October 2007). "The Twelve-Imam Shiite Sect". Yemen Times. Archived from the original on 22 October 2007.
  8. ↑ BASU, TANYA (9 April 2015). "Who Are the Houthis?". The Atlantic . Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  9. ↑ Background note: Yemen. US Department of State (December 2007). PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  10. ↑ "About this Collection | Country Studies | Digital Collections | Library of Congress". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  11. 1 2 Brandt, Marieke (2017). Tribes and Politics in Yemen: A History of the Houthi Conflict. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0190673598 . Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  12. ↑ Taylor, Adam. "Who are the Houthis, the group that just toppled Yemen's government?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  13. ↑ Pike, John. "Zaydi Islam" . Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Yemen crisis: Why is there a war?". BBC. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.