"The Association"... Confronting extremist rhetoric and Houthi aggression!

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In its hostilities, the Houthi militia relies on an extremist ideology that makes it view the other party as an opponent on more than one level: political and cultural. Therefore, it does not search for commonalities through which it seeks dialogue and cooperation, but rather works to impose dominance and cause harm, even if that is through “terrorism” and targeting civilians. This is what the world witnessed this October, when the Houthis targeted 5 civilian airports in Saudi Arabia, leaving a number of dead and wounded, including visitors to the Kingdom of multiple nationalities.

Hence, criticizing the intellectual foundations of violence is a necessary task, because undermining the “idea” automatically leads to revealing the corruption of what it entails, especially among those who sympathize with this group, or some of their vision is distorted, as a result of the Houthis raising slogans of supporting Palestine and fighting Israel. While logic simply says that supporting Gaza does not occur through killing innocent people at airports and targeting safe people, some of whom died while wearing the Ihram garment on their way to Mecca.

The above explains the reason why we find the “Muslim World League” issuing explicit statements denouncing “the terrorist Houthi militia’s attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” These are positions in which the “League” goes beyond condemnation to a desire to point out the danger and defect in the extremist methodology of the Houthis. These are actions that stir up strife, tear apart the Islamic ranks, and do not respect the human soul.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa, spoke with “strong denunciation” on the 14th of this month, considering that “the Houthi militias have justified themselves in departing from the Arab and Islamic ranks to isolate the nation sectarianly, with intellectual pollution, in the form of terrorism,” describing their actions as “terrorist absurdity... and a terrorist risk that will only increase their defeat.”

Whoever looks at the video published by the Association of Sheikh Al-Issa will find that he was severe in his position, and this was not due to emotional outburst, especially since Al-Issa is a religious and scientific figure known for his sobriety, depth, and calmness. But the heinous actions carried out by the Houthi militias required that Dr. Al-Issa’s position regarding them be clear in his rejection, out of his desire to stop the bloodshed.

Al-Issa was keen to point out the danger of “sectarianism” in his talk about the Houthis’ practices, and he has considered for many years that the use of sectarian instincts in mobilization will lead to violent segregation and the emergence of conflicts in which innocent people will fall victim.

In addition to the statements of condemnation issued by the Muslim World League and its Secretary-General Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa, the League moved to activate its network of international religious relations and expand the circle of solidarity with the Kingdom, by highlighting the positions of respected religious scholars. This step gains its importance from the nature of the authority on which it is based, and its ability to affirm joint Islamic responsibility away from sectarian polarization.

To understand this strategy that the Association is pursuing, one should refer to the “Document on Building Bridges between Islamic Sects” issued in Mecca in March 2024, with the participation of scholars and representatives of multiple Islamic sects. It stated that “what unites followers of Islamic sects is greater than what divides them,” affirmed the legitimacy of sectarian diversity, and warned against using differences to incite incitement, excommunication, and exclusion. Sheikh Al-Issa stressed during the conference that “all people of Islam are under the banner and umbrella of Islam, regardless of their different sects.”

This reference is necessary to understand the position of the League towards the Houthis, as it considers their practices a threat to the unity of Muslims and their civil peace, and sees in their actions what fuels sectarianism, at a time when the region is in dire need of stability and resolving conflicts, not fueling them!

The position also has a parallel humanitarian and legal basis. In a statement on October 5, Al-Issa considered that the attacks represent a violation of “religious values ​​and international and humanitarian laws and norms,” so that this approach is consistent with the rules of international humanitarian law that protect civilians and civilian objects.