Innate Right of the Descendants of the Prophet

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Zaidis and chaferies have little theological differences and lived together peacefully until the 1962 revolution. The main ideological characteristic of the Houthis is their belief in the innate right and duty of the descendants of the prophet to rule. In Yemen, these people are known as Sadai or Sayyid and are believed to have a divine right to govern the country and potentially beyond.

Featuring Helen Lackner on the Houthis, the politics of their attacks on Red Sea shipping, and the long history of Yemen from British colonial Aden through the current civil war. Read Helen's articles for Jacobin jacobin.com/author/helen-lackner Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Buy Environmentalism from Below: How Global People’s Movements are Leading the Fight for our Planet at haymarketbooks.org/books/2101-environmentalism-from-below Buy The Good Die Young: The Verdict on Henry Kissinger at versobooks.com