With the arrival of the month of Dhul-Hijjah each year, the occasion of “Wilayah Day” resurfaces in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. What began as a religious celebration has transformed into a major political and economic event that sparks widespread controversy. While the Houthis portray this day as a cornerstone of their ideology, millions of Yemenis view it as yet another season of financial and intellectual drain, adding to their daily suffering caused by the war and the escalating humanitarian crisis.
The roots of the occasion and its political dimensions
The celebration of “Wilayah Day” originates from the event of Ghadir Khumm in the tenth year of the Hijra, an occasion of great importance to Shia Muslims who consider it proof of the Prophet Muhammad’s designation of Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. The Houthi movement, which adheres to the Zaidi branch of Shia Islam, has revived and amplified this event in Yemen to an unprecedented degree, linking it to its political project based on the concept of the “divine right to rule” of a specific lineage. This political exploitation has transformed the occasion from a mere religious celebration into a tool for consolidating and imposing Houthi ideology on society, thus deepening sectarian and social divisions in a religiously diverse country.
State Day: A show of force and a tool for revenue collection
The events of "Wilayah Day" are not limited to religious lectures and seminars, but extend to include military parades and mass celebrations in public squares, which are used as platforms to broadcast the group's political discourse and mobilize supporters. However, the other side of these celebrations lies in the enormous financial burden they impose on citizens and merchants. Local and human rights reports indicate that the Houthis launch widespread forced donation campaigns, compelling shop owners, companies, and ordinary citizens to pay large sums of money under the guise of "supporting the events." These levies become a black hole swallowing up Yemenis' money at a time when more than two-thirds of the population suffers from food insecurity and the deterioration of basic services. This systematic exploitation transforms a religious occasion into a means of enriching the group's leaders and financing their war effort, at the expense of the livelihood of ordinary citizens.
far-reaching effects on the social fabric
The Houthis’ insistence on imposing their own vision of “Wilayah Day” and exploiting it politically not only affects the pockets of Yemenis but also strikes at the very heart of the country’s social fabric. By exclusively linking religion to power, the group seeks to reshape Yemeni identity to align with its agenda, marginalizing other cultural and sectarian groups that have coexisted in Yemen for centuries. This exclusionary approach fuels the conflict, makes reaching a comprehensive political settlement that guarantees a stable future for all Yemenis more difficult, and transforms religious occasions, which should be bridges of unity, into further causes of division and suffering.
