? How did the Zaidi Shiite rule in Yemen begin

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 06:39:17 +0000

⁣This video presents a historical and documentary-style narrative of the rise and long-term influence of Zaydi Shi‘ism in Yemen. It traces the origins of Zaydi rule back to the third century AH, with the establishment of the first Zaydi state by Imam al-Hadi Yahya ibn Husayn, and follows the transformation of Zaydism from a religious doctrine into a lasting political tradition.

The documentary explores how Zaydi authority evolved through successive imamate states, the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, and eventually into the modern movement known as Ansar Allah. It examines key historical turning points, including the fall of the Zaydi imamate in 1962, the emergence of revivalist movements in the 1990s, and the capture of Sana‘a in 2015.

Through a historical lens, the video argues that Zaydi Shi‘ism has never disappeared from Yemen’s political and social life. Instead, it has re-emerged in different forms across centuries, shaping the country’s identity and power structures from the early Islamic period to the present day.