Pakistani Cleric Calls Houthis ‘Enemies of Islam’, Urges Support for Saudi Arabia
Pakistani cleric Tahir Ashrafi has called the Houthis terrorists with no connection to Islam and urged Muslims to support Saudi Arabia amid rising tensions.
Pakistani cleric Tahir Ashrafi has described Yemen’s Houthi movement as “terrorists” with “nothing to do with Islam” and called on Muslims to support Saudi Arabia amid escalating regional tensions.
Speaking at a conference in Medina, Ashrafi accused the Iran-backed group of targeting Saudi Arabia and said its actions contradicted Islamic principles. He also criticised the Houthis for invoking Islam and Palestine while allegedly attacking Saudi targets.
Ashrafi said Pakistan’s government, armed forces and religious scholars would stand alongside Saudi Arabia. However, Islamabad has previously indicated that Pakistani military action would be limited to defending Saudi territory rather than directly fighting the Houthis in Yemen.
His remarks come amid heightened tensions involving the Houthis, who have expanded their attacks and issued warnings against countries that could join the conflict.
Ashrafi has also faced controversy in Britain after the Archbishop of Canterbury withdrew a 2026 reconciliation and interfaith cooperation award following the resurfacing of his past comments praising Osama bin Laden. Separately, British media have reported allegations concerning his links to a group accused of exploiting blasphemy accusations, which he has denied.
During his Medina speech, Ashrafi also urged Muslim countries to confront groups including al-Qaida, ISIS, the Taliban and the Houthis, saying extremist organisations had misled young people in the name of Islam and jihad.
The latest comments underline the widening political and religious rhetoric surrounding the Saudi-Houthi conflict, with Pakistan attempting to balance its ties with Riyadh against its position on military involvement in Yemen.
