Yemen army asks clerics to help in fight against extremism

Yemeni forces in Hadramaut province are seeking the help of religious leaders to boost security and confront harmful extremist ideology through dialogue.

More than 100 clerics and preachers from al-Mukalla, al-Shahar and al-Ghayl gathered on December 10th in response to a call from Maj. Gen. Faraj Salmeen al-Bahsani, commander of the 2nd military region which is based in al-Mukalla.

The goal of the meeting was to inform the clerics of military developments in Hadramaut province and to solicit ideas and recommendations that might contribute to enhancing the region's security.

Al-Bahsani outlined future plans and steps already taken by the 2nd military region and the elite Hadramaut forces, describing the most important of these as the liberation of al-Mukalla and the Hadramaut coast from terrorist control.

He also stressed the importance of engaging with local clerics in the aftermath of the military victories to enlist their help in confronting the continuing threat posed by violent extremism.

"With honest words spoken from mosque pulpits where you preach, during worship gatherings that you head, on school visits, meetings and gatherings and from wherever you preach and provide guidance, [responding to] these threats has to be at the forefront," he told attendees.

"You need to caution against and renounce them using strong, clear language so you will not be replaced by corrupt individuals.. who tickle the emotions of our youths and younger generation," he said.

The power of the pulpit

The meeting with clerics was convened due to "the heavy influence they have on most members of society", said Ahmed al-Saadi, director general of the Hadramaut Office for Religious Guidance.

"[Clerics] have the power of the pulpit, which every Yemeni listens to at least once a week during the Friday sermon, not to mention the religious lectures and sermons throughout the week," he told Al-Mashareq.

As they preach from their pulpits, he said, clerics can be highly influential in the process of guiding and advising the people about matters related to their religion in a way that maintains security and stability.

The Office for Religious Guidance has formulated a plan to fight terrorism, he said, which "prioritises the issue of security, safety and stability through the role played by clerics, preachers and religious counselors".

Military operations must be accompanied with action taken to uproot extremist ideology, he said, adding that "this is the duty of clerics and religion because you can only fight one ideology with another".

Towards a prosperous society

Maintaining security and stability is the first step on the path to a prosperous society, said Zain al-Aidarous, the preacher of al-Rawdha mosque in al-Mukalla who also teaches at Hadramaut University.

"In fact, the state has to exercise caution in its fight against terrorism, because those who have fallen prey to terrorism might have been affected by the economic situation," he told Al-Mashareq.

"A wiser approach has to be taken when it comes to dealing with violence, because this is caused by an extremist ideology, especially if mosques and schools are left unsupervised," he said.

Containing the damage caused by those who have been misled by deviant ideology "has to be done wisely, by closing the gaps and vacuums from which youths espousing a wayward or extremist ideology emerge", he said.

Political analyst Tariq al-Zuraiqi told Al-Mashareq that all clerics and stakeholders play a role in fighting the deviant ideology promoted by extremists for their own interests that serve to foment future acts of terrorism.

He underscored their role in "reinforcing awareness regarding the dangers of terrorism and enlightening society about the true nature of the Muslim faith, which is peaceful".