It's "Houthis" with a TH

The Houthis in Yemen - their logo and spokesman

Public Service Announcement for journalists, reporters, anchors, news readers, media analysts, and anyone else who has reason to comment on the Iranian proxy group in Yemen, the "Supporters of God" (أنصار الله) the movement's official name, often rendered as Ansar Allah.
 
They are more commonly called "the Houthis" (الحوثيون). The name "Houthi" comes from the family's surname, not from a religious or tribal title.
 
The movement is named after the al-Houthi (الحوثي) family, particularly its founder, Husayn Badr al-Din al-Huthi (حسين بدر الدين الحوثي)., who launched the movement in the 1990s in Yemen's northern Sa'da Governorate.
 
It is pronounced: "the WHO-thees". I add this to correct the mispronunciation by those who want to sound like they know what they are talking about, changing the Arabic letter ث (thāʾ) — (th as in think) -- to a T, resulting in WHO-tees.
 
Unlike many other languages that do not have the TH sound, Arabic has three different distinct letters that employ that linguistic dental fricative sound.
 
All of those who insist on converting the TH to a T only highlight their lack of understanding of the language and the region.

Abdul Carter - What's in a name?

 

Abdul Carter and Jason Dart

Let's talk about "Abdul Carter." 

There was a bit of controversy over New York Giants quarterback Jason Dart. Carter criticized Dart for introducing President Trump at a rally - not that it is any of Carter's business.

I was struck by the name Abdul Carter. I have been dealing with this for decades, mostly among young men who claim to have converted to Islam. 

During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, there was a team of Saudi imams (we called them the God Squad) who would roam the joint commannd center and target Americans for conversion, including me, with offers of money, trips, gifts. They assumed that because I could speak Arabic, I would be a potential convert. I didn't take the time to explain that we in the intelligence services normally learn the languages of our potential foes....

Many of these converts take on what they think are Muslim names. I am not sure if Carter is a convert or was born into a Muslim family. In any case, I would recommend that they learn either a smattering of the Arabic language, or the concept of the 99 attributes of Allah.

Abdul cannot stand alone as a name. 

It is actually the word 'Abd (meaning "servant of") and the Arabic definite article al- (meaning "the"). It is followed by one of the attributes of Allah. 

So when I am introduced to a new convert, and he says his name is "Abdul" - I ask him "'Abd al- WHAT?" Virtually every time, I get a blank stare. This is when I cease to take them seriously. Although I am not a Muslim, I generally know more about it than they do. 

So, in deference to either Carter or his parents, I will acknowledge that his middle name is Jabbar (meaning "the compellor" or "the almighty") - the same as the basketball legend Karim Abdul Jabbar. As with both, the correct transliteration of the Arabic ( عبد الجبار ) would be 'Abd al-Jabbar. It is not a first and middle name, or a middle name and last name - it is one name. 

In the Middle East, if you introduce yourself as Abdul, you will get a puzzled look meaning 'Abd al- WHAT?