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The Kharijites and their impact on Contemporary Islam
Part 1
By Shaykh Seraj Hendricks
Much of the excesses and extremism that we observe today may be
understood in terms of the origins and unfolding of Kharijism
during the first few centuries of Islam.
While a number of writers - both past and present - are of the
opinion that this sect is extinct, others are of the view that
its not. I share the latter view. The influences of this sect
have always been present, in different guises and in varying
degrees, throughout the history of Islam. But it appears to have
gained a renewed momentum with the emergence of Muhammad Abdul
Wahhab during the latter part of the 18th century.
This series will attempt to explore the relationship between the
two and also to critically examine the position of Abdul Wahhab
himself.
Hurqus - the first Khariji
The origins of Kharijism date back to the time of the Prophet
(s).
Amongst the clearest indications we have of this is the Hadith
of Hurqus ibn Zuhair in Bukhari and Muslim.
After the Battle of Hunain the Prophet (s) - in distributing the
booty - gave preference to a number of non-Muslims. His aim was
to attract them to Islam. Hurqus rebuked the Prophet (s) by
saying to him: "Be just in your distribution O Messenger of
Allah."
The Prophet was incensed by this remark and responded by saying:
"Then who can be called just if I am not just?"
To this the Prophet added:
"There will come a time when a group of people will leave our
ranks.
They will recite the Quran with fervor and passion1 but its
spirit will not go beyond their throats. They will leave our
ranks in the manner of an arrow when it shoots from its bow."
The Battle of Siffin
It is significant that this selfsame Hurqus was elected as one
of the heads of the Kharijites after the Battle of Siffin. This
story needs to be told, albeit briefly.
The Battle of Siffin was a battle for Muslim leadership, with
Sayyidna Ali on the one side and Muawiyyah on the other. This
probably marks one of the most painful moments in the history of
Islam. But there are enormous lessons here and we need to
understand them.
Many Companions on both sides were disheartened by this
conflict. The necessity, therefore, for arbitration between the
two parties was mooted by a certain al-Ash'ath ibn Qais. The
proposal was accepted by both parties with Abu Musa al-Ash'ari
representing Sayyidna Ali (r) and 'Amr ibn al-As (r)
representing Muawiyyah (r).
Nonetheless, when the pact was read out by ibn Qais a large
group on the side of Sayyidna Ali objected vehemently to its
terms. Most of the members of this group belonged to the Bedouin
tribe of Tamim. Their spokesperson on the occasion was Urwa ibn
Udaiyya.
He said: "Are men to arbitrate in the affairs of Allah? There
can be no arbitration except by Allah."
In support of his view he quoted the following Quranic passage:
"The prerogative of command rests with none but Allah. He
declares the truth and he is the best of judges"/ (6:57).
Sayyidna Ali's response to this was typical:
"There is a word of truth in what they say," he said, "but their
ends are devious."
Urwa, along with 12,000 others, then seceded from the party of
Sayyidna Ali. Initially they set up camp at a place called
Harawra on the outskirts of Kufa. Here they elected Abdullah ibn
al-Kawwa as their head. Sayyidna Ali pursued them and engaged
them in debate. Ibn al-Kuwwa conceded to Sayyidna Ali's
arguments and he, along with a few others, returned to his
ranks.
The rest of the Kharijites then left for Nahrawan. Here they
elected Abdullah ibn Wahb al-Rasibi and the above-mentioned
Hurqus ibn Zuhair as their leaders. It is interesting to note
here that al-Rasibi was known for his fervor in reciting the
Quran and was also nicknamed Dhu al-Thafanat (the one whose
kneecaps appeared like two humps of a camel because of the
intense and extended nature of his prostration in Salaah).
Nevertheless, on their way to Nahrawan, they encountered
Abdullah ibn Khabbaab al-Aratt, one of the governors of Sayyidna
Ali. Amongst the things he said to them after they identified
him as an enemy was the following:
"My father related to me that the Prophet (s) said: 'There will
come a time when the fitna (corruption and sedition) of the one
who sits will be considered preferable to the one who stands;
and the fitna of the one who stands will be preferable to the
one who walks; and the fitna of the one who walks will be
preferable to the one who runs. So if it is at all possible then
try to be amongst those who are slaughtered rather than amongst
those who will do the slaughtering."
Khabbab, ironically, was one of the first victims of Kharijite
brutality. He, along with his pregnant wife, was hacked to
death. When the news of this slaughter reached Sayyidna Ali he
set out for Nahrawan with an army of 4,000 men.
The subsequent meeting that ensued between Sayyidna Ali and the
Kharijites merit a separate and full treatment. This we will
relate in the 2nd part of this series.
Kharijite principles
Suffice it for us at this stage to know that by now this group
of Kharijites - known as the "Muhakkima"- had already resolved
upon the following principles:
a) The declaration of Kufr (unbelief) on Sayyidna Ali, Muawiyyah,
and all those who had participated in and agreed to the process
of arbitration
b) Takfir (charging with unbelief) of all those who disagreed
with them on any theological issues
c) The right to kill any of the above.
In this context the response of Sayyidna Ali to their view that
the /"prerogative of command belongs to Allah alone 2 by saying
that it was "a word of truth with a devious end" becomes quite
apparent.
It was evident to Sayyidna Ali that theirs was a political
agenda - an agenda that was inspired by an ill-conceived sense
of political isolationism owing to their Bedouin status. The
spirit of Islam - as yet - had not served to de-tribalise them.
Strength, to them, resided in aggression and belligerence; and
not in the deeper recesses of the spirit and soul - the
wellsprings of genuine faith (Iman).
Sayyidna Ali understood this for he understood the meaning of
the Quranic verse:
"The desert Arabs say, 'We believe (amanna).' Say: 'You do not
as yet have true faith.' Rather say: 'We have only submitted our
wills to Allah (aslamna), for not yet has true faith entered
your hearts.'"/ (49:14).
It is therefore not surprising that the Hurub al-Ridda (the War
against the Apostates) that occurred during the time of Sayyidna
Abu Bakr was inspired by a group of people with similar
backgrounds. It is even less surprising that most of the claims
to prophet hood after the death of the Prophet (s) also emanated
from these localities.
For the Kharijites, on the other hand, to legitimise their
agenda and justify their killing of Muslims they had to declare
them as Kafir and hence the territories in which they lived as a
/Dar al-Harb/ (an abode of war). This they legitimized under the
nefarious pretence of "the prerogative of command belongs to
Allah." This statement - and more correctly read, in its
Kharijite context, as "only we (with our swords) have the
prerogative of command" - spawned thousands of little gods who
maimed and massacred and killed in the name of the most Merciful
of the Merciful.
Sayyidna Ali's position in that confrontation at Nahrawan is one
every Muslim needs to know.
Notes:
1 lit. "with tongues that are moist".
2 "fal-hukmu lillah", Quran 40: 12.
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