Kharijites

Kharijites (Arabic Khawārij خوارج, literally "Those who Go Out"^[1]) is a general term embracing various Muslims who, while initially supporting the caliphate of the fourth Caliph Ali, later rejected him. They first emerged in the late 7th century AD, concentrated in today's southern Iraq, and are distinct from the Sunnis and Shiites.

Whereas the Shiites believed that the imamate (leadership) was the sole right of the house of Ali, the Kharijites insisted that any pious and able Muslim could be a leader of the Muslim community. And whereas the Sunnis believed that the imam's impiousness did not, by itself, justify sedition, the Kharijites insisted on the right to revolt against any ruler who deviated from the example of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the first two Caliphs. From this essentially political position, the Kharijites developed a variety of theological and legal doctrines that further set them apart from both Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims.

Kharijites were also known historically as the Shurat, meaning "those who have sold their souls to God", which, unlike the term "Kharijite", was one that many Kharijites used to describe themselves. The only surviving group, the Ibāḍī of Oman, Zanzibar and North Africa, reject the "Kharijite" appellation and refer to themselves as ahl al-'adl wal istiqama ("people of justice and straightforwardness").

Origin

The origin of Kharijism lies in the first Islamic civil war: a struggle for political supremacy over the Muslim community in the years following the death of Muhammad. The third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, was killed by mutineers in 656 AD, and a struggle for succession ensued between Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, and Muāwiyah, Governor of Damascus and cousin of Uthman. According to John Esposito, they were the first radical dissent in Islam who combined "a rigorous puritanism and religious fundamentalism with an exclusivist egalitarianism".^[2]

In 658, Alī's forces met Muāwiyah's at the Battle of Siffin. Initially, the battle went against Muāwiyah. At the edge of defeat Muāwiyah directed his army to hoist Qur'āns on their lances^{[citation needed]}. This initiated discord among some of those who were in ˤAlī's army. Muāwiyah wanted to put the dispute between the two sides to arbitration in accordance with the Quran. A group of ˤAlī's army mutinied, demanding that ˤAlī agree to Muāwiyah's proposal. As a result, ˤAlī reluctantly presented his own representative for arbitration. The mutineers, however, put forward Abu Musa al-Ash'ari against Alī's wishes. Muāwiyah put forward Amr Ibn Al-As. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari was convinced by Amr to pronounce Alī's removal as caliph even though Ali's caliphate was not meant to be the issue of concern in the arbitration. The mutineers saw the turn of events as a fundamental betrayal of principle, especially since they had initiated it; a large group of them (traditionally believed to be 12,000, mainly from Banu Hanifah and Banu Tamim tribes)^{[citation needed]}repudiated ˤAlī. Citing the verse, "No rule but God's", an indication that a caliph is not a representative of God, this group turned on both ˤAlī and Muˤāwiya, opposing Muˤāwiya's rebellion against whom they considered to be the rightful caliph, and opposing ˤAlī's subjecting his legitimate authority to arbitration. They became known as Kharijites: Arabic plural khawārij, singular Khārijī, derived from the verb kharaja "come out, leave the fold.

ˤAlī quickly divided his troops and ordered them to catch the dissenters before they reach major cities and disperse among the population.^{[citation needed]} Ali's cousin, Abdullah ibn Abbas, managed to persuade a number of Kharijites to return to ˤAlī.^{[citation needed]} ˤAlī defeated the remaining rebels in the Battle of Nahrawan in 658 but some Kharijites survived and, in 661, ultimately assassinated ˤAlī. They are said to have organized simultaneous attempts against Muˤāwiya and ˤAmr as well, as the three men were in their view the main sources of strife within the Muslim community, but were only successful in assassinating Ali.^{[citation needed]}

Kharjites means one who rebels against religion, find in the first Quran in Surahs 14-19 in CC below each surah section gave the definitions of the war in the Yusuf Ali edition. It was not in 650 AH, It began after the conclusion to the Battle of Siffin, Imam Ali (A.S) returned with his army back to Kufa on the 13th of Safar 37 A.H. (meaning this sense after the Prophet Muhammad's life time not Jesus. During the return in the march 12,000 men lead by Abdallah bin Wahab kept to themselves a distance from the main part of the army. They were not satisfied with the battle, turning into a truce, and wanted to talk amongst themselves about it.

The group was furious at the way things had eneded at Siffin, these were the Kharjites. They were the same people who had put down their weapons on the battlefield. Now they felt Imam Ali A.S. had betrayed Islam by agreeing to the truce and should have referred judgment to the Holy Qur'an alone or continued to fight. They demanded that he repent for this great sin.

When they neared the town Kufa, the Kharjites camped separately at a village named Harura, they started saying that all Muslims are the same and needed no one to lead them this started the separatism, but their belief was "La Hukma Illa Lillah" meaning, no Rulership except by Allah alone". Imam Ali A.S. sent two men to explain the meaning of what they said was incorrect, he sent Sasaa Bin Sauhan, and Ziad Bin Nazr Harisi in the company of Ibne Abbas as witness while "La Hukma Illa Lilllah" really meant that "Allah provides, Allah is great" these men were sent for peace talks. They requested Arbitration.

Imam Ali A.S. pointed out that it was they themselves at fault, because they should never have laid down their arms and force him to call back Malik Ashtar, who was advancing toward victory ahead of them in the rear. He also reminded them that arbitration had forced him to appoint Abu Musa Ash'ari as their representative as to their involvement in Siffin, that they had sinned. They agreed they had sinned, but now have repented, and he needs to repent, he replied (Imam Ali A.S.) that he was a true believer and did not have to repent because he had not committed any sin and dispersed them after discussion. The Kharjites refused to accept the words of the Imam, and waited the decision of Amr al-Aas, and Abu Musa Ash'ari decision. When they learnt of the decision they did not agree with it decided to revolt, setting up their headquarters at Nahrawan.

Which, starts the Battle of Nahrawan, them against Imam Ali A.S. while Imam Ali A.S. and his men attempted several times a truce with them, they then let them bet. They the Kharjites caped 12 miles outside of Baghdad. Imam Ali A.S. started toward Syria to fight against Muawiya. The Imam Ali A.S. got the news that they had butchered the governor of Nahrawan namely Abdullah Ibn Khabbab Ibn al-Arat, his slave maid with child in her womb, and killed three women of Banu Tayyi and Umm Sinan as-Saydawiyyah.

When Imam Ali A.S. sent message they need to turn over the guilty men, their response that they all were guilty like he was of not repenting, but no one wanted to fight their own brethren. They had been their companions against Muawiya at the Battle of Siffin, the Imam desired no bloodshed, and sent a message "Who ever comes under this banner or separates from that party and goes to Kufah or al-Mada'in would get amnesty and would not be questioned.

As a result of this Farwah Ibn Nawfal al-Ashja'i said: "that he did not know why they were at war with Imam Ali A.S. saying this he separated along with five hundred men, and a similarly a group after group began to separate and some joined Imam Ali A.S. in the end only 1800 die-hards were left under the command of Abdallah Ibn Wahab, the Kharjites swore that they would fight Imam Ali A.S. at any cost.

In sermon 36 of Nahjul Balagha was the warning the people of Nahrawan of their fate, by Imam Ali A.S. to the Kharjites "I am warning you that you will be killed on the bend of this canal and on the level of this low area while you have no clear excuse before Allah, nor any open authority with you. You have come out of your houses and then divine decree entangled you. I had advised you against this abritration but you rejected my advice like adversaries and opponents unti I turned my ideas in the direction of your wishes. May you have no support! meaning "Allah's" ("Woe be to you") I have not put you in any calamity nor wished you harm"

The Kharhites attacked Imam Ali A.S. with desperate courage the superior army that they faced killed all except nine men. Who flee to Basra spreading their hatred and recruiting more followers. For Imam Ali's Army A.S. only eight fell as martyrs. The Battle took place on the 9th Safar, 38 A.H. (Year after Prophet's life s.a.w.) Two years later in 40 A.H. it was them that assassinated Imam Ali A.S. following the cowardly attack in the mosque of Kufa, by Ibne Muljam.

Imam Ali A.S. having disposed of the Kharjites are though he thought, their campaign marched toward Syria, however their Chief's of his followers urged Ai to stop at Kufa to let the men rest before the long journey enabling them to get supplies, and repair needed armour, Imam Ali A.S. agreed to this request and camped at Nukhaylan outside Kufa. The soldiers were allowed to leave the camp for a day.

One the next day, hardly any men had returned and at length, Imam entered Kufa and gave a stern sermon to the people. However, nobody came forward and finally, Imam Ali A.S. turned away from them in disappointment. Soon, afterward he was killed, before reaching the camp of Nukhaylah, so the campaign to Syrian was abandoned, never resumed by what was left of Imam Ali's Army A.S., this I believe began the separation of Sunnah, and the began of Shi'ites. The first part of this was to make you wonder if they knew the soldiers, or were they lured there, in druggard stupness and distracted with entertainment, rest, food, and women one they had not enjoyed the likes of in some time and this keep them away, from the struggle to return to the fight, or whether they left their homes, and lost real faith, when the dispute started, there is no final history on this part that one can find, except not long after that, Sunnah was no longer just Sunnah, it now became a separatism known as Shi'ites who also believed in more messengers, than there were, but still believed in Allah. This is not Theology, it is History, and is verified in 3 of the 30 Qur'an's, following the details of the Battle of Khayber, details on Ali, follow it in the Qur'an, and parchments in Museums in the Far East, when one has time to go review them in person, if you can read pure Aramaic, Ahrmac, and Arabic, copts its all there.

One person opinon about is no longer a Muslim, is now being the judge themselves and who is the best of judges but Allah, only he will settle the dispute on the Day of Recompense, and they spread their views, by force for a while but it was not known as a Jihad, it is only called this when brethren together fight with each others against a Kufre, Unbeliever, some force taking their land, crushing their values, to change their environment, then you will find that Kharijites, Shi'ites, and Sunnies, will come to gether to fight outsider, this is a Jihad, authorized by a Sufi, (Sultan) the closet to Allah, in mankinds time also called a Foremost (Forerunner), in translation to English, but the Sufi makes the decision for Holy Jihad, not one radical group alone, other Muslims will shun, any group that does this, but will publically correct the interpretation of a Jihad, to just extremist acting out of the norm but not authorized.

Beliefs and practices

Kharijite theology was a form of radical extremism, preaching uncompromising observance of the teachings of the Qur'an in defiance of corrupt authorities.^{[citation needed]} They preached absolute equality of the faithful, in opposition to the aristocracy of the Quraysh which had grown more pronounced under the Umayyad Caliphate.^{[citation needed]} They spread their views by violent conflict, which they considered to be a righteous jihad (struggle) and the sixth pillar of Islam.^{[citation needed]}

They believed that anybody who commits a grave sin is no longer a Muslim and is subject to excommunication, warfare and death unless the person repented. They believed that the leader of the Muslim community can be any good Muslim, even a slave, provided that he had the community support, in contrast to the dominant opinion among Muslims at the time that the ruler should be a member of Muhammad's tribe, the Quraysh. Having a strong emphasis on the need to depose unjust rulers and believing that the current leaders of the Muslim community were guilty of grave sins, they withdrew themselves from the rest of the Muslim community, started camping together and waged war against their perceived enemies. They believed that they are the people of God fighting against the people of evil.^[2]

Azraqī

The most extreme were the Azraqīs or Azariqah, founded in Persia in 685 by Template:Semxlit. These pronounced Takfir on all other Muslims, considering them to be Kuffar ('unbelievers') who could be killed with impunity.^[3]^[4] Their distinctive practices included:

A test of sincerity (إمتحان Template:ArabDIN "examination") required of each new recruit, in which the neophyte was required to cut the throat of a captive enemy.^{[citation needed]}
Religious murder (إستعراض Template:ArabDIN "demonstration"), not only of men, but also of their wives and children (the killing of non-combatants is disallowed in Islam)^{[citation needed]}

They regarded the territory occupied by other Muslims as part of Dar al-Kufr,^{[citation needed]}the territory of unbelief where it was permitted to attack both people and goods - but also a territory from which one must exile oneself, as Muhammad had exiled himself from Mecca to escape the unbelievers there.^{[citation needed]}

Sufrī

Less brutal was the Sufri sect, founded by Ziyād ibnu l-Asfar in an environment hostile to Kharijism.^{[citation needed]} These condemned political murder, adhered the practice of taqiyya,^{[citation needed]} and rejected the massacre of the unbelievers' children.^{[citation needed]} They considered Sura 12 to be not truly part of the Qur'an.^{[citation needed]}

Najdat

The Najdat were the followers of Najdah ibn 'Amir, of Bani Hanifa, who established a Kharijite state in al-Yamamah (east-central Arabia). Like the Sufris, Najdah had split from the Azraqi movement over the issues of the killing of the enemy's women and children and over the status of those who refuse to join in battle, as the Azraqis believed that whoever stayed behind had become an unbeliever.

Ibādī

A third sect, the Ibādīs, developed further than the others. Founded by ˤAbdullāh ibn-Ibād, they maintained attitudes of political intransigence and moral rigor.^{[citation needed]} They were, however, more flexible in their dealings with other Muslims - for example, they would not attack without first extending an invitation to join.^{[citation needed]}

Harūrīyya

The branch founded by Habib ibn-Yazīd al-Harūrī held that it was permissible to entrust the imamate to a woman if she was able to carry out the required duties.^{[citation needed]} The founder's wife, Ghazāla al-Harūriyya, commanded troops; in this she followed the example of Juwayriyya, daughter of Abu Sufyan, at the battle of Yarmuk. In one battle, she put the famous Umayyad general Hajjāj ibn-Yūsuf to flight.^{[citation needed]}

History

The high point of the Kharijites' influence was in the years 690-730 around Basra in south Iraq, which was always a center of Sunni theology. Kharijite ideology was a popular creed for rebels against the officially Sunni Caliphate, inspiring breakaway states and rebellions (like Maysara's) throughout the Maghrib and sometimes elsewhere.

The Azraqī revolted against the Caliphate in 685 after separating from the Ibādī near Basra and departing for Fars. They were suppressed by Abd al-Malik's armies, under the command of Amir al-Hajjaj; their leader was killed, and by 699 they had vanished. Another revolt occurred in 695; Sunni traditions underline the massacre of Muslims at a mosque in Kufa as an example of Kharijite fury and brutality. Agitations such as these fatally weakened the Ummayad caliphate and paved the way for its overthrow by the Abbasids.

During this period, the Najdat, led by Najdah ibn 'Amir, established a state in al-Yamamah, in central Arabia, and annexed the eastern Arabian region of Bahrayn, including al-Qatif. Najdah also moved westwards and captured the city of Taif, south of Mecca, and was only dissuaded from taking Mecca and Medina by Abdullah ibn Umar, the son of the second Muslim caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was particularly revered by the Kharijites. Najdah was assassinated by some of his followers in 692, and the Najdat movement quickly disintegrated thereafter.

From the beginning of the Arab conquest of the Maghreb, the Kharijites sent representatives to join the local Berber population. The Berbers, used to a communal system of government and opposed to Arab domination, found in Kharijism an ideological framework for rebellion. In the last years of the Umayyad dynasty, the western part of the Islamic empire escaped from the central authority; Spain came under the rule of the Umayyad emirs of Cordoba, while several independent states were founded in the Maghrib.

A Sufrī community from southern Tunisia captured Kairouan in 755, at the price of fearful massacres. The Ibādī of Jebel Nafusa, outraged by the excesses of their rival sect, took the city and wiped out its Sufrī population. They proclaimed an imamate c. 757, founding a state which would cover parts of Tripolitania and Ifriqiya before it was conquered by Abbasid armies in 761. Among the leaders of this state was Abd ar-Rahman ibn Rustam, a Persian convert who would later found the Rustamid dynasty at Tahert.

Around the same time, a Sufri kingdom was founded in Tlemcen (western Algeria). Berber Sufrī from the tribe of Meknasa established the Midrarid state at Sijilmassa on the eastern slope of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Abū Qurra, a Sufrī of the Ifren tribe of Tlemcen, reconquered Ifriqiya from the Arabs in 771.

The region stabilized in 778, when ibn Rustam made a peace treaty with the Abbasid governor of Kairouan, and remained so until the arrival of the Fatimids in 909.

Modern times

The Ibadis have survived into the present day, though they now reject the designation "Kharijite". They form a significant part of the population of Oman (where they first settled in 686), and there are smaller concentrations of them in the Mzab of Algeria, Jerba in Tunisia, Jebel Nafusa in Libya, and Zanzibar.

In modern times, Muslim scholars and governments have called terrorist groups which emphasize the practice of Takfir and justify the killing of innocent people as the new Kharijites; notable examples of groups described as such include the Groupe Islamique Armée of Algeria and the Takfir wal-Hijra group of Egypt.

References

^ "Schisms and Heterodoxy among the Muslims", hosted on irfi.org
^ ^a ^b Esposito, Islam the straight path, p. 43-45 Cite error: The named reference "Esp43" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
^ http://secure.britannica.com/eb/article-9054160?hook=182121#182121.hook
^ http://www.islamfact.com/books-htm/ibadi/13.htm

External links

[1] "Schisms and Heterodoxy among the Muslims", hosted on irfi.org

[Esp43-2] Esposito, Islam the straight path, p. 43-45 Cite error: The named reference "Esp43" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).

[3] ttp://secure.britannica.com/eb/article-9054160?hook=182121#182121.hook

[4] ttp://www.islamfact.com/books-htm/ibadi/13.htm

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