Abdul Wahid
Part 2
Who Were the Khawarij?
The Khawarij were the first group to pose a serious threat to the unity of the Muslim ummah in the early days of Islam. Through declaring Muslims disbelievers, through violence, and through rising up against the just imam, they plunged the Islamic ummah into a bloody crisis.
Before getting into the main discussion, it’s worth giving a brief introduction to this misguided sect, so the subject of this article becomes clear. Young people and ordinary Muslims need to know about such ignorant groups, so that, by recognizing this group, they don’t fall into its trap and become misguided. This group has existed since the time of the Prophet (PBUH), and according to the clear statements of the sharia texts, it will remain until the end of time, to the point that its last member will rise up alongside the Dajjal himself.
Allama Ibn Taymiyya (rh) writes in his book: “When the matter of the Khawarij spread through the Muslim ummah, the noble Companions (RA) began speaking about them, narrating the hadiths that had come down from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about them, and explaining the Quranic arguments that refuted their views, until the heretical nature of their beliefs became clear among the people.” For this reason, every Muslim needs to gain knowledge about this takfiri, extremist group.
Imam Nawawi (rh) says:
وسُمُوا خوارج لخروجهم عن الجماعة، وقيل لخروجهم عن طريق الجماعة
“They were called Khawarij because they went out from the community of Muslims, or because they departed from the way and path of the Muslims.”
Because of their own flawed understanding and mistaken grasp of religion, the Khawarij have risen up and broken away at various points in history based on particular beliefs. They also carry specific signs and traits described by the Messenger of Islam (PBUH) in numerous hadiths. For this reason, I considered it necessary to explain and clarify these hadiths to some extent, so they can help in recognizing this misguided sect.
According to the preponderant view, the first person from this group rose up against Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), the finest human being to ever walk the earth and the guide to justice and the path of guidance. This was when Dhul-Khuwaysirah, this ill-mannered Khariji, behaved disrespectfully toward the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
After the death of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), the Haruriyyah Khawarij were among the first heretical groups to break away from Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, at a time when some of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Muhajireen and Ansar were still alive. This split damaged the unity and cohesion of the Muslim ummah.
Their first formal gathering took place after the martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman (RA), their participation in the Battles of Jamal and Siffin, and their cooperation with the Saba’iyyah sect, which was led by the hypocrite Jew, Abdullah ibn Saba. They emerged when the Muslims proposed peace and came together as one; afterward, they gathered in the area of Harura.
The uprisings of the Khawarij always arise during times of disagreement and conflict among Muslims, and they always try to destroy Muslim unity. Throughout history, this group has been focused on destroying Islam and breaking the united ranks of Muslims. They try to eliminate the ummah’s finest figures and the defenders of Muhammad’s sharia, so that beloved Islam grows weak and the enemies of Islam reach their sinister goals.
That said, identifying the Khawarij must rest on the specific traits described in the Holy Quran and authentic hadiths. No individual or group should be labeled Khawarij simply over intellectual or political disagreement, without evidence and proper investigation.
This historical understanding of the Khawarij therefore serves as the groundwork for correctly understanding the hadiths that have come down about them. The coming parts of this article will examine each of their major signs separately:
– Going to extremes in religion
– Excessive worship paired with flawed understanding
– Declaring Muslims disbelievers
– A superficial understanding of the Holy Quran
– Harshness
– Straying from moderation
