Author: Zia Bari
The emergence of the Khawarij commenced during the Battle of Siffin in 37 AH (657 CE), which transpired between Hazrat Ali (may Allah honor him) and Hazrat Mu’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him).
Towards the culmination of the battle, where both leaders consented to arbitration (tahkim), a group from Hazrat Ali’s army separated, denouncing the decision as un-Islamic. They posited that only Allah holds the right to adjudicate, perceiving human arbitration as an encroachment upon His sovereignty, hence adopting the motto, “No judgment except Allah’s.”
This group came to be known as the “Khawarij” (derived from “kharaja,” signifying rebellion and separation). In due course, they opposed both Hazrat Ali and Mu’awiya, proclaiming anyone in favor of arbitration as a non-believer who had strayed from Islam.
The Khawarij sought to establish their autonomous governance, instigating armed uprisings in Iraq, Persia, and other territories. Hazrat Ali encountered their insurrections and ultimately initiated military campaigns against them.
In 38 AH, a significant group of Khawarij congregated in Nahrawan, where Hazrat Ali fought them in what became known as the Battle of Nahrawan. Most Khawarij were killed in this battle, temporarily controlling the fitna, but smaller groups continued their activities afterward.
Though Hazrat Ali suppressed the initial revolts, the Khawarij were never completely eliminated. They continued their activities during the Umayyad Caliphate, opposing Umayyad rulers and frequently revolting in regions like Iraq, Persia, and Jazira. They deemed the Umayyad rulers as oppressive and accused them of deviating from the true spirit of Islam.
The Khawarij were particularly active during the time of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan and the governor Hajjaj ibn Yusuf. Hajjaj, an important commander under the Umayyads, waged several intense battles against the Khawarij, severely crushing their uprisings.
In the early years of the Abbasid Caliphate, the Khawarij remained active, especially in remote areas. They launched revolts against the Abbasid rulers, posing a serious threat to the stability of the Islamic Caliphate.
Abbasid caliphs attempted to combat the Khawarij insurgents and put an end to their revolts, but the Khawarij remained a persistent and threatening issue for an extended period. During this time, they launched numerous rebellions against Muslims in Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen, Persia, and North Africa.
During the Ottoman Caliphate, the Khawarij were no longer active in the same way as in earlier Islamic centuries. Over time, their political and military power had declined significantly, and their influence within the Islamic world was greatly reduced.
By this period, the Khawarij had lost their status as an influential political faction. The main religious and political challenges of the time involved Sunni-Shia conflicts, Safavid-Ottoman rivalries, and issues related to internal reforms and modernization, rather than fitnas like that of the Khawarij.
Groups with similar ideologies to the Khawarij may have existed in small or remote communities, but they played no significant role in the broader political and religious landscape of the Ottoman Caliphate.
