Part 2
Ahmad Khorasani
The Khawarij: Historical Background and Takfiri Ideology
In the early years of Islamic history, when the newly formed Muslim community was still striving to build its identity after the passing of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), a group appeared whose impact would leave deep and lasting scars on the ummah. This group came to be known as the Khawarij. Their name, taken from the act of rising in rebellion against the rightful caliph, reflects their defining feature: they were the first to label other Muslims as unbelievers and to present violence as a religious duty.
Their rise is closely linked to the events surrounding the Battle of Siffin. When the dispute between Hazrat Ali (RA) and Muawiyah led to the suggestion of arbitration, a faction within Hazrat Ali’s army objected and broke away. They gathered around the slogan, “La hukma illa lillah,” meaning “There is no judgment except Allah’s.” While the words themselves are unquestionably true and sacred, the Khawarij wielded them as a tool for distortion to justify their uncompromising rigidity and to dismiss political wisdom, communal necessity, and the practical responsibilities of governance.
The Khawarij interpreted religious texts in the most rigid and literal manner possible, stripped of context or understanding. Convinced of their own exclusive righteousness, they dismissed anyone who disagreed with them as a disbeliever whose life had no value. Their extremism went so far that they even declared takfir upon Hazrat Ali (RA), the fourth caliph of the Muslims and one of the most honored and respected figures in Islamic history, and he was ultimately martyred by one of their adherents.
This painful episode marked an important turning point and showed how a distorted and exaggerated understanding of religion can become a grave danger to the Muslim ummah. Several ideas came to define the Khawarij’s worldview. The first was the claim that any Muslim who committed a major sin left the fold of Islam entirely. This belief, which contradicts the essence of Islamic teaching, opened the door to widespread accusations of disbelief and hostility among Muslims.
Their second major idea was the insistence that no government was legitimate unless it implemented divine law exactly as they imagined it. Even the leadership of Hazrat Ali, known for his justice, knowledge, and piety, was rejected. This mindset created an atmosphere of constant unrest, where every small group felt justified in taking up arms in the name of religion.
The third defining feature of the Khawarij was their willingness to use violence without restraint. They targeted not only enemies in battle but also ordinary people, including women and children, believing such acts to be an expression of devotion rather than cruelty.
When we look at modern extremist groups like ISIS, the parallels are unmistakable. The same shallow reading of sacred texts, the same claim to exclusive possession of truth, the same habit of branding others as unbelievers, and the same glorification of violence can be seen clearly. And both the early Khawarij and groups like ISIS have inflicted enormous harm on the Muslim world.
Studying the history of the Khawarij reminds us that the impulse toward brutality has appeared repeatedly throughout the centuries, sometimes in different forms but always driven by the same misunderstanding of religion. Today, ISIS and similar movements are the intellectual and spiritual descendants of that early deviation. Recognizing this lineage allows us to better understand the roots of the violence we see today and makes it clear that defeating such movements requires more than military force. It demands a sustained and thoughtful effort to challenge their ideas, expose their distortions, and reaffirm the true teachings of Islam.
