By Ghiyath al-Din Ghouri
The Khawarij were the very first sect to separate from the Muslim community following the martyrdom of Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, and the subsequent tribulations. Following the arbitration incident between Ali and Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with them both, they broke away from the ranks of the Muslims under the slogan “Judgment belongs to none but Allah” and gathered in the region of Harura.
Their most defining intellectual characteristic was their practice of declaring Muslims to be disbelievers due to sins or divergent jurisprudential interpretations.
They deemed Hazrat Ali (RA) along with numerous other companions of the Prophet (PBUH), to be disbelievers, and consequently declared the blood and property of Muslims to be lawful to take.
The Khawarij suffered a profound deviation in their comprehension of religious texts; they clung strictly to the literal meanings of certain Quranic verses while completely disregarding the Prophetic Sunnah and the understanding of the Companions. Consequently, they rejected numerous rulings firmly established by the Sunnah and excommunicated Muslims with utmost ease. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), warned against them, stating that they would recite the Holy Quran but its true essence and spirit would not penetrate past their throats, and that “they would slaughter the Muslims and leave the idolaters alone.”
The consequences and harms of the Khawarij and their like-minded groups for the Islamic Ummah can be summarized in the following points:
1. Propagating the phenomenon of takfir among Muslims and expelling people from Islam without any legitimate sharia evidence.
2. Shedding the blood of Muslims and creating insecurity and chaos within the Islamic society.
3. Weakening the unity of the Ummah and expanding division and discord among Muslims.
4. Misusing the verses of the Holy Quran and misinterpreting religious texts.
5. Disregarding the Prophetic Sunnah and the understanding of the Companions, leading to deviation in creed and practice.
6. Undermining the strength and prestige of the Islamic Ummah, thereby paving the way for enemy infiltration.
7. Presenting a violent and distorted image of Islam to the world.
8. Embroiling Muslims in internal conflicts and infighting, instead of confronting core challenges and true adversaries.
ISIS and its Ideological Commonality with the Khawarij
Numerous scholars have likened ISIS to the Khawarij from an ideological perspective; this is because this group has consistently adopted the excommunication of Muslims, religious extremism, indiscriminate violence, the shedding of innocent blood, and the sowing of discord among Muslims as its core methodology. The consequence of such ideology and behavior is the weakening of the unity of the Islamic Ummah, the defamation of Islam, and the creation of opportunities for the adversaries of Muslims.
Therefore, the path to the salvation and triumph of the Islamic Ummah lies in holding steadfastly to the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah, adhering to the understanding of the Companions and the righteous predecessors, guarding against extremism and negligence, strengthening the unity of Muslims, and refraining from unsubstantiated excommunication.