Praise be to Allah.
Khawarij Existence: Narrated by Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri: While we were with the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and he was distributing something, Dhul-Khuwaisirah came – and he was a man from the tribe of Tameem – and said, “Be just, O Messenger of Allah.”
He replied, “Woe to you, and who will be just? You have indeed lost if I was not just.”
Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah, give me permission so that I may strike his neck.” He replied, “Leave him, for he has companions and if you compare your prayers with theirs, and your fasting with theirs, you will look down upon your prayers and fasting in comparison to theirs.
They recite the Qur’an but it doesn’t leave their throats. They will leave this religion just as an arrow darts through the game’s body in which case if the point of the arrow was examined, nothing will be found on it, and when its stem was examined, nothing will be found on it; and if its feathers are examined nothing will be found on it.
The arrow has been too fast to be smeared by dung and blood. The sign by which these people are recognized will be a black man. One of his upper arms will be like the breast of a woman or like a moving piece of flesh and they will appear at a time of discord between the people (Muslims).”
Abu Sa‘eed said, “I testify that I heard this Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and I testify that Ali fought against them while I was with him, then he ordered that man be sought.
He was searched for and brought and I saw that he was bearing the description that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) made about him.”
Muslim narrated in his Saheeh from Abu Sa‘eed, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “A group shall emerge at a time of discord between the Muslims, the nearest of the two parties to the truth shall kill it.” He also narrated it from the Hadith of Abu Ishaq Ath-Thawri from Habeeb Ibn Abu Thabit from Ad-Dhahhak Al-Mishraqi from Abu Sa‘eed from the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him).
Muslim narrated from (Yusair) Ibn Amr, who said, “I asked Sahl Ibn Hunaif, did you hear the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) speak about Khawarij Existence?”
He replied, “I heard him, then he pointed toward the East – and in another narration, toward Iraq – and said, ‘A group shall emerge, they shall recite the Qur’an with their tongues yet it doesn’t pass their throats.
They shall leave this religion just as an arrow passes through its game, they have shaved heads.’” In the Saheehain from Ali: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “A group will emerge toward the end of time, with new teeth (young people), with foolish aspirations, and they speak with words from the best of creation (i.e., the Prophet’s sayings), their faith will not pass their throats.
Wherever you meet them then kill them, for lies a reward for the one who kills them till the Day of Resurrection.”
Narrated by Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas, he said: The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned the man with a (female) breast and said, “The devil of the mountain spring is like the one who tends to horses, a man from Bajeelah shall bring him.” He was known as Al-Ashhab or Ibn Al-Ashhab; he is the sign of an oppressive people. Sufyan said: Ammar (Ad-Duhni) that a man brought him known as Al-Ashhab or Ibn Al-Ashhab.
Narrated by Abu Sa‘eed, he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “There will be someone from you who will fight in defence of the interpretation of the Qur’an just as I fought in defence of its revelation.” Abu Bakr said, “Is that me, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “No.” Umar said, “Is that me, O Messenger of Allah.” He replied, “No, but he is Khasifun Naal.” He intended Ali.
Narrated from Lahiq, he said, “The ones who rebelled against Ali in An-Nahrawan were 4,000 in iron. The Muslims mounted them and killed them and they didn’t kill from the Muslims except 9, and if you wish then go to Abu Barzah, for he will testify to that.”
I say: The narrations from the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) concerning fighting against the Khawarij are Mutawatirah (many in number providing certainty in the narrations’ authenticity) because they are from many paths that provide certainty with the Imams of this field (i.e. Hadith).
And its occurrence in the era of Ali is known by necessity among all the people of knowledge. And as for how they rebelled, and Ibn Abbas’ debating with them concerning that and the return of many of them to him then it shall be mentioned – if Allah wills – at its appropriate place.
And Allah knows best.
