1. The Kharijites

1.1. Origin and definition of the Kharijites %e scholars have defined the Kharijites in several ways. According to Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, the name Kharijites was given to the group that rebelled against the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph 'Ali ibn Abi T2ib (4). He said: "The reason why they are called Khanjltes is because of their rebellion (khuroo~] against 'Ali when he agreed to arbitration."' Ibn Hazm stated that the name Kharijite applies to everyone who resembles the group that rebelled against 'Ali ihn Abi T%b (&) and who shares their beliefs. He said: "Whoever agreed with the Khanjites in rejecting the arbitration, regards anyone who commits a major sin as a disbeliever, says that the people should rebel against unjust rulers, believes that people who commit major sins wlll abide in hell forever, and thinks that the caliph may be other than a Qurayshi, is a Kharijite.

If he differs with them with regard to other issues concerning which the Muslims d~ffered, and he differs with them concerning the issues mentioned above, then he is not a ~harijite."~ 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia Ash-Shahrastiini defined the Kharijites in general terms and for any era, saying: "Anyone who rebels against the rightful ruler of the Muslims, on whom they are agreed, is called a Kharijite, whether that rebellion took place at the time of the Companions against the Rightly Guided Caliphs or it happened after that against those who followed them in truth and the rnlers of every era."3 Ibn Hajar said concerning them: "The Kharijites are those who objected to 'Ali (&) for appointing arbitrators, disavowed him and 'Uthmh and his descendants, and fought them. If they regard them as disbelievers, then they are e~treme."~ Giving another definition, he said: 'The Kharijites are a rebellious group. They are innovators who were given this name because of their rebellion (khurooj) against Islam and against the best of the ~ u s l i m s . " ~ Ahu al-Hasan d-Malti thinks that the first Kharijite group was al-Muhakkimah, whose slogan was "There is no rnling except the ruling of Allah (s)." They said that when 'Ali (&) agreed to arbitration and gave Abu Moosa d-Ash'ari the authority to rule and judge, 'Ali (&) committed an act of disbelief, because there is no ruling except the rnling of Allah (&). The Kharijites were so called because of their rebellion (khurooj) against 'Ali (&) at the time of arbitrati~n.~ Dr.

Nisir al-'Aql says: "They are those who regard people as disbelievers for committing sins and those who rebel against unjust r~lers."~ So the Kharijites are those people who rebelled against 'Ali (&) after he agreed to arbitration following the battle of Siffeen. They have other names by which they are also known, such as the ~ a r o o r i ~ a h , ~ ash-Shur?ih~ d-Mkiqah and al-~uhakkimah.'~ They accepted all of these names except the name al-M&iqah (the renegades); they did not accept that they were renegades 60m Islam who passed out of the faith as the arrow passes out of the prey." 'Ali ibn Abi Tcilib Some scholars suggest that the origins of the Kharijites go back to the time of the Messenger (g), and they recognise DhulKhuway~irah as the first of the Kharijites. He objected to the way the Messenger of Allah (g) distributed some gold that 'Ali (&) had sent to him from Yemen. It is narrated from Abu Sa'eed d-Khudri (&) that he said: " 'Ali ibn Abi T&b (&) sent to the Messenger of Allah (@) some gold from Yemen in a tanned leather bag that had not been purified of the earth clinging to it. He shared it out among four men: 'Uyaynah ibn Hvn, al-Aqra' ibn Hibis, Zayd d-Khayl and the fourth, who was either 'Alqamah ibn 'Ulithah or ' h i r ihn at-Tufayl.

One of his companions said: 'We had more right to it than these men.' News of that reached the Prophet (g), who said: 'Do you not trust me, when I am the trustee of the One Who is above the heaven, and the news of heaven comes to me morning and evening?' A man with sunken eyes, prominent cheeks, a prominent forehead, a thick beard and shaven head stood up, tucking up his waist wrapper, and said: '0 Messenger of Allah, fear AUah!' He said: 'Woe to you! Am I not the one who should fear AUah the most among the people of earth?' Then the man turned and left, and Kh&d ibn d-Wdeed (&) said: '0 Messenger of Allah, should I not strike his neck (kill him)'?' He said: 'No, perhaps he prays.' KhZd said: 'How many of those who pray say with their tongues what is not in their hearts?' The Messenger of Allah (a) said: 'I have not been commanded to check people's hearts or split open their belLies (meaning checking what is in their hidden thoughts).' Then he looked at the man as he was going back, and he said: 'From among the progeny of this man will emerge people who recite the Book of Allah fluently, but it will not go any further than their throats. They will pass out of the faith as an mow passes out of the prey.' He [the narrator] said: I think he said: 'If1 live to see them, then I will certainly kill them like the killing of ha mood.""^ 'Ali's attitude towards the Khan'jtes and Shia Ibn al-Jawzi said, commenting on this hadith.. '"The first of the Kharijites, and the worst of them, was Dhul-Khuway~irah atTameemi. According to one version, he said to the Prophet (@), 'Be fair,' and the Prophet ( g ) repbed: 'Woe to you!

Who will be fair if I am not fair?'13 This was the first Kharijite to rebel in Islam. His problem was that he was content with his own opinion, but if he had thought carefnlly, he would have realised that no opinion could supersede that of the Messenger of Allah (g). The followers of this man are those who fought 'Ali ibn Abi T2lib (&)."14 Among those who suggested that Dhul-Khuway~irah was the first of the Kharijites were Abu Muhammad ibn ~ a z m ' ~ and ashShahras&i, in his hook al-Milal wan-~iha1.l~ Some scholars think that the Kharijites originated at the time of the rebellion against 'Uthmin (&), when they stirred up the fitnah that led to his being killed wrongfully and unlawfully; the unrest that they stirred up was called 'the fmt fitnah'.17 The commentator on at-Tahhciwiyyah said: "The Kharijites and the Shia emerged during the first fitnah."18 Ibn Katheer labelled as Khxijites the thugs who rebelled against and killed 'Uthm2n (&), and he said when discussing them after their slaying of 'Uthmk (&): "The Kharijites came and seized the wealth of the public treasury, in which there was a great deal of ~ealth."'~ The most correct opinion about the origins of the Kharijites, despite the strong connections between Dhul-Khuway~irah and the thugs who rebelled against 'Uthmk (&) on the one hand, and the Kharijites who rebelled against 'Ali (4) because of the arbitration on the other, is that this terminology - in the most accurate sense of the word -can only be applied to those who rebelled because of the arbitration. They were an organised group who formed a sect with its own political inclinations and views, and the group had a clear ideological and intellectual impact, which was not the case in the previous incidents?' 'Ali ibn Abi T&lib 1.2. Hadiths which criticise the Kharijites There are many hadiths from the Prophet 1%) which criticise the renegade Kharijites; they are described in these hadiths as having the most reprehensible characteristics, which make them the worst of people.

Among the hadiths in which they are criticised is that which was narrated by the two shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) in their Saheehs from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (&I: "While we were with the Messenger of Allah (@) -: and he was sharing out some wealth, DhulKhuway~irah, a man from Banu Tameem, came and said: '0 Messenger of Allah, be fair!' The Messenger of Allah (g) said: 'Woe to you! Who will be fair if I am not fair? I will be doomed and lost if I am not fair.' 'Umar ibn al-Khagih (&) said: '0 Messenger of Allah, give me permission to strike his neck.' The Messenger of Allah (g) said: 'Let him be, for he has companions in comparison to whose prayer one of you would regard his prayer as insigniticant, and he would regard his fasting as insignificant in comparison to their fasting. They recite the Quran, but it does not go any further than their collarbones. They will pass out of Islam as an arrow passes out of the prey; when he looks at the tip of it, there is nothing on it; then he looks at the sinews (which tie the arrowhead to the shaft), and there is nothing on them; then he looks at its base, and there is nothing on it; then he looks at its featlie~s, and there is nothing on them, because it has gone too fast to be smeared with excrement or blood.

Their sign will he a black man, one of whose upper arms will be like a woman's breast or like apiece of quivering flesh. They will emerge when there is division among the people.'" Abu Sa'eed said: "I bear witness that I heard this from the Messenger of Allah (g), and I bear witness that 'Ali ibn Abi T2ib (&) fought them when I was with him. He ordered that that man be sought, and he was found and brought. I looked at him and saw that be was just as the Messenger of Allah (g) had described him."21 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites andShia The two shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) also narrated from Abu Salamah and 'Ata' ibn Yask that they came to Abu Sa'eed alKhudri and asked him about the Harooriyyah, saying: "Did you hear the Messenger of Allah (@J mention them?" He said: "I do not know who the Harooriyyah are, but I heard the Messenger of Allah (&J say: 'There will emerge among this Umrnah' - and he did not say: from them - 'people in comparison to whose prayer you will regard your prayer as insignificant. They will recite the Quran, but it will not go any further than their throats.

They will pass out of Islam like an arrow passes out of the prey; then the archer looks at his mow, at its tip and at its end and its notch, wondering whether there are any traces of blood on it."'" Bukhari narrated that Usayd ibn 'Amr said: "I said to Sahl ibn Hunayf: 'Did you hear the Prophet (@) say anything about the Kharijites?' He said: 'I heard him say, pointing towards Iraq: "There will emerge from it people who recite the Quran, but it does not go any further than their collarbones. They will pass out of Islrun as the mow passes out of the prey.""' In these three hadiths, there is clear condemnation of the Kharijites. The Prophet (g) -- described them as a group of renegades who will be inappropriately strict in religion; in fact, they will pass out of it, meaning that they will enter it and then leave it quickly, and no part of it will adhere to them. The first of these hadiths also says that they will fight the group that is in the right, that the group that is in the right will destroy them, and that among them will he a man whose arm is like such and such. AU of that happened as foretold by the Prophet (a).

With regard to the words "it does not go any further than their collarbones," there are two interpretations. It may mean that they do not understand it with their hearts, so they interpret it in a way that was not meant, or it may mean that their recitation will not be taken up to Allah (3g).Z3 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib One of their blameworthy characteristics, for which the Messenger (g) criticised them, is that all they have of faith is mere lip service. Because their reasoning is weak and poor, and their understanding is incorrect, they recite Quran and think that it supports them, when in fact it is against them. Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that 'Ali (&) said: "If I narrate to you a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (@J, by Allah, being dropped from heaven would be dearer to me than telling a lie about him. But if I tell you of something that is between me and you, then war is deceit, and I heard the Messenger of Allah (g) say: 'There will emerge some people at the end of timez4 who are young in age, feebleminded and foolish.

They will quote from the best of words, but their faith will go no further than their throats, and they will pass out of Islam as the arrow passes out of the prey."'z5 In these two hadiths, the Kharijites are criticised for having mere words instead of true faith. The fust hadith indicates that their belief is verbal only and that they do not believe in their hearts.26 III the latter hadith, which was narrated by Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani from 'Ali (A), the word 'faith' refers to prayer. Both hadiths , .. indicate that their faith is a matter of words only, and that it goes no further than their throats or collarbones. This is the worst ~riticism.~' Another of the reprehensible characteristics for which the Prophet (g) criticised them is that they will pass out of Islam and will never be guided to retnm to it, and he said that they are the worst of creation. Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from Abu Dharr (&) that the Prophet (g) said: "After me, there will be among my Ummah people who recite the Quran, but it does not go any further than their throats.

They will pass out of the faith as an mow passes out of the prey, then they will not return to it. They are the most evil of mankind and of all creation."" He narrated from Abu Sa'eed that the Prophet (B) mentioned some people among his 'Ali's attitude towards the Khanjites and Shia Ummah who would rebel as a group, and whose characteristic feature was that they would have shaven heads. He said: "They are the most evil of mankind - or among the most evil of mankind - and they will he killed by the group that is closer to the truth." Another of the characteristics for which they were condemned by the Messenger of Allah ( g ) is that they are the most hated of creation to Allah. It is narrated in sahih Muslim from 'Ubaydullah ibn Abi Rat, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (g), that he was with 'Ali ibn Ahi T%b (&) when the Harooriyyah rebelled. They said: "There is no ruling except the ruling of Allah." 'Ali said: 'These are tme words being used for false purposes.29 The Messenger of Allah ( g ) described some people, and I recognise their characteristics in these people: 'They will speak the truth on their lips, but it will not go any further than this,' - and he pointed to his throat - 'and they are the most hated of Allah's creation to Him.

Among them will be a black man, one of whose arms is like the teat of a sheep or a nipple."' When 'Ali ihn Abi Taib (&) killed them, be said: "Look (for that man)." They looked but did not fmd anything. He told them two or three tlmes: "Go hack, for by Allah, I did not lie, nor was I lied to." Then they found the man in a ruin, and they brought him and placed him before 'Ali (&). 'Ubaydullah said: "I was present when that happened, and 'Ali said that to them."30 Another of the blameworthy characteristics for which they were criticised by the Messenger of Allah (g) was that they were deprived of knowing the truth and being guided to it." Muslim narrated in his sahih, in the hadith of Usayd ihn 'Amr from Sahl ibn Hunayf, that the Prophet (g) said: "Some people from the east, who have shaven heads, will he misguided."32 Al-Nawawi said that this means that they wiU go astray from the right path and the path of tmth.33 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib Another of the reprehensible characteristics that the Prophet (g) said would be manjfested in them is that they regard it as a religious duty to kill the Muslims while they spare those who worship idols and the cross.34 The two shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) narrated in their Saheehs that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri said: "When he was in Yemen, 'Ali (&) sent some gold, still encased in earth, to the Messenger of Allah (g), and the Messenger of Allah (@) shared it out among four men ... There came a man with a thick beard, prominent cheeks, sunken eyes, a prominent forehead and a shaven head, who said: 'Fear Allah, 0 Muhammad!' The Messenger of Allah ( g ) said: 'Who will obey Allah if I disobey Him? Would He trust me with the people of earth, but you do not trust me?' Then the man turned and left, and a man who was among the people asked for permission to kill him.

(They think that he was Khilid ibn alWaleed.) Then the Messenger of Allah (a) said: 'Among the progeny of this man will be people who will recite the Quran, but it will not go any further than their throats. They will kill the people of Islam and leave the idol worshippers alone. They will pass through Islam as an arrow passes through the prey. If1 live to see them, then I will certainly kill them like 'Ad."'35 This prediction is a marvellous miracle of the Messenger (B) because they behaved as he foretold; they wielded their swords and killed the Muslims, but they spared the disbelievers - the Jews and ~ h r i s t i a n s ~ ~ - as we shall see below. Another sign of the corruption of the Kharijites is reflected in the fact that the Messenger (B) encouraged killing them when they appeared.

He said that if he lived to see them, he would eradicate them by killing them as 'Ad and Thamood were eradicated, and he said that the one who killed them would have a reward with Allah (B) on the Day of Resurrection. Allah (&) bestowed upon the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph, 'Ali ibn Abi Tsib, the honour of 'Ali's azitude towards the Kharijites and Shia fighting and killing them, because they emerged during his reign as the Prophet (g) described them. 'Ali (&) went out to meet the Kharijites with the army that he had prepared to take to Syria; he attacked them at NahrawZn, and fewer than ten of them survived, as we shall see below. He did not fight them until they had shed blood that was protected by Shariah and attacked the property of the Muslims, then he fought them in order to defend against their aggression and because of what they had demonstrated of their evil actions and words. The hadiths that we have quoted criticising the Kharijites are sufficient; there are so many hadiths criticising them that hardly any books of hadith are devoid of such reports.37 We will discuss below how they started to gather in Haroora', how Ibn 'Abbh debated with them, and how Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) was keen to enlighten and guide them, as well as the reasons for the battle of Nahrawin and its consequences.

We will also discuss the basic beliefs of the Kharijites and whether Kharijite thought still exists among people, what its causes are and how it should be dealt with. 1.3. The gathering of the Kharijites in Haroora' and the debate of Ibn 'Abbgs with them The Kharijites split in a large group from 'Ali's army on the way back from Siffeen to Kufah. According to one report, they numbered more than ten thousand; other reports put the number at twelve th~usand,~' eight thousand39 or fourteen thousand.40 There is also a report saying that they were twenty thou~and,~' but this report was narrated without any chain of tran~mission.~~ These people split from the army in several stages before reaching Kufah, which was a cause of wony and alarm for the companions of 'Ali (&). The caliph marched to Kufah with those in his army who remained loyal Xli ibn Abi Trilib to him. 'Ali (&) became preoccupied with the Kharijite issue, especially after he heard about them organising their group by appointing one man to lead the prayers and another man to lead the fighting.

Their view that allegiance was to be given to Allah (s), as well as their emphasis on enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, meant a practical split from the main body of the Muslims. Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&,) was also keen to bring them back to the main body of Muslims, so he sent Ibn 'Abhb to debate with them. Ibn 'AbhL himself narrated what happened: "I went out to them wearing the best suit that Yemen had to offer, and I entered upon them in a house in the middle of the day." Ibn 'Ahbis was a handsome and good-looking man. "They said: 'Welcome, 0 Ibn 'Abbis; what is rhis suit?' 1 said: 'Why are you criticising me? I saw the Messenger of Allah (B) wearing the best kind of suit, and the words (Say [O Muhammad]: Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allah, which He has produced for His slaves, and At-Tayyibzt [all kinds of Hal& (lawful) things] of food?) (Quran 7: 32) were revealed.' "They said: 'What brings you here?' I said: 'I have come to you from the Companions of the Prophet (g), the Muhijireen and An$%, and from the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet (g), among whom the Qw'an was revealed and who have more knowledge of its interpretation than you.

None of them is among you, so I need to convey to you what they are saying and to convey to them what you are saying.' A group of people took me aside, and I said: 'Tell me what you are upset about with regard to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (g) and his cousin.' They said: 'There are three things.' I said: 'What are they?' They said: 'Firstly, he left the judgement or decision to men concerning a matter of religion, and Allah says: 4The decision is only for Allah.) (Quran 6: 57). What does man have to do with decisions and ruling?' 'Ali's anitude towards the Kharijites and Shia "I said: 'This is one; what is the second?' They said: 'He fought and did not take the womenfolk of his opponents captive or take any booty. If they are disbelievers, we should be allowed to take their womenfolk captive; if they are believers, it is not permissible to take their womenfolk captive or to fight them.' "I said: 'This is the second; what is the third? They said: 'He erased his title of Amir al-Mu'mineen [in the arbitration document]. If he is not the leader of the believers, then he is the leader of the disbelievers.' I said: 'Do you have anything else?

They said: 'That is all.' I said to them: 'If1 bring evidence to you from the Book of Allah (&) and the Sunnah of His prophet (g) to answer your questions, do you think that you will recant?' They said: 'Yes.' "I said: 'With regard to what you said about him leaving the judgement or decision to men concerning a matter of religion, I shall recite to you from the Book of Allah to show that Allah delegated His ruling and decision to men with regard to something worth onequarter of a dirham, and Allah (%) instructed them to issue a ruling concerning it. Do you not see that Allah (B) says: $0 you who believe, kill not the game while you are in a state of &rim [for hajj or 'umrah (pilgrimage)], and whosoever of you kills it intentionally, the penalty is an offering, brought to the Ka'bah, of an eatable animal [i.e. sheep, goat, cow] equivalent to the one be killed, as adjudged by two just men among you) (Quran 5: 95)? This verse refers to something concerning which men are to judge. I adjure you by Allah, is the ruling or decision of men with regard to reconciling between people and sparing their blood more important than the ruling on a rabbit? They said: 'Yes, this is more important.' "I said: 'Concerning a woman and her husband, Allah (%) says: $If you fear a breach between them twain [the man and his wife], appoint [two] arbitrators, one from his family and the other from hers) (Quran 4 35). 1 adjure you by Allah, is the ruling or 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib decision of men to bring reconciliation between people and spare their blood more important than their ruling or decision concerning a woman and her husband?

Have I answered this point?' They said: 'Yes.' "I said: 'With regard to your saying that he fought and did not take the women captive or take any booty, would you take your mother 'A'ishah (F&) captive and regard (intimacy with) her as permissible like anyother woman, when she is your mother? If you say, "We regard (intimacy with) her as permissible Wce any other woman," then you have become disbelievers, and if you say, "She is not our mother," you have become disbelievers. (The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their [believers'] mothers [as regards respect and marriage].) (Quran 33: 6). Either way, it is misguidance, so how could you answer this? Have I answered your point?' They said: 'Yes.' "I said: 'As for your saying that he has erased the title of Amir d-Mu'mineen, I shall quote to you something that you will accept.

On the day of Hudaybiyah, the Prophet made a treaty with the polytheists. He said: "0 'Ali, write: This is what was agreed by Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah." They (the disbelievers of Quraysh) said: "If we accepted that you were the Messenger of Allah, we would not have fought you." The Messenger of Allah (@J said: "Erase it, 0 'Ali. 0 Allah, You know that I am the Messenger of Allah. Erase it, 0 'Ali, and write: 'This is what was agreed by Muhammad ibn Abdullah."' By Allah, the Messenger of Allah is better than 'Ali, and he erased it. Erasing this title does not mean that he gave up prophethood. Have I answered this point?' They said: 'Yes.' 'Two thousand of them recanted, hut the rest of them continued their rebellion and fought on the basis of their misguidance, and the Muhgjireen and An& killed them."43 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia We can learn a number of lessons from the debate of Ibn 'Abb2.s with the Kharijites: 1.3.1.

Making a good selection when choosing the one who is going to debate with opponents Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) chose his cousin Abdullah ibn 'Abbk, who was a scholar of the Ummah and an interpreter of the Quran. The people he was going to debate were known for being well-versed in the Quran; they relied for their guidance on the Quran and the way they interpreted it, so the one who was most qualified to debate with them was the one who was most knowledgeable of the Quran and its interpretation. We might say that Ibn 'Abbk (&) was the one who was specialised in this kind of debate, because of his sincere intention towards Allah (&), his shunning of whims and desires, his patience and forbearance, his deliberation, his gentle approach to his opponents, his ability to listen properly to all opponents and avoid getting into arguments, and the clarity of his proof and the strength of his evidence. 1.3.2. Starting the debate by noting the points that are agreed upon Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib (&) and his opponents, the Kharijites, were agreed on adhering to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad (g). Hence Abdullah ibn 'AbbB (&) said to them: "If I bring evidence to you from the Book of AUah (s) and the Sunnah of His prophet (g) to answer your questions, do you think that you will recant?" In this way, Abdullah ibn 'Abbh (&) tried to get agreement with them on this issue before starting the debate.

'Ali ibn Abi Tdlib 1.3.3. Knowing what arguments the opponents have Knowing the opponents' arguments, having a complete list of them and being prepared before starting the debate, is important. We assume that before the debate with them, Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) knew their arguments and discussed with his companions how to answer them. 1.3.4. Refuting the opponents' claims one after another This is done so that they will not have a leg to stand on, as is clear from the words of Ibn 'AhhL (&) in his debate with them. Every time he finished refuting one point, he said: "Have I answered this point?' 1.3.5.

Before starting the debate, saying something that helps to reach the right conclusion for the sake of h-uth Ahdullah ihn 'Abhis (&) said at the beginning, before the debate: "I have come to you from the Companions of the Prophet (g), the Muhijireen and Ans2r, and from the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet (g), among whom the Quran was revealed and who have more knowledge of its interpretation than yon. None of them is among you ... ,144 1.3.6. Showing respect for the views of the opponents during the debate This is so that they will he more inclined to listen to and respect whatever he has to say. This is what we see in the debate between Ibn 'Ahhh and the ~harijites.~~ 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia 1.3.7. Allah guided thousands of those people The number of Kharijites who were present at the battle of Nahrawk was fewer than four thousand, as we shall see below.

They realised the trnth, and their confusion was dispelled by the grace of Allah and by what Ibn 'Abbis (&) had been given of knowledge, strength of argument and the ability to explain things clearly. The falseness of their argument became clear to them by means of proper interpretation of the verses on which they were basing their arguments, and by means of the Sunnah of the Prophet, which explains the meanings of the noble ~ u r ' a n . ~ ~ 1.3.8. The words of Ibn 'AbbSs (4): "None of them is among you" This is a clear statement on the part of Ibn 'Abbh (&) that not one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (g) was with them, and none of the Kharijites disputed that fact. This report is sound and proven. As far as I know, there is no one among the Sunni scholars who said that any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (g) were with the Kharijites.

As for the claims that some of the Companions were with the Kharijites, that is the claim of the Kharijites themselves, but they have no documented academic proof for what they say. 1.3.9. Defining the reference point (for solving the problem) Ibn 'AbbL (&) said: "If I bring evidence to you from the Book of Allah (&) and the Sunnah of His prophet (g) to answer your questions, do you think that you will recant?" They said yes. These words of Ibn 'Abb2s (&) offer an important lesson, which is that the reference point with the debaters should be defined so that it will be possible to reach a sound outcome to the debate. 'Ali ibn Abi Tcilib 1.4. Arnir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) goes out to debate with the remainder of the Kharijites, and his policy on dealing with them after they came back to Kufah then rebelled again After the debate of Ibn 'AhbL with the Kharijites, in which two thousand of them responded to him, Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) himself went out to them to speak to them, and they came back to Kufah.

This period of calm did not last long, though. The Kharijites understood from 'Ali (4) that he had changed his mind about arbitration and had repented for his mistake, as they saw it, and they began to broadcast this claim among the people. Al-Ash'ath ibn Qays al-Kindi came to 'Ali and said to him: "The people are saying that you have recanted disbelief for them." 'Ali (&) gave a sermon on the next Friday in which he praised and glorified Allah (&) and reminded them how they had split from the people and the issue over which they had split from him.47 According to one report, a man stood up and said: "There is no ruling except the ruling of AUah." Then another one stood up and said the same thing, then others stood up in different parts of the mosque repeating the same slogan. He gestured with his hand for them to sit down and said: "Yes, there is no ruling except the ruling of Allah. This is a word of tmth intended for a false purpose.

I am waiting for the d i n g of Allah concerning From the minbar, he started gesturing for them to he quiet, but some of them started putting their fingers in their ears and saying: (If you join others in worship with Allah, [then] surely, [all] your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers) (Quran 39: 65). Amir alMu'mineen 'Ali (4) responded by saying: (So be patient [0 Muhammad]. Verily, the promise of AUah is true; and let not those who have no certainty of faith discourage you from conveying Allah's Message [which you are obliged to convey].) (Quran 30: 60). 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia Amir al-Mu'mineen announced his just policy towards this extremist group, telling them: We can grant you three things: