THE KHAWARIJ
Extremist Mindset
A QUESTION often asked with respect to the Khawarij is:
“If one thinks of sensitivity for right and wrong and discipline in adhering to God’s commands, the case of the Khawarij comes to mind. Then why were they removed from the mainstream of Islam? Was it because while being strictly observant of God’s commands themselves, they also believed in stringently making others follow religious injunctions? What is the correct interpretation of the matter?” The Kharijiyat sect emerged in the first century of the Hijri calendar, which was the period of the caliphate of Ali (656-661 AD). Initially, these people had sided with Caliph Ali, but later they developed differences with him and parted ways. This is why they are called Khawarij, meaning “those who walked out”, or “those who left”.
Extremist tendencies begin to appear as harmless ideas, but after some time they assume dangerous proportions. This is why in Islam extremism that leads to violence is considered extremely abhorrent.
People who belong to this sect call themselves al-Sharah, which means those who sell themselves for the sake of God’s religion. Members of this sect identify themselves with a group of people referred to in the Quran as Aʿrab (49: 14). These were illiterate people whose way of life was marked by extremism. Today such people will be defined as radicalized Muslims. They were contemporaries of the Prophet who had entered Muslim society by reciting the Islamic creed, however, they had not undergone proper training in religion. This is why they still possessed the pre-Islamic extremist mindset. They would excommunicate people for minor differences. Any person who expressed dissent from their extremist beliefs was held worthy of being killed. For example, the Khawarij had declared that Caliph Ali be executed because in the matter of resolving his differences with Muawiyah he had chosen to accept an arbitrator, while the Khawarij believed that he should have instead consulted the Quran, the Book of God for decision.
It would not be right to say that the Khawarij were sensitive in matters of religion. Being sensitive is proper if it keeps one peaceful, but if one’s sensitivity leads one to assume that one’s opponent is worthy of being killed then such sensitivity would be appropriately described as undesirable extremism. Those who are sensitive in this sense have actually developed a self-styled version of Islam, for which they have no right.
The Khawarij were the first sect among Muslims which brought in the concept of “thought crime” in Islam. Those who believe in such extremist views cannot be regarded as being sensitive in religious matters, instead their case is of those who make alterations in God’s religion. If these people keep their ideas to themselves, then they should be left alone. However, if they promote their extremist ideas and issue death verdicts on their opponents, then according to Islam, they would be viewed as criminals.
The Khawarij sect originated over political differences. In the later history of Islam when Muslims had acquired political power, differences also arose between various groups among Muslims. These differences were originally only differing viewpoints. An example is the case of Sad ibn Ubadah, who differed with Caliph Abu Bakr on a matter. Despite holding a divergent opinion from the Caliph, he did not protest and remained peaceful. But later the differences among Muslims became so intense that people began to engage in confrontation with each other. In this period, in order to lend credence to their respective viewpoints, each group attempted to Islamize their particular ideas and notions. That is, every faction tried to prove its opinions right by seeking legitimacy and justification in Islamic teaching.
As a result, the phenomenon of sectarian extremism emerged among Muslims. There were several instances of extremism exhibited by various groups. Extremist tendencies begin to appear as harmless ideas, but after some time they assume dangerous proportions. The entire Muslim society became marred with evils such as anarchy, hatred and civil war. This is why in Islam extremism that leads to violence is considered extremely abhorrent. If those who believe in such extremist views begin to give practical shape to their ideas, then an established state has the right to enter into peaceful negotiations with the extremists, as was done by the Caliph Umar ibn Abdul Aziz. However, if these people do not desist, then the government has the power to initiate strict proceedings against such groups to put an end to their destructive activities.
In present times, those who have raised political power to the status of religious belief are the Khawarij of the modern age.