Kharijites

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Kharijites

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An early Islamic sect known for its radical stance on governance and sin.

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Origins & Early Life

The Kharijites (Arabic: الخوارج, romanized: al-Khawārij, singular Arabic: خارجي, romanized: khārijī) were an Islamic sect which emerged during the First Fitna (656–661). The first Kharijites were supporters of Ali who rebelled against his acceptance of arbitration talks to settle the conflict with his challenger, Mu'awiya, at the Battle of Siffin in 657. They asserted that "judgment belongs to God alone", which became their motto, and that rebels such as Mu'awiya had to be fought and overcome according to Qur'anic injunctions. Ali defeated the Kharijites at the Battle of Nahrawan in 658, but their insurrection continued. Ali was assassinated in 661 by a Kharijite dissident seeking revenge for the defeat at Nahrawan.

Career & Major Achievements

After Mu'awiya established the Umayyad Caliphate in 661, his governors kept the Kharijites in check. The power vacuum caused by the Second Fitna (680–692) allowed for the resumption of the Kharijites' anti-government rebellion, and the Kharijite factions of the Azariqa and Najdat came to control large areas in Persia and Arabia. Internal disputes and fragmentation weakened them considerably before their defeat by the Umayyads in 696–699. In the 740s, large-scale Kharijite rebellions broke out across the caliphate, but all were eventually suppressed. Although the Kharijite revolts continued into the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258), including a major rebellion from 866 to 896, the most militant Kharijite groups were gradually eliminated.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

They were replaced by the non-activist Ibadiyya, who survive to this day in Oman and some parts of North Africa. They, however, deny any links with the Kharijites of the Second Muslim Civil War and beyond, condemning them as extremists. The Kharijites did not have a uniform set of doctrines. The Kharijites believed that any Muslim, irrespective of his descent or ethnicity, qualified for the role of caliph, provided that he was morally irreproachable. It was the duty of Muslims to rebel against and depose caliphs who sinned.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1258: 1258 Milestone — Although the Kharijite revolts continued into the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258), including a major rebellion from 866 to 896, the most militant Kharijite groups were gradually eliminated.

Notable Quotes by Kharijites

“Judgment belongs to God alone.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kharijites

True or False: “The Kharijites' initial opposition was solely based on economic grievances rather than theological disputes.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While economic factors were sometimes cited by modern historians, the core dispute began with theological disagreements over political legitimacy and sin.

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