History of Khawaarij

8/8/2019 History of Khawaarij

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HISTORY OF KHAWAARIJ

Al-Khawarij is plural for Kharij, meaning one who rebels against the acknowledgedMuslim ruler whom Islam obliges every Muslim to obey and not rebel against.

This definition of Al- Khawarij, which is taken from Islamic terminology, has become a

trademark for the twelve thousand Muslims who rebelled against Caliph Ali bin Abi Talib,may Allah be pleased with him, and this includes all the groups that followed their way ofunderstanding the religion.

These groups have since been known as Al-Khawarij even though they carried differentnames.

Among those groups are: Al- Muhakkimah, Ash- Sharat, Al-Haroriyyah, An- Nawa-sib,and Al- Mariqhah.

Al-Khawarij are the people whom the Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam,

mentioned when he said, what translated means, A group will go astray during atime of division between Muslims. The closest among the adversaries (the side ofAli bin Abi Talib and the side of Muawiyah) to the Truth will kill them (the deviantgroup, Al-Khawarij).

Also, the Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam, said regarding a man whoonce accused him of injustice, From among the offspring of this man there willrise a people who will read the Quran but it will not go beyond their throats(meaning it will not enter their hearts). They will kill Muslims and spare Idol-worshippers. They will deviate from Islam (as fast and clean) as an arrow piercesthe game. If I live to witness their appearance, I will kill them as the people ofAad(whom Allah utterly destroyed and annihilated because of their disbelief) were

killed. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].

He further said, Just before the end of time, young, idiotic people will rise. Theywill say words similar to (the good words) of the best people. They will recite the

Quran, but it will not go beyond their throats. They will deviate from thereligion as fast as an arrow pierces the game. If you meet them, kill them, forkilling them will bring about a reward from Allah on the Day of Resurrection forwhoever kills them. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].

The companions of the Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam, wereunanimous in their decision to fight Al-Khawarij. Also, the majority of the scholars of

Islam state that it is an obligation to fight them.

Soon after they appeared as a distinct group, Al-Khawarij divided into seven groups,

among them Al- Muhakkimah who fought Ali bin Abi Talib.Al-Khawarij accused Ali of Kufr and announced their animosity towards him. Theydeparted to Haroraa and chose two men as their leaders, one to lead them in prayerand the other to lead their forces in battle. When Ali realized the danger posed by thesepeople, he sent Abdullah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, to debate them andexpose their erroneous ways. Ibn Abbas argued with them and refuted the argumentssupporting the positions they took. Many of them abandoned the camp of Al-Haroriyyahand rejoined the camp of Caliph Ali bin Abi Talib.

However, their leaders and those who remained with them refused to abandon theirrebellion against the righteous Khalifah, Ali. They announced that their campaign of waragainst their adversaries will continue. Ali bin Abi Talib then decided to meet them

himself.


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He called upon them to rejoin the ranks of the Khalifah and abandon their deviant ways.He also refuted their arguments and nullified their misguided way of understanding thereligion.

However, they persisted in their defiance of the Khalifah and camped their forces at thearea of An-Nahrawan.

On their way to An-Nahrawan, Al-Khawarij met Abdullah -- the son of Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, a noble companion of the Messenger Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam, and seizedhim. They asked him, Who are you? He replied, I am Abdullah bin Khabbab, the

companion of the Messenger Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam. They said, Narrate to us aHadith you heard from your father who related it to the Messenger Salla Allahu AlayhiWasallam. He said, I heard my father say, The Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi

Wasallam, said, There will be a Fitnah (calamity and division) in which those whosit idle are better than those who walk, and those who walk are better thanthose who rush. Therefore, whoever has no choice but to kill or be killed, lethim be killed and let him not be the killer. They asked him, What do you sayregarding Abu Bakr and Umar? Abdullah said good words of praise regarding them.

They said, What do you say with regards to At- Tahkim (when Ali and Muawiyahreverted to some of the companions to judge between them in their dispute, according

to the Quran and Sunnah)?

He said, I say that Ali has better knowledge in the Book of Allah, is more careful withthe religion, and has more wisdom than you! They said, You do not follow the Truth

and Guidance. Rather, you follow men according to their fame. They then said to him,This Quran (which you carry) around your neck commands us to kill you. He said,Whoever the Quran preserves his life, you preserve his life in turn.

And whoever the Quran sheds his blood, give him death in turn. Then, they broughtAbdullah bin Khabbab closer to the river, and one of them, Musmi bin Qhadali, slit his

throat. Then, they entered his house and killed his children and also his wife, who waspregnant, and slit open her stomach.

When Ali bin Talib heard what Al-Khawarij did to Abdullah bin Khabbab and his family,he led an expedition of four thousand soldiers to arrest those who committed this

atrocity. When he reached their area, he asked them to deliver those who killedAbdullah. They said to Alis emissary, We all killed him. And, furthermore, if we catchyou (meaningAli) we will kill you too. Then, Ali prepared to fight them.

But before the battle commenced, he asked them, What do you dislike as regards mymatter? They said, We hate that you, when we fought with you on the Day (incident)

of Al-Jamal, allowed for us their (the side of Aaishah, Talhah, and Az-Zubair)possessions after we defeated them but did not allow us to seize their women andchildren as slaves. Why did you allow us to shed their blood and seize their possessionsbut not their women and children? Ali said, I only allowed you to seize their possession

in return for their looting the Muslim treasury in the city of Basrah before I came to meetthem (to convince them to end their rebellion). As for their women and children, they didnot fight against us and they, therefore, still enjoyed the rights of Muslims who live in

the Islamic state. Also, if I had allowed their women for you, who among you would haveliked to take Aaishah (the Prophets wife) as his share? They became ashamed andsilent.

Thereafter, Ali refuted all their arguments and, as a consequence, eight thousand ofthem rejoined his camp. However, four thousand of them insisted on fighting, led by

Abdullah bin Wahb Ar-Rasibi and Thu Al-Khuwaysirah (also known as Thu Ath-Thadiyyah), whose name was Hurqus bin Zaid.


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Soon afterwards, the battle between Ali and Al-Khawarij commenced, and Alis armydefeated and killed them all except nine people.After the battle ended, Ali ordered his soldiers to search for Thu Ath- Thadiyyah, whowas then found among the dead. Ali then said, Allah and His Messenger have said thetruth, because before he passed away, the Prophet Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam had

told Ali that he should search for Thu Ath-Thadiyyah among the dead when he meetsthese rebels.This sect of Al-Khawarij, also known as Al-Muhakkimah, considers Uthman, Ali, Aaishah,Talhah, and Az-Zubair as Kuffar. They also oblige the removal or assassination of the

Muslim ruler who does not agree with their way of understanding the religion.

Furthermore, they accept the Muslim Ummah being leaderless, allow shedding the blood

of the women and children of their adversaries, consider those who fall into major sinsas Kuffar, and prohibit marrying the women of those who do not follow them, becausethey consider them also as Kuffar.

Also, among the sub-sects of Al-Khawarij is Al-Bayhasiyyah. They are the followers of

Abu Bayhas, Al- Haytham bin Jabir. They claim that knowledge is only knowing Allah andwhat the Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam, was sent with. They consider

whoever falls into an action not knowing if it permissible or forbidden as Kafir, since helacks the knowledge.

Al-Azariqhah is another Khawarij sub-sect. They are the followers of Nafi bin Al-Azraqh

who was known as Abu Rashid. When he first appeared, he rebelled against Abdullah binAz-Zubayr -- a companion of the Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam. Manypeople from Oman and Al-Yamamah also joined Nafi. They later moved to Persia andtook over the area of Al- Ahwaz after they killed Abdullah bin Az-Zubayrs deputy in that

area. They soon controlled Al-Ahwaz and adjacent areas in Persia.As is the case with other deviant sects, Al-Azariqhah consider their adversaries as Kuffar.

They consider those who join their ranks as believers and all others who do not asKuffar. Yet, they believe that whoever joins their ranks must first be tested to prove hisallegiance by ordering him to kill a Muslim captive. Otherwise, he would be killedhimself. Also, Al- Azariqhah permit killing the women and children of their adversariesand consider those adversaries to be bound to dwell in Hell for eternity along with their

women and children. They also consider the areas that do not join them to be areas ofKufr. Furthermore, they abandon stoning the adulterer, compel women to pray and fastwhile in their menses, consider Muslims who commit major sins as Kuffar, and allowshedding the blood of Muslims who do not join their ranks. Yet, they prohibit sheddingthe blood of Jews and Christians who live under Muslim control!

This is just as the Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam, described them that,

They kill Muslims and spare idol-worshippers. Also, Al-Azariqhah would cut thehand and arm of the thief, while Islam commands cutting the thiefs hand only from thewrist. They also claim that the Ayah,

And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Mohammad) in thisworldly life.[2:204], describes Ali bin Abi Talib, and that the Ayah,

And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allah.[2:207], describes Ibn Muljim, the cursed criminal who killed Ali, may Allah be pleasedwith him.

Najdah bin Amir was the leader of yet another Khawarij subsect called An-Najdaat,which established its stronghold in Al-Yamamah. They believe that it is an act of Kufr to

consider as Kuffar those followers who could not physically join their forces. They alsobelieve that those who agree with their beliefs will not enter Hell, and if they are


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punished in Hell, it will be because of their other sins and not because they joined theirsect. They also give their loyalty to their followers who fall into major sins but considerinsisting on committing minor sins as Kufr. Furthermore, they do not consider those whopersist on committing major sins as Kuffar. In addition, they allow shedding the blood oftheir neighbors as well as their adversaries.

Another sub-sect of Al- Khawarij is As-Safriyyah, followers of Ziyad bin Al-Asfar. Thisgroup does not consider as Kuffar those who believe in their way but do not join theirranks. Also, they do not consider the children of their adversaries as Kuffar or that theywill abide in Hell forever. They differ, however, on whether those who commit major sins

are Kuffar or not. Some of them consider such sinners as Kuffar. Others, on the otherhand, disagree, except in the case of those caught committing major sins and are thuspunished for these sins by the rulers.Some of them claim that major sins that have

prescribed punishment will not cause whoever commits them to become a Kafir, whileactions that do not have a prescribed punishments, such as abandoning the obligatoryprayer or Az-Zakat, will cause one to become a Kafir. They also allow women to assumeleadership positions.

Another Khawarij sub-sect, Al-Ajaridah, are followers of Al- Karim bin Ajrad. This groupdisowns their own children before they reach the age of puberty. After the child becomes

an adult, they oblige calling him unto Islam and teaching him matters of the religion.They do not allow shedding the blood of Ahlu As- Sunnah except if they meet them inbattle. They also consider those who commit major sins as Kuffar.

Ath-Thaalibah is yet another Khawarij sub-sect. This group was started by Thalabah binMashkan, who used to be a follower of the Ajaridah before he started his own sect. Thisgroup later divided into six sects, the first being the followers of Thalabah himself whopersisted on his path. As for those who formed their own sects after they were followers

of Ath-Thaalibah, they include Al- Mabadiyyah, followers of Mabad bin Abdurrahman,who declare other Thaalibah as Kuffar and who used to take Az-Zakat due on the

possessions of their rich slaves. They also include Al-Akhnasiyyah, followers of Al-Akhnas bin Qays, who differed with Ath-Thaalibah when they hesitated to call those whomight appear to be disbelievers, yet conceal their Islam, as Kuffar. These sects alsoinclude followers of Rashid At-Tawsi, who were called Ar-Rashidiyyah. This sect disownedall those who disagree with them. There is also Al-Mukarramiyyah, followers of Abu

Mukarram Al-Ijli. This group considers those who fall into major sins as Kuffar becausethey are ignorant about Allah.Again, this group also considers those who disagree withthem as Kuffar, and their adversaries from among Ath- Thaalibah considered themKuffar in turn. The sixth Thaalibah sub-sect was called Ash-Shaybaniyyah, followers ofShayban bin Salam. This is the sect which Abu Muslim Al-Khurasani, the leader of theAbbasid armies, fought and defeated, killing Shayban and capturing the rest of hisfollowers. This was the end of Ath- Thaalibah who denied Allahs Attributes and also

resembled Allah with the creation.

Another major sub-sect of Al-Khawarij is the one still known as Al- Ibadhiyyah, whoare the followers of Abdullah bin Ibadh Al-Murri. He permitted Al-Ibadhiyyah to marry

women from Ahlu As-Sunnah and accepted the testimony of Ahlu As- Sunnah evenagainst the Ibadhiyyah Themselves because they consider that the general name ofIslam still bonds them together.

This group only allowed the shedding the blood of Ahlu As-Sunnah in battle. They fellinto confusion when they considered their adversaries as Kuffar (disbelievers), but notMushrikeen (polytheist).

Al-Ibadhiyyah also divided into six sects.

The first is Al-Yazidiyyah, followers of Yazid bin Anas who claimed that another Prophetwill be sent for non-Arabs and that his law will replace Prophet Mohammads Law. They


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also claimed that Arabs who attest that there is no god except Allah and that Mohammadis His Messenger are believers even if they do not actually embrace and abide by Islamiclaws. Therefore, according to this false claim, Arab Jews and Christians are consideredbelievers if they only declare the Shahadatayn (the Testimony) with their tongues.The second sub-sect of Al- Ibadhyyah is known as Al-Hafsiyyah, followers of Al-Hafs binAbi Al- Miqdam. They claim that belief is merely knowing Allah and that this suffices if

one disbelieves in the Prophets, the angels, Paradise, Hell, Resurrection, and Reckoning.They consider those who know Allah to be saved from Shirk even if they commit alltypes of major sins.The third Ibadhi sub-sect is known as Al-Harithiyyah, followers of Al-Harith bin Yazid.

This sect denies Predestination and Allahs Will and condones acts of worship that are notmeant for the sake of Allah. The last three Ibadhi sub-sects are Al- Ibrahimiyyah, Al-Maymoniyyah, and Al-Waqifiyyah.

We have shown how this deviant sect, Al-Khawarij, divided among themselves,and we also clarified the major beliefs of different Khawarij sub-sects.From this short summary of their beliefs and practices, we now know theimminent danger of their beliefs, many of which still flourish among ignorant

Muslims in the present time.

The beliefs of Al-Khawarij have always been and still pose grave danger to Islam andMuslims.

We ask Allah for protection and safety from the misguided beliefs of Al-Khawarij andtheir likes, for He is the All-Hearer and the only One Who fulfills the Duaa.

THE GREAT DEBATE of Ibn Abbass

The story of Ibn Abbass (May Allah be pleased with him and his Father) debate againstthem is in the Mustadrik of Hakam (2/150-152) in an authentic chain and upon theconditions of acceptance of Imam Muslim.In it is the statement of Ibn Abbas:

I come to you from the Companions of the Prophet ( ) from amongstthe Muhajireen and Ansaar to inform you of what they say. They were present when theQuran was revealed, and they are more knowledgeable about the revelation than youare and were present at its descending, and not a single one of you is from them. Sosome of them said:

Do not dispute with a person from the Quraish because

Allah says: But they are a quarrelsome people Ibn Abbas (May Allah bepleased with him and his Father) said:

I never saw a people striving harder in doing deeds. Their faces were marked with lines

from abstaining from sleep. It was as if their hands and knees praised them.


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So those who were present proceeded, and some of them said,

By Allah we will speak to him and debate what he saysI asked:

Why do you have resentment against the cousin of the Messenger of Allah (

) his in-laws, the Muhajireen and Ansaar? They said: (because of) Threethings I asked: What are they?They said: As for the first one it is that he made menarbitrators in the matters of Allah. And Allah said:

Verily! The decision rests only with Allah [Yusuf: 67]I said: :This is one And they said

As for the other, it is that he fought and did not take captives or booty of war. If theones being fought are disbelievers, then indeed it is permissible to take them captive

and take the booty of war, and if they were believers it would not be permissible to fightthem.

I said: Thats two, so what is the third one?They said: He wiped out the title of Amir al-Mumineen for himself, so he is the Amir of the disbelievers.I said: :Do you have anything others than these? They said This suffices us So I said to them:

If I read of the Quran and Sunnah that which refutes these claims, will you be pleased?They said: :! Yes So I said :

As for your statement: A man has arbitrated in the matter of Allah, I will read to youwhat has given the power of arbitration to men concerning a killed rabbit and the likes ofthat which is hunted which price is worth a quarter of a dirham. Allah says:

( )) : (( ))

O you who believe! Kill not game while you are in a state ofIhram (for Hajjor

'Umrah), 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, etc.)equivalent to the one he killed, as adjudged by two just men among you;

[Maidah: 95] : !

I ask you by Allah, is the arbitration of men concerning a rabbit and its like of huntedanimals better than their arbitration regarding bloodshed and reconciliation between

themselves? And you are aware that if Allah wished he would have decided the mattershimself and not left it to men. And concerning a woman and her husband Allah says:

"If you fear separation between them, appoint an arbitrator from his family andfrom her family; if they both wish for peace, Allah will cause their

reconciliation" [Nisaa: 35]

So Allah has made the judgement of men a reliable Sunnah. Have I convinced you onthis? They replied: : :(! Yes (I said to them

!

:

Regarding your saying You fought them, but did not seize their booty nor capture them,

Can you capture your Mother 'Aisha then make permissible concerning her what ispermissibility concerning other female slaves.


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If you say that she can be captured and treated like any of the other female slaves, youhave surely committed disbelief, because she is your mother. If you say that she is notour mother than you have also committed disbelief, for Allah says:

The Prophet is closer to the believers than their ownselves, and his wives aretheir (believers') mothers (as regards respect and marriage). [Ahzab: 6]

You are thus hovering between two deviations. Whichever one you go towards, you gotowards misguidance.So some of them began to look at each other.I asked: Have I convincedyou? They replied: ! Yes (I said to them):

: : !

: :

-And as for your statement that he wiped out the title of Amir al Mumineen for himself,I will show and bring you proof by one whom you are pleased with. I heard on the Dayof Hudaybiyyah, when the treaty was being drafted by Suhail bin Amr and Abu Sufyanbin Harb, the Messenger of Allah ( ) say to the Amir ul Mumineen:"Write O 'Ali: This is what has been agreed upon by Muhammad, the Messenger of

Allah." The Mushrikeen objected to this saying: "No, By Allah, if we believed that you

were the Messenger of Allah, we would not have fought you." Upon this, the Messengerof Allah ( ) said: O Allah you know that I am the Messenger ofAllah. Write O Ali This is what has been agreed upon by Muhammad binAbdullah.For I swear by Allah that the Messenger of Allah ( ) isbetter than Ali, and erasing his title did not remove his Prophethood.Abdullah Bin Abbas (May Allah be Pleased with him and his Father) said:

: So (after this), two-thousand of them (the Khawaarij) returned to the truth and the restof them were killed upon falsehood.THERE IS ENOUGH BENEFIT FOR ANYONE WHO HAS INTELLECT.Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said,

Majority of innovations have their roots in misunderstanding of Islaamic texts, for thosewho established innovations had wrongful perception of the Word of Allaah which theyused to back up their innovations.

The scholars say,

It is part of following the ambiguous evidences to take to absolute evidences beforelooking at its restricted aspects or to take to general rules and disregard its particularaspects like making particularized or restricted evidence a general or unrestricted one orvice versa without any tangible evidences. This may cause grave mistakes.

For instance, the Khawaarijwho revolted against Alee said, There is no judge saveAllaah, misinterpreting the Word of Allaah, The judgement is but Allaahs.Theythereby gave this verse a wrong meaning.

The Khawaarij sect was later influenced by scholastic theology and its

principles became very close to those of the Jahmite and Mutazilite sects.They center upon the following matters:

(1) Imputing kufrupon Ali, Uthmaan and other sahaabah

.(2) The right to rebel and fight the Muslim rulers who may err or sin.(3) Justifying the rebellion and fight against disobedient Muslims (rulers and/or ruled)


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and that it is permissible for them to secede from the general body of the Muslims.(4) They believe that the Quraan is created. However, the Quraan is the literal Word ofAllaah Who uttered it in letter and sound and which He Spoke to Jibreel ,directly without a mediator, and who then brought it down to the Prophet Muhammad ( ). The Quraan is neither the word of Jib reel nor the word of ProphetMuhammad ( ).(5) They distort the meanings of Allaahs Attributes by resorting to figurativeinterpretation.

(6) Like the twelver Sheeites and other deviant sects, they deny that the believers willsee Allaah on the Day of Resurrection. This contradicts what is asserted in the Quraanand authentic sunnah .(7) Imputing kufron the Muslims who commit major sins.(8) The majority of the Khawaarijdeny the actual punishment in the grave that Allaahinflicts upon those who deserve it.(9) They speak ill about the scholars See the incident with Muhammad and Ibn Abbaas, how they treated them, this is the common amongstthe mis-guided youths of today, ignorant, foolish in understanding.

The aforementioned are some of the major characteristics of the Khawaarij.

I intended to give the reader some background about this very dangerous sect andwhich has influenced many Muslim groups and parties in our times leading to bloodshedin many parts of the Muslim World. The bloody confrontations are hard to stop in some

places and that has distorted the view of Islam in many parts of the world. The truth,however, is emerging and will inshaa Allaah completely emerge on the hands of the truefollowers of Islam who are working hard to correct this problem with the good wordwithout compromising the aqeedah nor the manhaj. We should be able to present the

truth without imitating the kufaarand their ways. In this respect, the words of ImaamMaalik ) ( are remembered: Nothing will benefit this ummah to comeexcept that which benefited its early generations. Related by Imaam Ibn Abdil-

Barr inAt-Tamheed(23:1).This refers to the correct creed, methodology and righteous deeds. Another point of

benefit is that the Muslim should be aware that the principles of many of these sects arestill alive and propagated by certain individuals and/or groups, and accordingly thebeliever must be cautiousAnd what shows the danger of extremism and deviation from the truth and staying awayfrom what Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah is upon, is the statement of the Prophet ( ) from the Hadith of Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him):

: ! : :

Indeed what I fear most for you is that a man reads the Quran untilmagnificence is seen upon him and he is a support for Islam and it is

withdrawn from him and he throws it behind his back and strives against hisneighbor with the sword and he accusing him of shirk. I said O Prophet ofAllah, which one is more worthy of (the accusation of) shirk, the accuser or the

accused? He said: The accuser. [Collected by Imam Al-Bukhari in his Taarikh andAbu Yaala and Ibn Hibban and Al-Bazaar. See Sahih Al-Albani 3201]The Prophet ( ) said:

Whoever rebels against my Ummah and fights the righteous and unrighteous

of them, does not avoid its believers and does not fulfill his obligation to whomhe has a contract, then they are not from me and I am not from them . [Muslim1848]


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Ibn Al-Qayyim said,

"The Prophet forbidden taking arms against the rulers and revolting against them even ifthey were unjust as long as long as they established prayers. He said this in order toprevent great corruption and evil that could emanate from taking arms against them.

The reality has shown that taking arms and revolting against them had brought harmand evil that that was much greater than their corruption."While speaking about undesirability of forbidding vices if that could lead to a greater vicehe said,

"Like revolting against kings and rulers, for this is the foundation of all evils andcalamities. If one reflects over what happened to Islaam during minor and major crisesone will realize that it caused by the negligence of this very principle."

Umar said,

We do not defeat our enemy through our great numbers and or sophisticatedammunitions, we defeat them through our obedience to Allaah and our enemiesdisobedience to Him. But when we disobey Allaah, we become like them in sins and they

will then defeat us.

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History of Khawaarij