Khawarij in the sunnah

Khawarij in the sunnah

Al-Khallal narrated from Ahmad b Hanbal said: “RasulAllah’s (saw) ahadith about them are authentic in ten different forms.” (as-Sunnah, I, 145, # 110)

Ibn Taymiyya records Imam Ahmad stated: ““RasulAllah’s (saw) ahadith about them are authentic in ten different forms. Muslim has reported all ten of these in his Sahih by consent to Imam Ahmad. As Bukhari narrated some of these he also narrated the sunan and musnad sahih in different ways." (Fatawa, 7/479)

It is narrated from Abu Salama and Abdullah bin Amr bin Yasar that they visited Abu Sa'ed al-Khudri and asked him about Al-Harauriyya (Khawarij) "Did you hear RasulAllah saying anything about them? Abu Sa'ed said, I do not know what Al-Harauriyya is, but I heard RasulAllah saying, There will appear in this nation -he did not say ‘from this nation’- a group of people so pious apparently that you will consider your prayers inferior to their prayers, but they will recite the Qur’an, the teachings of which will not go beyond their throats and will go out of their religion as an arrow darts through the game, whereupon the archer may look at his arrow, its Nasl at its Risaf and its Fuqa to see whether it is blood-stained or not (i.e. they will have not even a trace of Islam in them)." (Bukhari; Muslim)

It is narrated from Abu Sa’ed al-Khudri (ra) that he said: “When we were in the company of RasulAllah (saw) and he was distributing the spoils of war, there came to him Thul-Khuwaysira, one of Banu Tamim. He said: O RasulAllah, do justice. Upon this RasulAllah (saw) said: Woe be upon thee, Who would do justice, if I do not do justice? You would be unsuccessful and incurring a loss, if I do not do justice. Upon this Umar b. Khattab (ra) said: RasulAllah, permit me to strike his neck. RasulAllah (saw) said: Leave him, for he has friends (who would outwardly look to be so religious and pious) that everyone among you would consider his prayer insignificant as compared with their prayer, and his fast as compared with their fasts. They would recite the Qur'an but it would not go beyond their collarbones. They would pass through (the teachings of Islam so hurriedly) just as the arrow passes through the prey. He would look at its Iron head, but would not find anything sticking) there. He would then see at the lowest end, but would not find anything sticking there. He would then see at its grip but would not find anything sticking to it. He would then see at its feathers and he would find nothing sticking to them (as the arrow would pass so quickly that nothing would stick to it) neither excrement nor blood. They would be recognized by the presence of a black man among them whose upper arms would be like a woman's breast, or like a piece of meat as it quivers, and they would come forth at the time when there is dissension among the people. Abu Sa’ed said: I testify to the fact that I heard it from RasulAllah (saw), and I testify to the fact that Ali b. Abi Talib fought against them and I was with him. He gave orders about that man who was sought for, and when he was brought in, and when I looked at him, he was exactly as RasulAllah (saw) had described him.” (Bukhari; Muslim; al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya)

In another narration it reads: “(they) would swerve through the religion (as blank) just as a (swift) arrow passes through the prey.” It is also narrated that: There would arise from my Ummah a people who would recite the Qur'an, and your recital would seem insignificant as compared with their recital, your prayer as compared with their prayer, arid your fast, as compared with their fast. They would recite the Qur'an thinking that it supports them, whereas it is an evidence against them. Their prayer does not get beyond their collar bone; they would swerve through Islam just as the arrow passes through the prey.” (Muslim)

In another narration it is said: “they would pass clean through their religion just as the arrow passes through the prey, and they would never come back to it. They would be the worst among the creation and the creatures.” (Muslim)

“They will recite the Qur’an, but it will not go further than their throats.”

According to Nawawi’s narration, “Qadi said there are two tawils for this

1- The hearts will not comprehend. When they read they will not benefit from it. They do not have for their SHARE any more than reading by mouth throat and pharynx (hulooq). It is because the mahraj of the words are done with them.

2- Neither their amal nor readings will ascend and they also wont be accepted.” (Nawawi, 7/159; Muslim)

There is a chapter in Bukhari “Chapter: Killing the Khawarij and Heretics after establishing the proof against them” and the statement of Allah:

“And Allah will not mislead a people after He hath guided them, in order that He may make clear to them what to fear (and avoid) for Allah hath knowledge of all things.” (at-Tawba 9/115)

Ibn ‘Umar saw them as the most shar (evil) among the creation. “They took ayat that were revealed concerning the disbelievers and applied them to the believers.” (Bukhari)

Ali (ra) said: Whenever I narrate to you anything from RasulAllah (saw) believe it to be absolutely true as falling from the sky is dearer to me than that of attributing anything to him (saw) which he never said. When I talk to you of anything which is between me and you (there might creep some error in it) for battle is an outwitting. I heard RasulAllah (saw) saying: There would arise at the end of time, people who would be young in age and immature in thought, but they would talk (in such a manner) as if their words are the best among the creatures. They would recite the Qur'an, but it would not go beyond their throats, and they would pass through the religion as an arrow goes through the prey. So when you meet them, kill them, for in their killing you would get a reward with Allah on the Day of Judgment.” (Muslim; al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya; Fathu’l-Bari)