Rafed English

Imam al-Hasan's (a.s.) and the Kharijites

They were the enemies of Imam Ali, peace be on Him, from the day when the event of the arbitration (al-tahkim) took place. Also they were the enemies of Mu'awiya.

The leaders of the Kharijites in Kufa were: Abd Allah b. Wahab al-Rasibi, Shibth b. Rib'i, al-Ash'ath b. Qays, and SHimir b. Dhi al-Jawshan.

The Kharijites insisted on waging war against Mu'awiya more than the other people in Kufa did. It was they who pedged allegiance to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, on the conditions that he should fight against those who went astray (i,e, the Syrians). However, Al-Hasan refused their pledge of allegiance according to this condition. He wanted them to pledge allegiance to Him to conform to "listening and obeying.

Moreover, he asked them to fight against Him whom he fought against and to make peace with Him whom he made peace with. So the Kharijites went to his brother al-Husayn, peace be on Him. They said to Him: "Stretch out your hand to pledge allegiance to you as we had pledged allegiance to your father to fight those who went astray (i,e, the Syrians)". So al-Hasayn, peace be on Him, said to them: "I seek protection with 'Allah, I cannot accept your pledge of allegiance as long as Al-Hasan is living." So they (the Khaarijites) went to Al-Hasan again and pledged their allegiance to Him as he had stipulated before.1

I (the author) think that there was no aspect of enmity when the Kharijites wanted to pledge allegiance to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. Besides there was no aspect of enmity when insisted on fighting those who went astray from the Syrians. In the meantime, some followers of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, supported the Kharijites to declare war. However, when you read the stages of the matter of Al-Hasan, you will understand that the Kharijites were the reason for creating critical conditons from which Al-Hasan suffered. you have read in the foregoing text that two leaders of the Kharijites took part in the ugliest Umayyad plot in Kufa.

The Kharijites used effective, fearful methods when they provoked the people against the Umayyads. Their methods undermind the belief of many people with doubts. That was the reason for the spreading of the Kharijites after their decisive defeat at the Battle of al-Nahrwan.

Concerning the methods of the Kharijites, Zyyad b. Abih said: "Indeed, the words of these( Kharijites) goes quicker to the hearts than the fire goes to the reeds." In this connection, al-Mughira b. Shu'ba said: "When they (the Kharijites) stayed at a place for two days, they corrupted those whom they associated."2

The Kharijites told lies and thought that they told truth. They did evil deeds and thought that they did good deeds. They relied on Allah, but there was no religious relation between Him and them.
We will mention the Kharijites again when we discuss the members of the Aumy in the following chapter.
____________
1. al-Imama wa al-Siyasa, p. 150.

2. al-Tabari, Tarikh, vol. 6, p. 109.

Adopted from the book: "Sulh al-Hasan (a.s.)" by: "Sheykh Radi al-Yasin"

Share this article

Comments 0

Your comment

Comment description

Latest Post

Most Reviews

MOST READ