Disruptive Activities of the Khawârij

When the Khawârij came to know of this decision, they grew anxious and they took a new turn. It has already been mentioned that Hurqus bin Zuhair had asked Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to attack the Syrians instead of agreeing with the proposal of arbitration. Now Zur'ah bin Al-Burj and Hurqus bin Zuhair both being the chieftains of the Khawârij, came to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and declared him guilty of first rejecting and then accepting the proposal advanced by the Khawârij. Now, on this score, they demanded Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to show his repentance for his mistake in order to receive their support. But Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) turned down their demand pleading his innocence over the issue. Hearing this, both of them got up and left the place saying: "There is no command (acceptable) except of Allâh."

When, following this event, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) ascended the pulpit of the mosque to deliver his address, a Khâriji sounded in a loud voice from a corner: "There is no command (acceptable) except of Allâh." Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) remarked, "Behold, these people extract untruth from the Word of Truth." He then resumed his address and the same voice came again interrupting him: "There is no command (acceptable) except of Allâh."

Thereupon Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "You people are treating me improperly. We do not debar you from making entry into the mosque, and we gave you your share from the booty while you remained with us; we shall not fight with you unless you take the initiative, and we shall be awaiting Allah's Decision about you." Saying this, he descended the pulpit and went away. The Khawârij also left the mosque and gathered in the house of Abdullah bin Wahb for consultations. Abdullah bin Wahb, Hurqus bin Zuhair, Hamzah bin Sinân, Zaid bin Husain At-Tai', and Shuraih bin Aufa 'Absi decided, after a good deal of deliberations, that they should leave Basrah and make the hills the seat of their independent rule separate from Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Hamzah bin Sinân Asadi proposed to choose a chief and give him the standard before proceeding further.

The next day they assembled again in the house of Shuraih, and Abdullah bin Wahb was elected the chief of the Khawârij. They took Bai'ah at his hands. Abdullah bin Wahb then suggested to move towards a city where the Divine command could be enforced. At last they agreed on Madâ'in, which they could, according to them, capture comparatively easily. Zaid bin Husain proposed to move in twos, fours or tens, for collective movement was likely to be given chase. They also decided to first halt at Naharwân and ask their friends and supporters in Basrah to join them before reaching Madâ'in. This suggestion gained the support of one and all. The plan was implemented according to the decision. Mis'ar bin Fadaki Taimi came out at the head of five hundred Khawârij. When Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came to know of the developments, he sent message to Saad bin Mas'ud, the governor of Madâ'in through a speedy courier to put a check on the Khawârij in Madâ'in. Saad deputed his nephew in Madâ'in and moved out at the head of a contingent. He came across a band of the Khawârij on the way at Karkh and challenged them which led to an encounter continuing until evening. But the Khawârij crossed the Tigris in the darkness of night. The Khawârij from Basrah also crossed the Tigris and joined their friends in Naharwân after an encounter with Saad's contingent. At Naharwân they consolidated their position and issued an edict of blasphemy against Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) for killing the supporters of the Caliph. In a short time their number rose to twenty-five thousand.

Battle of Naharwân

After the exit of the Khawârij from Kufah, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) persuaded the Kufis to make preparations for the invasion of Syria. He preferred the ouster of Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to the curbing of the Khawârij. Thus he sent a message to Abdullah bin Abbâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Basrah to send the maximum number of troops for launching an attack on Syria. Although Basrah had more than sixty thousand fighters, the letter of Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) could rouse only three thousand for fighting. Kufah too showed signs of lack of interest. When three thousand troops headed by Jâriyah bin Qudâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reached Kufah, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) made a fresh attempt to kindle in Kufis the fire of zeal and fervor and his renewed efforts hit the mark. Forty thousand man gathered under the flag of Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).

He also wrote the Khawârij a letter calling them to lend their support in the task of attacking Syria. Abdullah bin Wahb read out the letter to his people and wrote back with common consent: "You appointed the arbitrators against the Command of Allâh and His Messenger. And you have now developed a desire to invade Syria on the demand of your self's desire. However, if you show your repentance after declaring yourself as blasphemous, we are ready to help you, otherwise we are prepared to fight against you."

Although the letter saddened Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), he did not give up his determination to invade Syria. He made an all-out effort to bring the Khawârij back to righteousness but in vain. When Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reminded them of their mounting pressure on him to stop the attack on the Syrian Army, they argued that they admitted their fault and he should also follow suit. He should also come back to the fold of Islam by declaring himself blasphemous as they did. This was the only way they could take back their edict against him, otherwise they will wage Jihâd against him considering him a Kafir (disbeliever).

Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), however, decided to carry out his campaign against Syria and ignore the insane demand of the Khawârij, that he was informed of the martyrdom of Abdullah bin Khabbâb (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). The victim passed through Naharwân during a journey. A group of the Khawârij came to know that he was a Companion. They came to him and asked about Abu Bakr and Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Abdullah bin Khabbâb (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "Both of them were very pious and true servants of Allâh the Almighty." They then inquired of the first and the last parts of the caliphate of Uthmân (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). He replied, "He was truth-loving from beginning to the end." They then wanted to know his opinion about Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) before and after the appointment of the arbitrators. He stated, "Ali knows and understands the injunctions of Allâh and His Messenger more than you all." Hearing this, the Khawârij fell in wrath and killed Khabbâb (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), his wife and his fellow travelers.

On being informed of this, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) asked Hârith bin Murrah to make an inquiry into the matter. The Khawârij killed him also. Along with this, it was reported to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) that they were killing all those who disagreed with them. Thus, Ali's men grew anxious that the Khawârij would capture Kufah and Basrah and kill their wives and children in case they advanced towards Syria. They marched towards the Khawârij instead of Syria and sent them the following message from a place nearby: "Hand over those among you who have killed our brothers so that we can kill them according to the law of Qisâs, and leave you to yourselves in order to proceed to Syria. May Allâh the Almighty bring you back to the right path while we finish with the Syrians."

Following this, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent a number of Companions one by one to preach to them righteousness and truth. He also invited the deputation of the Khawârij to instill in their minds that they were totally responsible for the appointment of the arbitrators, and they should join him forgetting the past. But every time they had the same answer to give and the same argument to advance. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) would say, "I believed in Allâh and migrated in His way, how can I declare myself a disbeliever?"

At last Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) himself went to the camp of the Khawârij and began to preach them to use wisdom and adopt righteousness. Fearing the strength of the impression Ali's speech would have on their people, the chieftains asked them not to pay attention to what he said and go to war.

In view of their attitude, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came back and set himself to the task of organizing his troops and appointing commanding officers of the attacking army. This task being over, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) gave Abu Ayub Ansâri (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) the flag of peace and asked him to ascend to a raised spot and give a general call saying: "Those who come to us without a fight will get peace, and those who go to Kufah or Madâ'in will also enjoy peace." Having heard this announcement, Farwah bin Naufal Ashja'i moved apart with five hundred horsemen, some people left for Kufah while some others either went to Madâ'in or came to join Ali's troops, with the result less than one-third of the men were left with the Khawârij. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) then launched a massive attack and put the rest to death.

All the prominent chieftains of the Khawârij like Abdullah bin Wahb, Zaid bin Husain, Hurqus bin Zuhair, Abdullah bin Shajarah, and Shuraih bin Aufa lost their lives. Only nine of them saved themselves by fleeing from the scene of death. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came back leaving their dead bodies unburied.

Finished with the necessary task of curbing the uprisings of the Khawârij, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) decided to march towards Syria. Ash'ath bin Qais advised him to let the army take a few days rest, but he preferred to stay at Nukhailah issuing orders for one and all to refrain from going to Kufah until the Syrian campaign was completed. But they left for home and Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) also had to return to Kufah, when he found the camp without fighters. In Kufah, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) addressed them to get prepared for the invasion of Syria but none of them appeared to be interested in the Syrian campaign. In view of their cold response, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was also forced to abandon his campaign against Syria.