Reality of the Khawarij (Part 2)

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

وَالْصَّلَاةُ والْسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ الْكَرِيمِ

وَعَلَى اَهْلِ بَيتِهِ الْطَّيِّبِينَ الْطَّاهِرِينَ الْمَظْلُومِينَ

Continuing this series on the Khawarij, I previously mentioned the Prophet Muhammad’s (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) encounter with Dhu al-Khuwaysira al-Tamimi. The latter had the nerve to publicly criticize the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam), saying to him “be just!” and “fear Allah!”. It was regarding this individual, Dhu al-Khuwaysira, that Allahumma then revealed the Ayah:

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ

And among them is one who criticizes you concerning the charities

(Sura 9:58)

The context of this Ayah proves that Dhu al-Khuwaysira was from among the munafiqin (hypocrites), and was certainly not a believer. So after Dhu al-Khuwaysira had publicly criticized the Prophet Muhammad (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam), saying to him “be just” and “fear Allah”, thereby revealing himself to be nothing more than a disbelieving hypocrite, the Prophet’s beloved companion, sayyidina Umar al-Faruq (radi Allahu anhu) said:

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ائْذَنْ لِي فِيهِ، فَأَضْرِبَ عُنُقَهُ

“O Apostle of Allah! Allow me to strike his neck”

However, the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) wisely refused permission for anyone to kill Dhu al-Khuwaysira, saying:

مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَتَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ أَنِّي أَقْتُلُ أَصْحَابِي

“Allah forbid that the people should say that I kill my companions” (Sahih Muslim #1063)

In another version, it is mentioned that the Sword of Allah, Khalid b. al-Walid (radi Allahu anhu) said:

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَلاَ أَضْرِبُ عُنُقَهُ

“O Apostle of Allah, should I strike his neck?”

But the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) refused this, saying:

لاَ، لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ يُصَلِّي

“No, perhaps he prays”

To which Khalid (radi Allahu anhu) said:

وَكَمْ مِنْ مُصَلٍّ يَقُولُ بِلِسَانِهِ مَا لَيْسَ فِي قَلْبِهِ‏

“How many a one who prays and says with his tongue what is not in his heart”

But the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) answered:

إِنِّي لَمْ أُومَرْ أَنْ أَنْقُبَ قُلُوبَ النَّاسِ، وَلاَ أَشُقَّ بُطُونَهُمْ

“I have not been ordered to examine the hearts of the people, or to split open their bellies”

(al-Bukhari & Muslim)

From these responses of the beloved Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) we derive a lot of lessons and wisdom regarding the temperment of this Religion and its objectives. Undoubtedly, Dhu al-Khuwaysira was a disbelieving hypocrite who had exposed his hypocrisy by publicly rebuking the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam). The Prophet’s companions like Umar b. al-Khattab and Khalid b. al-Walid (radi Allahu anhuma) were prepared at that very moment to strike off the hypocrite’s head, but the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) refused them. Despite being a hypocrite, Dhu al-Khuwaysira was outwardly and apparently a Muslim, and in the minds of the people, especially the disbelievers, he was a Sahabi, a companion of the Prophet. But he was only a companion of the Prophet in a superficial, linguistic sense, and not a true believing Sahabi. Yet the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) was concerned with his reputation as his reputation is intimately linked to the reputation of Islam. Furthermore, the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) said that perhaps Dhu al-Khuwaysira prays, hence he was to be considered a Muslim at least outwardly and it is only for Allahumma Exalted is He to judge such hypocrites on Judgment Day. This is in stark opposition to the way of the Khawarij, who are the most quick to judge fellow Muslims as disbelievers for the commission of sins. Even worse, the Khawarij do not suffice with only making takfir on Muslims who are sinners or Muslims who refuse to join them or accept their warped worldview, but they go further and declare such Muslims as wajib al-qatl or whose bloodshed is halal.

To be continued إن شاء الله