THE HADITHS NARRATED IN CONNECTION WITH THE KHARIJITES
Imam Ahmad reports on the authority of Suwayd Ibn Ghaflah who narrates that ‘Ali said: “If I speak to you about the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, you should believe me, because I prefer falling down from the sky to lying about him. But if I talk to you on issues of mutual interest, you must know that war calls for deception. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, says: “In later years, some people who are part of my nation will emerge. They will be young men, foolhardy, quote the words of the best human being, and they will read the Qur’an without contemplating its meaning.” One of the narrators of this Hadith, ‘ Abdur-Rahmaan narrates another version of it: “Their faith will be in their mouths only, not in their hearts. They will bold out of the fold of Islam with the speed of an arrow that goes out of a bow. If you come across them, kill them; for there will be great reward on Judgement Day for those who kill them. This Hadith is reported in the two Saheehs of Al-BuWiari and Moslem.
Ahmad reports on the authority of ‘Ubaydah who narrates that ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the people of Nahrawaan: “There is a man with a short hand among you. If it were not for fear that you would be proud, I would inform you about what Allah revealed to His Prophet concerning the reward He would grant anyone who would kill that man and those with him. ‘ Ubaydah went on to say, “I asked ‘ Ali, ‘Did you hear these words from the Prophet?’ ‘ Ali answered: “By the Lord of the Ka’bah (three times), that I heard them from him.” This Hadith is reported by Moslem. After narrating it, ‘Ali added: “I prefer falling down from the sky to the ground, to lying about the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Imam Ahmad reports on the authority of Abu Katheer the feed-slave of Al-Ansaar who said: “I was with my master, ‘Ali Ibn Abi Taalib when some people of Nahrawan were killed; some people’s hearts were heavy about this incident. ‘Ali addressed them saying: “O you people! Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, spoke to me about some people who will abandon Islam with the speed of an arrow from a bow, and will never return to its fold once again. The sign of that incident is that there would be a black man among them with a short hand. And one of his hands is like a woman’s breast, with a nipple like that of such a breast and on it are seven strands of hair; search him”. So, ‘Ali’s Companions searched for this man and found him by the bank of a river, lying among the dead. When ‘ Ali saw him, he glorified Allah saying: “Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), Allah is the Most Truthful, and so is His Prophet”. The dead man was having a bow on his person; ‘Ali took it and struck his short hand saying: ” Allah is Most Truthful, and so is His Prophet”. All the people glorified Allah saying, “Allahu Akbar”, when they saw the dead man. They were delighted, and the grief they felt for the people killed in Nahrawaan, vanished. (This Hadith was only reported by Ahmad.)
Imam Ahmad reports on the authority of Abu Sa’eed who narrates that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There will be among the people of my nation disunity and differences, And there will be those whose nice words would be incompatible with their deeds. They will read the Qur’an, whose effect will be in their mouths only, not in their hearts. They will demean each other’s Salaah and Siyaam; these people will hasten to abandon Islamic teachings with the speed of an arrow from a bow, and will not return to the fold of Islam once again. They will be the worst of Allah’s creatures. Give glad tidings to those who will kill them, or be killed by them. These revolters would call people to follow the teachings of Allah’s Book (the Qur’an), while they l hems elves will deviate from them. He who fights against them has a better claim to obeying Allah, than them.” The Companions asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! How would we recognize them?” The Prophet answered, “Their heads will be shaved”. (Reported by Abu Dawood and other reporters of Hadith.)
On the authority of Jabir Ibn ‘Abdellaah who narrates this: “Once I was with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in the year of Al-Ju’ raanah, while he was distributing silver, that was in Bilaal’s clothes, then a man said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Be just (in your distribution)”. The Prophet replies: ” Woe unto you!” Who else will be just, if i’m not just, l will be done for if I am unjust.” ‘ Umar was raged, and said: “O Allah’s Messenger, allow me to kill this hypocrite”. But the Prophet replied: ” Allah forbid; people will say that / kill my Companions. This man and his associates will read the Qur’an without having faith in it, and they will abandon Islam with the speed of an arrow from a bow“. (Reported by Ahmad)
Moslem Ibn Al-Hajjaaj reports in his Salve eh on the authority of the Zayd Ibn Waliab Al-Juhani, who says that he was in the army of those who later joined the Kharijites. ‘ Ali addressed the people saying: “O you people! I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say: “Certain people from my nation will read the Qur’an in a way different from yours, the way you pray will be different from theirs, and they will fast in a manner completely different from yours. They will read the Qur’an thinking that Allah will reward them for doing so, not knowing that it (the Qur’an) will serve as a “proof” against them. If the army that will fight against them knows their Divine reward revealed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, they will exert utmost effort. The aforementioned people will be known by the presence among them of a man without a forearm. The end of his upper arm looks like the nipple of a breast, with white stands of hair. These hypocrites will then go to Mu awiyah and the people of the Levant, who will leave them to control your children and wealth; I believe these are the people who will do such things. They shed the blood that is sacred and denied people their freedom of movement. So, go forth and fight them in the name of Allah”. Salamah said that Zayd Ibn Waliab suggested one station (for the army) after another, till they passed by an aqueduct. We met on that day in which the leader of the Kharijites was Abdullaah Ibn Wahab Ar-Raasibi, who said to his men: “Throw your spears (at the enemies), take out your sword and break their sheaths, for I fear that they (your enemies) will make an appeal to you like the one they made on Harooraa’ Day”. So, his men took up their positions and fought brutally with their spears and arrows. ‘ Ali’s army also charged with their spears and arrows.
Some of the hypocrites, or rather the revolters, killed one another. And only two of Ali’s men were killed on that day. He (‘Ali) said: “Search for the short armed man”. His men could not find him, so ‘Ali himself conducted the search, till he found dead bodies piled up, i.e. one above the other. ‘Ali said, “They have hidden him.” His men then found the short-armed man very close to the ground, with those who joined the Kharijites. ‘Ali then glorified Allah saying: “Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest),” and said: “Allah is Most Truthful, and His Messenger conveyed the Almighty’s Message. ‘ Ubaydah As-Salmaani then went up to him (‘Ali) and said: “O Commander of the Faithful! By Allah Who has no partner, I heard what you have said, from Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, ‘Ali made him swear three times to confirm what he (‘Ubaydah As-Salmaani) had said. The version of the Hadith quoted herein is that of Muslim. This Hadilh was also reported by Abu Dawood.
(Source: Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs )
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