Posted from the al-ibaanah e-Book : Selected Examples from the Characteristics of the Extremist Khawaarij – Aadil bin ‘Alee Al-Furaydaan [This book reviewed and examined by Shaikh Saalih bin Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan and Shaikh Muhammad bin ‘Abdir-Rahmaan Al-Khumayyis]
Their Attributes and Characteristics
The First Characteristic: They are young in age. [Al-Bukhaaree (no. 5057) from the hadeeth of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
The Second Characteristic: They have foolish minds – i.e. intellects. [Al-Bukhaaree (no. 5057) from the hadeeth of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
The Third Characteristic: They speak with the best speech amongst creation. [Al- Bukhaaree (no. 5057) from the hadeeth of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
The Fourth Characteristic: Their Eemaan does not go past their throats. [Al- Bukhaaree (no. 5057) from the hadeeth of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
The Fifth Characteristic: They come out from the Religion just as an arrow comes out from the hunted game. Then they do not return back to it. [Muslim (no. 2496) from the hadeeth of Abu Dharr (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
And in one narration: “They shoot out from the Religion just as an arrow shoots out from the hunted game.” [Al-Bukhaaree (no. 5058) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another report it states: “They shoot out from Islaam…” [Al-Bukhaaree (no. 5057) from the hadeeth of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
The Sixth Characteristic: They have a weakness when it comes to understanding the Religion of Allaah. This is why it has been reported that “They recite the Qur’aan but it does not surpass…” [Muslim (no. 2456)] “…or go past their throats.” [Al- Bukhaaree (no. 5058) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In one narration, it states: “…their pharynxes (hulooq).” [Muslim (no. 2455) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another narration, it states: “…their pharynxes {halaaqeehim).” [Muslim (no. 2469) from Abu Dharr (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another narration, it states: “…their collar bones (taraaqeehim).” [Al-Bukhaaree (no. 6934) from Sahl bin Haneef (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another narration, it states: “They will make their tongues eloquent with the Qur’aan.” [As-Sunnah of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim (no. 937) from Abu Bakrah (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another narration, it states: “They will recite the Qur’aan with their tongues but it will not go past their collar bones.” [Muslim (no. 2470) from Sahl bin Haneef (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another narration: “They will hold it (i.e. the recitation) to be for them, when it is against them.” [As-Sunnah of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim (no. 916) from ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another narration, it states: “They will think…” instead of “They will hold…” [Muslim (no. 2467) from the hadeeth of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In one narration, he صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “They will call to the Book of Allaah, but they will have nothing to do with Allaah.” [As-Sunnah of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim (no. 941) from Abu Zaid Al-Ansaaree (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In another narration of the hadeeth, the Khawaarij and what they undergo when reciting the Qur’aan was mentioned to Ibn ‘Abbaas (radhi Allaahu anhu), so he said: “They are not as extreme in their striving as the Jews and the Christians were, but yet they went astray.” [Ash- Sharee’ah (pg. 27-28)]
And in another narration, Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “They believe in His clear verses, but go astray concerning His unclear verses 10 – No one knows their hidden meanings except Allaah. And as for those firmly rooted in knowledge, they say: ‘We believe in it.'”
And he said: “They are in a confused and drunken state. They are neither Jews nor Christians nor Magians, so that they may be excused.” [Ash-Sharee’ah (pg. 28)]
The Seventh Characteristic: They are excessive in performing acts of worship, as occurs in the hadeeth in which the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم spoke to his Companions about them, saying: “Your prayer is nothing as compared to their prayer. Your fasting is nothing as compared to their fasting. And your reciting the Qur’aan is nothing as compared to their reciting.” [Muslim (no. 2467) from the hadeeth of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
In one narration of this hadeeth, it states: “You will look down at your prayer as compared to their prayer…” [Muslim (no. 2455) from Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
And in another narration: “…(and you will look down) at your deeds as compared to their deeds.” [Sharh Usool ‘Itiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah (8/1231)]
The Eighth Characteristic: They are the worst of creation and creatures. [Muslim (no. 2469) from the hadeeth of Abu Dharr (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
Abu ‘Abdillaah Ahmad bin Hanbal (rahimahullaah) said: “The Khawaarij are an evil people. I don’t know of any people on the earth that are worse than them.” [As-Sunnah of Abu Bakr Al-Khallaal (no. 110)]
The Ninth Characteristic: Their distinguishing attribute is that they shave their heads. [Muslim (no. 2457) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree 4]
In another narration of the hadeeth, it states: “At-Tasbeet.” [Muslim (no. 4765) from Anas bin Maalik radhi Allaahu anhu ]
Tasbeet means: Removing the short hair.
The Tenth Characteristic: They will kill the people of Faith and leave alone the worshippers of idols.
In one narration, it states: “They will kill the people of Islaam…” [Muslim (no. 2451) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
The Eleventh Characteristic: They will become so deeply absorbed (i.e. ta’ammuq) in the Religion [11] to the point that they will leave from it. [As-Sunnah of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim (no. 930) from ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
The Twelfth Characteristic: They disparage their rulers and claim them to be upon misguidance, as ‘Abdullaah bin Dhil-Khuwaisrah did with the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم.
The Thirteenth Characteristic: They call the people to the Book of Allaah but have nothing to do with it. [12] [Abu Dawood (no. 4765) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed Al- Khudree (radhi Allaahu anhu) and Anas bin Maalik (radhi Allaahu anhu)
The Fourteenth Characteristic: They do not believe that the people of knowledge and virtue hold a special position. This was why they perceived that they were more knowledgeable than ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib, Ibn ‘Abbaas and the rest of the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with all of them. [Al-Khawaarij Awwalul-Firaq fee Taareekh-il- Islaam (pg. 38)]
What is meant by ta’ammuq is: Relying and using as proof that which the religious texts do not substantiate.
The Fifteenth Characteristic: They go to extremes in worship. So they perform acts of worship to the extent that those who see them become amazed with them and they become amazed with themselves. 13 [As-Sunnah of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim (no. 945) from the hadeeth of Anas bin Maalik (radhi Allaahu anhu)]
Ibn ‘Abbaas (radhi Allaahu anhu) said: “And I have not seen a people that are stricter in their exertion (of worship) than them. Their hands are like the calluses of camels and their foreheads are marked due to the traces of prostration.” [Majma’-uz-Zawaa’id (6/240)]
Read More “Attributes and Characteristics of Khawaarij – Aadil bin ‘Alee Al-Furaydaan”