Chapter: Exhortation to kill the Khawarij

Whenever I narrate to you anything from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) believe it to be absolutely true as falling from the sky is dearer to me than that of attributing anything to him (the Holy Prophet) which he never said. When I talk to you of anything which is between me and you (there might creep some error in it) for battle is an outwitting. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: There would arise at the end of the age a people who would be young in age and immature in thought, but they would talk (in such a manner) as if their words are the best among the creatures. They would recite the Qur'an, but it would not go beyond their throats, and they would pass through the religion as an arrow goes through the prey. So when you meet them, kill them, for in their killing you would get a reward with Allah on the Day of Judgement.

A hadith like this has been narrated through another chain of transmitters.

" They pass through the religion clean as the arrow passes through the prey."

Did you hear it from Muhammad (ﷺ)? He (Hadrat 'Ali) said: Yes, by the Lord of the Ka'bah; Yes, by the Lord of the Ka'bah; yes, by the Lord of the Ka'bah.

I will not narrate to you except what I heard from him (Hadrat 'Ali), and then he narrated from him.

O people , I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say : There would arise from my Ummah a people who would recite the Qur'an , and your recital would seem insignificant as compared with their recital , your prayer as compared with their prayer , and your fast , as compared with their fast. They would recite the Qur'an thinking that it supports them , whereas it is an evidence against them. Their prayer does not get beyond their collar bone ; they would swerve through Islam just as the arrow passes through the prey. If the squadron which is to encounter them were to know (what great boon) has been assured to them by their Messenger (ﷺ) they would completely rely upon this deed (alone and cease to do other good deeds) , and their (that of the Khawarij) distinctive mark is that there would be (among them) a person whose wrist would be without the arm , and the end of his wrist would be fleshy like the nipple of the breast on which there would be white hair. You would be marching towards Muawiya and the people of Syria and you would leave them behind among your children and your property (to do harm). By Allah , I believe that these are the people (against whom you have been commanded to fight and get reward) for they have shed forbidden blood , and raided the animals of the people. So go forth in the name of Allah (to fight against them). Salama b. Kuhail mentioned that Zaid b. Wahb made me alight at every stage , till we crossed a bridge. 'Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi was at the head of the Khawarij when we encountered them. He ('Abdullah) said to his army : Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths , for I fear that they would attack you as they attacked you on the day of Harura. They went back and threw their spears and drew out their swords , and people fought against them with spears and they were killed one after another. Only two persons were killed among the people (among the army led by 'Ali) on that day. 'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said : Find out from among them (the dead bodies of the Khawarij) (the maimed). They searched but did not find him. 'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) then himself stood up and (walked) till he came to the people who had been killed one after another. He ('Ali) said : Search them to the last , and then ('Ali's companions) found him (the dead body of the maimed) near the earth. He ('Ali) then pronounced Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and then said , Allah told the Truth and His Messenger (ﷺ) conveyed it. Then there stood before him 'Abida Salmani who said : Commander of the Believers , by Allah , besides Whom there is no god but He , (tell me) whether you heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said : Yes , by Allah , besides Whom there is no god but He. He asked him to take an oath thrice and he took the oath.

When Haruria (the Khawarij) set out and as he was with 'Ali b. Abu Talib (Allah be pleased with him) they said , "There is no command but that of Allah." Upon this 'Ali said : The statement is true but it is intentionally applied (to support) a wrong (cause). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) described their characteristics and I found these characteristics in them. They state the truth with their tongue , but it does not go beyond this part of their bodies (and the narrator pointed towards his throat). The most hateful among the creation of Allah is one black man among them (Khawarij). One of his hand is like the teat of a goat or the nipple of the breast. When 'Ali b. Abu Talib (Allah be pleased with him) killed them , he said : Search (for his dead body). They searched for him , but they did not find it (his dead body). Upon this he said : Go (and search for him). By Allah , neither I have spoken a lie nor has the lie been spoken to me. 'Ali said this twice and thrice. They then found him (the dead body) in a rain. They brought (his dead) body till they placed it before him (Hadrat 'Ali). 'Ubaidullah said : And , I was present at (that place) when this happened and when 'Ali said about them. A person narrated to me from Ibn Hanain that he said : I saw that black man.