WHO AND WHAT ARE THE KHAWAARIJ?
The Khawaarij is a term used by the scholars of Islam for people who have a certain belief or behaviour that deviates from Ahl us-Sunna walJama`ah. ....the scholars of Islam have gathered the Khawaarij into three main groups... The first group are those who deny Surah Yusuf and label it a love story, in addition to the denial of some other verses in the Qur’an. These Khawaarij are out of the fold of Islam and classified as complete kuffar... The other two Khawaarij groups are classified as people of bid`a, but their bid`a does not cause them to go out of the religion.
...there is also another hidden group within these three groups...the Khawaarij Murji’a...group of people that declare those they disagree with to be kaafir or bid`ii. They curse their opposition in addition to denying the Haakimiyyah (Law giving and Legislative right) of Allah U. Those having the ideas and characteristics of the Khawaarij Murji’a are in the majority among the modern movement, which has given itself the name ‘Salafiyya.’ These so-called salafis label their opponents as bid`ii, kuffar or innovators but continue to strip Allah U of His attribute, Al Haakim (Law giving Judge), which is mentioned twice in the Qur’an...In both of these verses, Allah U called Himself al Haakim, which means He alone is the Law giving Judge. But the trait of the Khawaarij Murji’a is to categorically deny this and in order to take attention off of themselves, they focus it somewhere else. This is done by their labeling other people as bid`ii, deviant, etc.[39] The Khawaarij Murji’a are also very keen to not make takfir on those who do not pray and those who replace the Shari`a with man-made laws. However, when someone disagrees with them, they immediately turn and label him a dalaal (deviant), bid`ii or kaafir!
FEATURES OF THE KHAWAARIJ MENTALITY:
1. Muslims are pronounced kuffar for sins that do not eject from the religion (i.e. drinking alcohol, fornication, etc). The evidence is the prominent sahaabi, `Abdullah ibn `Umar t, described them in these words, “They are the worst of Allah’s creatures and these people took some verses that had been revealed concerning the kuffar (unbelievers) and interpreted them as describing the mu’minun (believers)”[40].
2. They are willing to slay Muslims because of their beliefs, yet they are not willing to fight Jews and Christians but they will fight the Ummah. The evidence is the statement of the Prophet r, ‘They will kill the Muslims and leave the pagans. If I were to be present when they appear, I would kill them as the killing of the nation of `Ad.’[41]
3. They resist and go out against the legitimate rulers without cause and try to remove them. The evidence is their ancestor, `Abdullah ibn Dhil Khawaisara’s statement to the Prophet , ‘O Messenger of Allah! Fear Allah!’
4. When they differ with someone, they call him a kaafir.
5. They are rude, arrogant and their knowledge is only surface knowledge.
6. They fight Muslims who differ with them the same way as Ahl us-Sunna walJama`ah fight the Kuffar. The Khawaarij confiscate the belongings, ambush them, and kill them if they flee the battlefield and take their women and children as booty if they are able.
7. They usually give their groups a name to distinguish themselves from other Muslims in their times. Evidences for this are the Khawaarij groups such as alMukaffira, Jama`at ut-Takfir walHijrah, Jama`at alMuslimin as well as Ahl ut-Tawhid.
