They then began debating those who affirm Allah’s highness and similar attributes, using the same arguments that those deniers had used against them. They gain the upper hand over those among the affirmers who cannot hold their own in debate, just as those deniers had gained the upper hand over them. Thus, they became like people who neglected to wage jihad against the disbelievers nearest them until those disbelievers overcame and routed them. They then turned to fighting the Muslims nearest them, just as those disbelievers had fought them. Falsehood, disbelief, and misguidance thus prevailed: first through their neglect of jihad against the disbelievers nearest them, and then through their hostility toward the Muslims nearest them.

They became the very opposite of how Allah describes the believers when He says:

“Firm against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves.”
[al-Fath: 29]

“Humble toward the believers, mighty against the disbelievers.”
[al-Mā’idah: 54]

Instead, they became mighty against the believers and humble toward the disbelievers.

This resembles the Prophet’s description of the Khawārij, when he said, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“They kill the people of Islam and leave the idolaters alone.”

The condition of the Jahmiyyah and the Rāfidah is worse than that of the Khawārij, for the Khawārij used to