that they be fought, while forbidding fighting against unjust rulers. Authentic hadiths to this effect have been transmitted from him through numerous independent chains.
He said concerning the Kharijites:
“One of you would consider his own prayer insignificant beside theirs, his recitation beside theirs, and his fasting beside theirs. They recite the Quran, but it does not pass beyond their throats. They pass out of Islam as an arrow passes through its quarry. Wherever you encounter them, kill them.” (1)
He also said concerning some of them:
“They kill the people of faith and leave the idolaters alone.” (2)
He said to the Ansār:
“After me, you will encounter selfish favoritism. So remain patient until you meet me at the Reservoir.” (3)
That is, you will encounter people who appropriate wealth for themselves at your expense and do not treat you fairly. He therefore commanded them to remain patient and did not permit them to fight such rulers.
He also said:
“After me, there will be rulers over you who demand that you fulfill your obligations to them while denying you fulfillment of their obligations to you.”
They asked, “What do you command us to do, O Messenger of Allah?”
He replied, “Render to them
(1) See the preceding discussion of the hadiths concerning the Kharijites in this book, 1/66.
(2) This is part of a hadith narrated from Abū Sa'īd al-Khudrī—may Allah be pleased with him. Its opening, according to al-Bukhārī’s version, reads: “'Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—sent the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—a piece of gold, which he divided among four men.” The hadith continues and includes the words: “From the stock of this man—or from among his descendants—will arise a people who recite the Quran,” and so forth. See al-Bukhārī, 4/137, Book of the Prophets, chapter “The Statement of Allah Almighty: ‘As for 'Ād, they were destroyed…’”; 9/127, Book of Tawhīd, chapter “The Statement of Allah Most High: ‘The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him’”; Muslim, 2/741–742, Book of Zakāt, chapter “Mention of the Kharijites and Their Characteristics”; *Sunan Abī Dāwūd*, 4/335, Book of the Sunnah, chapter “Fighting the Kharijites”; *Sunan al-Nasā'ī*, with al-Suyūtī’s commentary, 5/65–66, Book of Zakāt, chapter “Those Whose Hearts Are to Be Reconciled”; and 7/108–109, Book of the Prohibition of Bloodshed, chapter “One Who Draws His Sword and Turns It against the People.” See also *al-Musnad*, al-Ma'ārif edition, 7/308, narrated from 'Abd Allāh ibn 'Umar; it contains part of the hadith with differences in wording.
(3) This hadith was cited earlier, 4/240.