Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (6/116)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

he is told:

“Your counterparts in religious innovation are the Kharijites, all of whom declare Alī an unbeliever, even though they are more knowledgeable, truthful, and devout than the Rāfidis. No one acquainted with the condition of both groups has any doubt about this.

It is authentically reported in the two Sahīhs that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said concerning them:

‘Each of you would consider his prayer insignificant beside theirs, his fasting beside theirs, and his Quran recitation beside theirs.’” (1)

They fought Alī during his lifetime, and one of them killed him. They have armies, scholars, and cities. The people of the Sunnah—praise be to Allah—unanimously agree that they are misguided innovators, that the authentic scriptural texts require fighting them, and that one of the finest deeds of the Commander of the Faithful, Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—was his fighting the Kharijites.

The Companions unanimously agreed to fight them, and there is no disagreement among Sunni scholars that they are to be fought alongside just rulers, such as the Commander of the Faithful, Alī ibn Abī Tālib—may Allah be pleased with him. But should they be fought alongside unjust rulers? It is reported from Mālik that they should not be fought alongside them. (2) He likewise said concerning members of the protected non-Muslim community who violated their covenant: they should not be fought alongside unjust rulers. It is also reported that he said the same regarding unbelievers. This position is reported from Mālik and some of his disciples. The contrary is also reported from him, and it is the position of the majority. Most of his disciples (3) disagreed with him on this matter. It is also the position of Abū Hanīfa, al-Shāfiī, and Ahmad.

They said:

“Military campaigns may be undertaken under any commander, whether righteous or wicked, provided that the campaign he conducts is

(1) This hadith appeared earlier at 5/47 and 150. (2) This phrase is absent from H. Y reads: “It is reported from some of them that they should be fought”; N and M read: “It is reported from some of them that they should not be fought.” The reading adopted here is from R and Y. (3) N reads: “the Companions.” This is a textual corruption.

قِيلَ لَهُ: نَظِيرُكَ فِي الْبِدْعَةِ الْخَوَارِجُ، كُلُّهُمْ يُكَفِّرُونَ عَلِيًّا، مَعَ أَنَّهُمْ أَعْلَمُ وَأَصْدَقُ وَأَدْيَنُ مِنَ الرَّافِضَةِ، لَا يَسْتَرِيبُ فِي هَذَا كُلُّ مَنْ عَرَفَ حَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ وَهَؤُلَاءِ. وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِيهِمْ: " «يُحَقِّرُ أَحَدُكُمْ صَلَاتَهُ مَعَ صَلَاتِهِمْ، وَصِيَامَهُ مَعَ صِيَامِهِمْ، وَقِرَاءَتَهُ مَعَ قِرَاءَتِهِمْ» " (١) وَقَدْ قَاتَلُوهُ فِي حَيَاتِهِ، وَقَتْلَهُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمْ، وَلَهُمْ جُيُوشٌ وَعُلَمَاءُ وَمَدَائِنُ، وَأَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ - وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ - مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى أَنَّهُمْ مُبْتَدِعَةٌ ضَالُّونَ، وَأَنَّهُ يَجِبُ قِتَالُهُمْ بِالنُّصُوصِ الصَّحِيحَةِ، وَأَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيًّا - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - كَانَ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَعْمَالِهِ قِتَالُهُ الْخَوَارِجَ. وَقَدِ اتَّفَقَتِ الصَّحَابَةُ عَلَى قِتَالِهِمْ، وَلَا خِلَافَ بَيْنَ عُلَمَاءِ السُّنَّةِ أَنَّهُمْ يُقَاتِلُونَ مَعَ أَئِمَّةِ الْعَدْلِ، مِثْلَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - لَكِنْ هَلْ يُقَاتِلُونَ مَعَ أَئِمَّةِ الْجَوْرِ؟ فَنُقِلَ عَنْ مَالِكٍ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يُقَاتِلُونَ، (٢) وَكَذَلِكَ قَالَ فِيمَنْ نَقَضَ الْعَهْدَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ: لَا يُقَاتِلُونَ مَعَ أَئِمَّةِ الْجَوْرِ، وَنُقِلَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْكُفَّارِ، وَهَذَا مَنْقُولٌ عَنْ مَالِكٍ وَبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَنُقِلَ عَنْهُ خِلَافُ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الْجُمْهُورِ، وَأَكْثَرُ أَصْحَابِهِ (٣) خَالَفُوهُ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ مَذْهَبُ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ، وَقَالُوا: يُغْزَى مَعَ كُلِّ أَمِيرٍ بَرًّا كَانَ أَوْ فَاجِرًا إِذَا كَانَ الْغَزْوُ الَّذِي يَفْعَلُهُ

(١) سَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٥/٤٧، ١٥٠. (٢) سَقَطَتْ هَذِهِ الْعِبَارَةُ مِنْ (ح) ، وَفِي (ي) فَنُقِلَ عَنْ بَعْضِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ يُقَاتِلُونَ، وَفِي (ن) ، (م) ، فَنُقِلَ عَنْ بَعْضِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يُقَاتِلُونَ، وَالْمُثْبَتُ مِنْ (ر) ، (ي) . (٣) ن: الصَّحَابَةُ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ.