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THE BATTLES OF THE KHAWARIJ

After The Battle of Nahrawan, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) had the plans of proceeding to Syria. He told his troops, “Allah has given you victory over the Khawarij. Now rise to proceed against the Syrians and achieve victory over that veritable enemy. Al-Ash`ath ibn Qays and some other men said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s)! Our arrows are finished and the swords blunt! Please go to al-Kūfah for some days that we have some rest and to sharpen our swords and make some more arrows. Once we are rested, recuperated and ready, we may proceed for the next campaign.” The Imam (a.s) opposed this suggestion and said, “Our destination was Syria and any more delay in going in that direction may not be advisable.”

The Imam (a.s) tried his best but the men did not agree. He was forced to return to al-Kūfah. Instead of entering the city, he camped at al-Nukhaylah and asked the troops too to stay there. He did not want them to get involved with the problems at their homes. They stayed at al-Nukhaylah for some days but then they started making some excuses and going to their homes. After some days, only limited number of persons were there in the camp. Now it was no use staying any more at al-Nukhaylah. Therefore, the Imam (a.s) had to close the camp and enter the city.

When the Imam (a.s) entered al-Kūfah, the Khawarij started their mischief again. Although a major number of them were eliminated during the battle of Nahrawan, they were not totally exterminated. Many contributing to their thinking were still there in al-Kūfah who did not participate in the battle because of some reason or the other. Now they started showing up. They put their heads together to cause problems in the administration of the realm. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) got engrossed in quelling the mischief of these people and others. This was another cause for some delay in going on the Syrian campaign.

Of these rebel groups, one was under Khirrit ibn Rashid who was the leader of the Khawarij from Banū-Najiyah and was a resident of al-Kūfah. He came one day to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) with 30 men and said, “By Allah! I shall

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neither obey any of your orders nor pray in the congregation behind you. From tomorrow I shall quit being with you!” The Imam (a.s) asked, “What makes you so angry?”

He said, “By agreeing for the arbitration you had made a clear violation of the Commandment of Islam.” The Imam (a.s) said, “You are saying this without giving a serious thought to the matter. If you are ready to listen, the matter can be explained to you”. He said, “Today I am going away. Tomorrow I shall return sometime and talk to you.” The Imam (a.s) said, “Do not get misguided by Satan and before taking any precipitate step come and take my advice. If you are not satisfied with my advice, the course of action will be free for you!” When he reached home, he told his men from Banū-Najiyah, “I have promised to meet `Ali (a.s) tomorrow. But I think I do not need to go to him. Whatever step we have to take, we must go ahead with it. We shall move away from here.” The Imam (a.s) waited for him the next day. When he did not turn up, he sent `Abdullah ibn Qayn to Khirrit’s house. He came back and told that Khirrit had left al-Kūfah with the men from his tribe.

When the Imam (a.s) heard this, he said, “They will be away from Allah’s Blessing like the people of Thamūd! When the spears will be pointed towards their chests and the swords on their heads, they will repent over what they did!” Ziyad ibn Khasfah said, “We should not be unhappy over their going away. But there is one fear that they might misguide those who are obedient so far and try to disturb the prevailing peace! If you permit I shall try to bring them back.” The Imam (a.s) said, “How do you know the direction in which they have gone? “He said, “This can be determined by asking people.”

The Imam (a.s) said, “My functionaries would certainly report about their movement. You go to Dairy Abi-Mūsa and await my instructions there.” Ziyad went to his house and gathered the men of his tribe, Banū-Bakr ibn Wa’il, and repeated the entire story to them and said, “You are the friends and supporters of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s)! Support me in this campaign that we stop the enemy from moving forward. And bring him back.” At his call, 130 men volunteered. Ziyad said that the number was sufficient for controlling the enemy. He took them and went to Dayr Abi-Mūsa and awaited instructions from Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s).

In the meantime one of the functionaries of the Imam (a.s), Qarazah ibn Ka`b al-Ansari informed him that the men of Banū-Najiyah were proceeding towards Nafar. On the way, they had killed a Muslim trader because of his expressing his allegiance and dedication for you. They also left a Dhimmi

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alone saying that there was no justification for killing him. When the Imam (a.s) received this intelligence, he sent a letter with a youth, `Abdullah ibn Wa`il, to Ziyad ibn Khasfah informing him that Khirrit and his men were headed towards Nafar and that they had killed one Muslim on the way.

The Imam (a.s) asked him to chase, apprehend and bring them back to al-Kūfah. If they resisted, he ordered him to fight them. `Abdullah ibn Wa`l must have gone a few steps when he returned and asked, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s)! Do you permit me to join the contingent of Ziyad to fight the Khawarij?” The Imam (a.s) looked at the youth and said, “Yes! You too can join his contingent! I hope that you will remain my helper in upholding the Truth and fighting the cruel people.” `Abdullah ibn Wa`l says:

“By Allah! The words with which he addressed me; I would not exchange them even with the red haired camels!”[1]

When `Abdullah reached Dayr Abi-Mūsa and gave the letter from the Imam (a.s) to Ziyad ibn Khasfah, Ziyad looking at the steed, the arms and the bold look of `Abdullah, said, “How nice it would be if you remain with me!” `Abdullah said, “So is my wish as well and I have taken permission from Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) for going with your contingent!” Therefore he joined Ziyad and the contingent started forthwith in pursuit of Banū-Najiyah enroute to Nafar. When the pursuers reached Nafar, they were told that Banū-Najiyah had left for al-Jarjariyyah. Ziyad continued the hot pursuit and caught up with them at Mudar, a place lying between al-Basrah and Wasit. He put his camp near where Khirrit had halted. Khirrit came to Ziyad’s camp and asked the reason for his coming there.

Ziyad said, “We are tired of the journey! After some rest we shall tell you of the reason for our journey!” Ziyad rested for sometime, gave water to the animals and then went to al-Khirrit and asked him, “Why have you left al-Kūfah?” He said, “I do not like the ways of `Ali (a.s)! I am not in favor of his emirate. Now I shall support those who want the caliphate to change hands through Shūra.”

Ziyad asked, “Can we get a person through selection who has precedence in Islam, is the best scholar of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and is nearest to the Prophet (a.s)?” Khirrit said, “This cannot be ensured!” Ziyad now said, “You have killed a Muslim on the way. What right you had to commit the murder?” Khirrit said, “I have not killed him. One of my companions might have killed

[1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 4, Page 90

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him” Ziyad said, “Hand those killers over to us so that we claim the qisas from them.” Khirrit said, “I cannot do that!”

Ziyad said, “Then you are a party to the crime!” Now both arranged their men in proper formations and raising their lances stood in front of each other. Around midday, the fighting started. The spears started piercing the chests and the swords started hitting heads. When night fell, the Khawarij, leaving behind five of their dead ran away. From Ziyad’s contingent two persons, Saved and Wafid ibn Bakr, were martyred and some were injured. Ziyad himself was injured. He moved from there to al-Basrah. From there he wrote a letter to the Imam (a.s), “At Mudar we fought with the Khawarij. Five men of Khirrit were killed. He left behind his dead and escaped towards Ahwaz. His group has increased to 200 men. Some of our men have been injured and we have come to al-Basrah for their treatment. I shall await your further orders.”

The Imam (a.s) called Ziyad back and sent Ma`qil ibn Qays al-Riyahi with a contingent of two thousand men towards Ahwaz and wrote to Ibn `Abbas in al-Basrah to send two thousand men towards Ahwaz as a support for Ma`qil. When Ma`qil arrived at Ahwaz commanding the contingent, he stayed there waiting for the men to arrive from al-Basrah. Khirrit registered the cooperation of the infidels, brigands and the Arabs sympathetic to his cause and organized a sizable contingent. He proceeded towards the hills of Ramhurmuz.

Ma`qil thought that further waiting for reinforcements would be futile. He therefore went in pursuit of Khirrit. He might have covered a days journey when the men from al-Basrah arrived under the command of Khalid ibn Ma`din al-ta’i. Both the contingents combined and proceeded further. When they reached near the hills of Ramhurmuz, they noticed Khirrit camping there with his men. Ma`qil organized his men in rows. When the rows were arranged, both the armies attacked each other and severe fighting commenced. Ma`qil’s army made a severe display of swordsmanship.

When three hundred men of Khirrit’s contingent were killed, he went towards the coast of the sea where people of his tribe were inhabited. Here too he started instigating people against the Imam (a.s) and managed to mobilize a sizable contingent.

After defeating Khirrit, Ma`qil wrote to the Imam (a.s) that a large number of Khirrit’s men had been killed and he had escaped from the battlefield. The Imam (a.s) called a meeting of some important persons and discussed the matter with them. They advised that he should ask Ma`qil to pursue Khirrit

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and kill him or force him out of the boundaries of the realm. Otherwise, he will not abstain from mischief. Therefore, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) wrote to Ma`qil that he must chase Khirrit until his group is totally routed. When Ma`qil got these orders he proceeded towards the coast of the sea.

When Khirrit learned of this pursuit, to increase the numbers, he asked the Khawarij with him that he has the same beliefs as they had and `Ali (a.s) had no authority to appoint Hukm. When his own Hukm deposed him, what right he had to be the emir? He also told the fans of `Uthman that he subscribed to their thinking that `Uthman was assassinated under oppression and that `Ali (a.s) was responsible for that. He told the Dhimmis that they should stop paying the tributes and spend the money on their own men. Thus, he flattered the population there and was able to gathered men around himself. When the newly converted Muslims saw the disparate group of Khirrit, they said that their previous Faith suited them better that at least they stuck together. When Khirrit learned that they were going back to Christianity he warned them that they had forfeited their right to life because of recanting from Islam. He told them that the only way to save themselves and their families was to join his army and fight along with him.

Ma`qil put his standard near the camps of Khirrit and established his own camp there. He announced that those who had joined Khirrit newly should stay away and they will have amnesty. The effect of this announcement was that excepting the men from Banū-Najiyah all others moved away. Among Banū-Najiyah there was a group of Christians, one group was of those who had accepted Islam because of some compulsions and were not truly Muslim, there was also a splinter group who had refused to pay the tribute. All these disparate groups stayed with Khirrit.

Khirrit organized his men in rows and so did Ma`qil. Ma`qil addressed his men briefly and his men attacked the opposite formation. Severe fighting took place. Al-Nu`man ibn Sahban al-Rasibi attacked Khirrit with his spear. Khirrit fell from the horse to the ground and started fighting with his sword. Al-Nu`man evaded his advance and hit him so hard with his sword that Khirrit fell down dead. There was total confusion in his army and one hundred and seventy men were killed. The others fled.

Ma`qil made men, women and children captive. Those who agreed to owe allegiance to the Imam (a.s), he took their bay`ah and released them. Those who had recanted from Islam he invited them to embrace the Faith once again. Barring one old man, Ramahas ibn Mansūr, all others came back to the

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fold of Islam. That old man was executed because he was an apostate (a person who recanted after embracing Islam). The number of persons taken captive after the battle was five hundred. When Ma`qil reached Ardshirkhurd with the captives, they started pleading with the governor there, Masqalah ibn Hubayrah al-Shaybani, to buy and free them. Masqalah sent word to Ma`qil through Dhuhal ibn al-Harith to sell the captives to him. Ma`qil sold the captives to Masqalah for five hundred thousand dirhams and said that the amount may be sent to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s). Masqalah said that he would send some amount immediately and send the rest in installments. When Ma`qil returned to al-Kūfah and made a detailed report to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s), he appreciated him very much. For some time he waited for the ransom money to come from Masqalah. But when the delay was much, they started wondering how he will send such a big amount? He sent a message through Abū-Jarrah al-Hanafi to Masqalah to either remit the amount or come to al-Kūfah himself. Masqalah came to al-Kūfah and paid two hundred thousand dirhams. He was still in al-Kūfah where he called Dhuhal ibn al-Harith and told him that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) was demanding for the balance and he was not in a position to pay that amount. Ibn al-Harith said that Masqalah could arrange the balance amount in a week’s time. Masqalah said that he would not like to burden others for the amount. Then he said, “If Mu`awiyah was there at this time, he would not have pressured me to pay up! Even if `Uthman was there he would have written off the demand! He used to give one hundred thousand dirhams of the tribute from Azerbaijan to al-Ash`ath ibn Qays!” Dhuhal said, “This is `Ali (a.s)! He will not leave even a dirham from the Muslim’s funds!” Hearing this, Masqalah left al-Kūfah unannounced in the night and went away to Mu`awiyah! The Imam (a.s) heard about this and said that if he had explained his problem, we would not have demanded immediate payment of the balance. His act of releasing the captives was noble but his escape was like that of a slave! Mu`awiyah received Masqalah with great fanfare and made him the emir of Tabristan. He sent a letter through a Christian, Halwan, to his brother, Na`im ibn Hubayrah, that if he came away to Damascus, Mu`awiyah had promised to give him an important assignment. Malik ibn Ka`b intercepted this letter and gave it to the Imam (a.s) and brought the Christian to his presence. As a punishment for his offence of perfidy his hand was chopped. The man died of that injury. His tribe, Banū-Taghlib learned about the killing of Halwan and they surrounded Masqalah and said that he was the cause of the death of the man. He should either bring him back to life or pay the blood money for his death. He paid the blood money and escaped from that trouble.

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In addition to Khirrit, there were other smaller groups of Khawarij that were creating trouble from time to time. But the Iraqi troops controlled them.

During Rabi` II, 38 A.H., Ashras ibn `Awf al-Shaybani raised the standard of rebellion at Daskarah and started for al-Anbar with a contingent of 200 men. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) sent 300 men under Abrash ibn Hassan to quell this rebellion. Ashras was killed and the remnant of his force scattered.

During Jumada I 38 H Hilal ibn Alfa and his brother Mujahid rebelled with a group of 200 men. The Imam (a.s) sent Ma`qil ibn Qays in their pursuit. They fought a battle at Masbudhan where Hilal and Mujahid were killed and thus the rebellion was crushed.

During Jumada II, 38 A.H. al-Ashhab ibn Bashshar rebelled along with 180 men. He first went to Masbudhan where Hilal ibn Alfa and his companions were killed. He offered the funeral prayer for the death and buried many of the dead in the battle. Then he moved out to create mischief and disturbance. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) sent Jariyah ibn Qudamah to teach him a lesson. He met the rebel in the environs of Jukhi at al-Jarjariyyah. Both the parties took out their swords and al-Ashhab, along with his companions, was killed.

During Rajab 38 H Sa`id ibn Qufl al-Tamimi raised the standard of rebellion at Bandanayjin and with 200 men created havoc at Zanjan. The emir of al-Mada’in, Sa`d ibn Mas`ūd fought with him and killed the rebels.

During Ramadan 38 H Abū-Maryam al-Tamimi rebelled in the town of al-Zawr. He had with him two hundred or four hundred men of whom were mostly non-Arab gallivants and only six Arabs were there. He established camp at a distance of five Farsakh from al-Kūfah and planned to plunder the city. When Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) learned about this, he sent one person to ask acquaint him with the consequences of rebellion and to persuade him to enter into the bay`ah of the Imam (a.s) and come to al-Kūfah. But Abū-Maryam said that they were there to fight and not to owe their allegiance! When the envoy returned, the Imam (a.s) sent a contingent of seven hundred men under the command of Shurayh ibn Hani’. When the contingent had not even settled down the Khawarij made a preemptive attack. Five hundred men under Shurayh ran helter-skelter and he had only two hundred steadfast with him who took shelter in a settlement nearby. Out of the deserters some went to al-Kūfah and some rejoined their contingent. When the Imam (a.s) heard about the predicament of the contingent, he sent Jariyah ibn Qudamah to the Khawarij to frighten them and force them into obedience. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) too went behind Jariyah and explained to the rebels the consequences of