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KHARIJITE'S INSURGENCY AND REVOLT

To start with, the Kharijites were peaceful and would feel contented with free dialogue and criticism. Ali had also been extending the same treatment to them as we have alluded to above. He in no way interfered with them. So much so that he did not cut their dues from the Public Treasury. But gradually when they became disappointed of Ali as he would not repent, they changed their policy and decided to wage a 'revolution'. They gathered in the house of one of their collaborators. He made a fiery and provocative speech and invited his friends to rise in arms and to launch revolt in order to enjoin Virtue and enforce Prohibitions. He said in his speech:-

"After His praise. I swear by God! it is not befitting of that people who have faith in the merciful God and accept the commands of the Quran that the sordid world be more attractive for them than the decree to do good and to avoid evil and the words of Allah may be that they (the decree and the Divine words) bring losses and involve risks. Whosoever has fallen in loss or risk in this world he will be rewarded by Divine pleasure and a life of heavens on doom's day. My brethren! Let us leave this city of the tyrant's seat for the hills or for some other cities, so that we may rise up and arrest these innovations of mis-guidance".

By these words their inflammable spirit got more volcanic. They moved from that place and rose up in revolt and rebellion. They threatened the peace of the routes. They adopted dacoity and mischief as a profession. In this way they attempted to weaken the integrity of the state and to dislodge the sitting government.


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From here onward no more latitude could be given to them; because it was not a matter of expression of belief, it was rather a question of distur­bance of social peace and tranquility and of an armed insurgency against a legitimate government. Hence Ali pursued them. Along 'Nahrwan' he confronted them. He addressed and advised them and served them with the final warning. At that time he gave the banner of peace to Abu Ayub Ansari, and whosoever rallied under it he was protected. Out of twelve thousand rebels eight thousand retraced their steps. The rest showed resistance. They suffered a defeat and but for a few, no one survived.