Debate with the Khawarij

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

Yes, the Sayidina Abdullah bin Abbas debate with the Khawarij is authentically narrated in the Mustadrak of Imam Hakim and other Hadith works. And
we can derive numerous lessons from this occurrence.

Explanation

Sayidina Abdullah bin Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) did debate with the Khawarij. Imam Abd al-Razaq narrated the debate in his Musanaf (18678) with a sound chain (narrators of Muslim).

Imam al-Tabarani also narrated it in his al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer (10598). As did Imams al-Nasai (8533) and al-Bayhaqi (16740), in their Kubrah collections. However, I will narrate it from the Mustadrak of Imam al-Hakim, as authenticated by Imam al-Dhahabi.

The narration

أَبُو زُمَيْلٍ سِمَاكٌ الْحَنَفِيُّ، ثنا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ: لَمَّا خَرَجَتِ الْحَرُورِيَّةُ اجْتَمَعُوا فِي دَارٍ، وَهُمْ سِتَّةُ آلَافٍ، أَتَيْتُ عَلِيًّا، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَبْرِدْ بِالظُّهْرِ لَعَلِّي آتِي هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ فَأُكَلِّمُهُمْ. قَالَ: إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ. قُلْتُ: كَلَّا. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: فَخَرَجْتُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَبِسْتُ أَحْسَنَ مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ حُلَلِ الْيَمَنِ، قَالَ أَبُو زُمَيْلٍ كَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ جَمِيلًا جَهِيرًا. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: فَأَتَيْتُهُمْ، وَهُمْ مُجْتَمِعُونَ فِي دَارِهِمْ، قَائِلُونَ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالُوا: مَرْحَبًا بِكَ يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَمَا هَذِهِ الْحُلَّةُ؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: مَا تَعِيبُونَ عَلَيَّ، لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ عَلَىَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَحْسَنَ مَا يَكُونُ مِنَ الْحُلَلِ، وَنَزَلَتْ: قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ. [الأعراف: 32]. قَالُوا: فَمَا جَاءَ بِكَ؟ قُلْتُ: أَتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ صَحَابَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ، لِأُبَلِّغُكُمْ مَا يَقُولُونَ الْمُخْبَرُونَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ فَعَلَيْهِمْ نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ، وَهُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِالْوَحْيِ مِنْكُمْ، وَفِيهِمْ أُنْزِلَ: وَلَيْسَ فِيكُمْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ. فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: لَا تُخَاصِمُوا قُرَيْشًا، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ: بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ. [الزخرف: 58]

قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: وَأَتَيْتُ قَوْمًا لَمْ أَرْ قَوْمًا قَطُّ أَشَدَّ اجْتِهَادًا مِنْهُمْ مُسْهِمَةٌ وجُوهُهُمْ مِنَ السَّهَرِ، كَأَنَّ أَيْدِيَهِمْ وَرُكَبَهُمْ تُثَنَّى عَلَيْهِمْ، فَمَضَى مَنْ حَضَرَ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: لَنُكَلِّمَنَّهُ وَلَنَنْظُرَنَّ مَا يَقُولُ. قُلْتُ: أَخْبِرُونِي مَاذَا نَقَمْتُمْ عَلَى ابْنِ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَصِهْرِهِ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ؟ قَالُوا: ثَلَاثًا. قُلْتُ: مَا هُنَّ؟ قَالُوا: أَمَّا إِحْدَاهُنَّ فَإِنَّهُ حَكَّمَ الرِّجَالَ فِي أَمْرِ اللَّهِ، وَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ. [الأنعام: 57] وَمَا لِلرِّجَالِ وَمَا لِلْحَكَمِ؟ فَقُلْتُ: هَذِهِ وَاحِدَةٌ. قَالُوا: وَأَمَّا الْأُخْرَى فَإِنَّهُ قَاتَلَ، وَلَمْ يَسْبِ وَلَمْ يَغْنَمْ، فَلَئِنْ كَانَ الَّذِي قَاتَلَ كُفَّارًا لَقَدْ حَلَّ سَبْيُهُمْ وَغَنِيمَتُهُمْ، وَلَئِنْ كَانُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ مَا حَلَّ قِتَالُهُمْ. قُلْتُ: هَذِهِ اثْنَتَانِ، فَمَا الثَّالِثَةُ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّهُ مَحَا نَفْسَهُ مِنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَهُوَ أَمِيرُ الْكَافِرِينَ. قُلْتُ: أَعِنْدَكُمْ سِوَى هَذَا؟ قَالُوا: حَسْبُنَا هَذَا. فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ قَرَأْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَمِنْ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا يُرَدُّ بِهِ قَوْلُكُمْ أَتَرْضَوْنَ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ. فَقُلْتُ: أَمَّا قَوْلُكُمْ: حَكَّمَ الرِّجَالَ فِي أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَأَنَا أَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا قَدْ رَدَّ حُكْمَهُ إِلَى الرِّجَالِ فِي ثَمَنِ رُبْعِ دِرْهَمٍ فِي أَرْنَبٍ، وَنَحْوِهَا مِنَ الصَّيْدِ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْتُلُوا الصَّيْدَ وَأَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌ. [المائدة: 95] إِلَى قَوْلِهِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ. [المائدة: 95]. فَنَشَدْتُكُمُ اللَّهَ أَحُكْمُ الرِّجَالِ فِي أَرْنَبٍ وَنَحْوِهَا مِنَ الصَّيْدِ أَفْضَلُ، أَمْ حُكْمُهُمْ فِي دِمَائِهِمْ وَصَلَاحِ ذَاتِ بَيْنِهِمْ؟، وَأَنْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَوْ شَاءَ لَحَكَمَ وَلَمْ يُصَيِّرْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى الرِّجَالِ، وَفِي الْمَرْأَةِ وَزَوْجِهَا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُوا حَكَمًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِنْ أَهْلِهَا إِنْ يُرِيدَا إِصْلَاحًا يُوَفِّقِ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا. [النساء: 35]. فَجَعَلَ اللَّهُ حُكْمَ الرِّجَالِ سُنَّةً مَأْمُونَةً، أَخَرَجْتُ عَنْ هَذِهِ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ

قَالَ: وَأَمَّا قَوْلُكُمْ: قَاتَلَ وَلَمْ يَسْبِ وَلَمْ يَغْنَمْ، أَتَسْبُونَ أُمَّكُمْ عَائِشَةَ ثُمَّ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ مِنْهَا مَا يُسْتَحَلُّ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا؟ فَلَئِنْ فَعَلْتُمْ لَقَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ وَهِيَ أُمُّكُمْ، وَلَئِنْ قُلْتُمْ: لَيْسَتْ أَمَّنَا لَقَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ: النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ. [الأحزاب: 6]. فَأَنْتُمْ تَدْورُونَ بَيْنَ ضَلَالَتَيْنِ أَيُّهُمَا صِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهَا، صِرْتُمْ إِلَى ضَلَالَةٍ فَنَظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ، قُلْتُ: أَخَرَجْتُ مِنْ هَذِهِ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: وَأَمَّا قَوْلُكُمْ مَحَا اسْمَهُ مِنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَأَنَا آتِيكُمْ بِمَنْ تَرْضَوْنَ، وَأُرِيكُمْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُمْ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ كَاتَبَ سُهَيْلَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو وَأَبَا سُفْيَانَ بْنَ حَرْبٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ: ” اكْتُبْ يَا عَلِيُّ: هَذَا مَا اصْطَلَحَ عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ” فَقَالَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ: لَا وَاللَّهِ مَا نَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَوْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَا قَاتَلْنَاكَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، اكْتُبْ يَا عَلِيُّ: هَذَا مَا اصْطَلَحَ عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ” فَوَاللَّهِ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ، وَمَا أَخْرَجَهُ مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ حِينَ مَحَا نَفْسَهُ. قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: فَرَجَعَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ أَلْفَانِ، وَقُتِلَ سَائِرُهُمْ عَلَى ضَلَالَةٍ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ مُسْلِمٍ، وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ. (وقال الإمام الذهبي: على شرط مسلم)

Abu Zumail Simaak al-Hanafi narrated that Abdullah bin Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them both) said: When the Kharijites deviated, they gathered in a house, and there were six thousand of them. I came to Ali and said: O Commander of the Faithful, delay Dhuhr so that I may go to these people and speak to them. He said: I fear for you. I said: Never. So, I went out to them and wore the best of Yemeni clothes. Abu Zumail said: Ibn Abbas was handsome with a strong voice.

Ibn Abbas said: I came to them while they were gathered in their house resting. I greeted them, and they said: Welcome, O Ibn Abbas. What is this garment? He said: I said: What do fault me for? I saw the best of clothes upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and this verse was revealed: Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He created for His servants, and pure provision? (al-A’raaf: 32).

They said: What brought you here? I said: I have come to you from the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ from the Muhajireen and the Ansar. To convey to you what the informed say, and based on what. For the Qur’an was revealed upon them, and they are more knowledgeable about the revelation than you. It was revealed among them, and there is not one among you from them. Some of them (the Khawarij) said do not debate Quraysh. Indeed Allah Most High said, Rather they are a argumentative people. (Surah al-Zukhruf, 58).

Ibn Abbas said: I have come to a people, I have never seen a people strive more than them. Their faces reflecting staying up at night. As if their hands and knees are being folded over them. Those who were present left, and some of them said: We will speak to him and see what he says.

I said: Tell me, what is your criticism of the cousin of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his son in-law and the Muhajireen and Ansar? They said: Three. I said: What are they? They said: As for one of them, he made men judge in the matter of Allah, and Allah (Most High) said: The judgment belongs only to Allah. (Al-An ‘am: 57). And what do men have to do with the judgment? I said: This is one. They said: As for the other, he fought, but did not take captives or spoils. If those he fought were infidels, then their captives and spoils would have been permitted. But if they were believers, then fighting them would not have been permissible. I said: These are two, what is the third? He said: He has erased himself from the title of commander of the faithful, so he is the commander of the unbelievers. I said: Do you have anything else? They said: This is enough for us. So, I said to them: Tell me, if I read to you from the Book of Allah and from the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ what answers your statement, will you be satisfied?

They said: Yes. I said: As for your saying: He made men judge in the matter of Allah, I will read to you what referred to men the value of a quarter of a Dirham for a rabbit, and similar game. He recited: O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in a state of ihram. To His saying: Let it be judged by two just men among you. (Al-Ma’idah: 95). I ask you by Allah, is the ruling of men in the case of a rabbit or similar game better, or their ruling in the case of their blood and reconciliation? You know that if Allah had willed, He would have ruled and would not have transferred that to men. And regarding the woman and her husband, Allah the Almighty said: And if you fear a split between them two, then send an arbitrator from his people and an arbitrator from her people. If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will facilitate it between them. (An-Nisa’: 35). Allah made the rule of men a trustworthy Sunnah. Have I dealt with this? They said: Yes.

He said: As for your saying: He fought but did not take captives and did not take spoils. Would you make captive your mother Aishah and then consider permissible from her what is permissible from others? If you did so, then indeed you would have disbelieved, as she is your mother. And if you say: She is not our mother, you have disbelieved. Indeed, Allah says: The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers. (Al-Ahzab: 6) So you are circling between two misguidances. Whichever one you choose; you will choose misguidance. So, they looked at each other. I said: Have I dealt with this? They said: Yes.

He said: As for your saying that he erased his title, Commander of the Faithful, I will bring you anyone you accept and prove to you that you have heard that the Prophet ﷺ, on the day of Al-Hudaybiyah, wrote a contract with Suhayl ibn Amr and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the Commander of the Faithful: Write, O Ali, this is what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has agreed. The polytheists said: No, by Allah, we do not know that you are the Messenger of Allah. If we knew that you were the Messenger of Allah, we would not have fought you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: O Allah, You know that I am the Messenger of Allah. Write, O Ali: This is what Muhammad ibn Abdullah has agreed. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is better than Ali, and he did not remove himself from prophethood when he erased his title.

Abdullah bin Abbas said: Two thousand of the people returned, and the rest of them were killed in misguidance. This is an authentic Hadith according to the conditions of Muslim, but they did not include it. (Mustadrak Hakim 2656, Imam al-Dhahabi said Sahih according to the conditions of Muslim).

Debating Ahl al-Bidah

Firstly, I would like to highlight the fact that this is clear proof that one of the greatest scholars of the Salaf debated Ahl al-Bidah. Sayidina Ibn Abbas is one of the great scholars of the Sahabah. And he did debate with the Khawarij. Who were clearly Ahl al-Bidah. Therefore, people who say the Salaf did not debate Ahl al-Bidah are thoroughly uninformed.

We must also recognise that Sayidina Ali did not prevent Sayidina Ibn Abbas on the grounds that debating Ahl al-Bidah is prohibited. Rather his concerns were regarding the safety of Sayidina Ibn Abbas. Thus, two great Sahabah had no issue with the debate with the Khawarij.

فكذا مناظرة أهل البدع إذا أظهروها، وذكروا شبههم منها، وجوابهم عنها، وبيان بطلانهم فيها. (مناقب الشافعي للبيهقي)

This (permissibility) is also the case with debating people of innovation (Ahl al-Bidah), when they propagate it. They mention their distortions regarding them and their response to them. Thus, they clarify their falsehood in them. (Imam Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi 458H, Manaqib al-Shafi’i).

Proof from Quran and Hadith

The narration makes it evident that the Khawarij were ignorant regarding relatively well-known issues addressed in Quran and Sunnah. Yet, Sayidina Ibn Abbas quoted Quran and Sunnah in his debate with the Khawarij.

Thus, people who say we should not provide evidence from Quran and Sunnah to the uneducated masses (Awam) are contradicting the way of the Sahabah. If it was effective with obstinate Khawarij, then it is more likely to be effective with uneducated Muslims.

Interpretation of Sahabah

Although the Khawarij were from the era of the Salaf (early Muslims), they were deeply misguided. They completely misunderstood the Quran and Sunnah. Thus, the Sahabah were needed to help them interpret Quran and Sunnah correctly.  We gather from this that the interpretation of the Sahabah must be given preference.

Isolating texts

The Khawarij were guilty of isolating Quranic verses and prophetic Hadith. This is one of the biggest means of misguidance. The Quran and Hadith must be understood in its fullest context. If a person knows one verse of the Holy Quran but not all related verses, then he is liable to misinterpret the meaning. The same is true of Sunnah.

This is one of the reasons Sunni Muslims have always relied upon Madhabs. Since a Madhab is the collective work, effort and scrutiny of tens of thousands of scholars. Thus, they are less likely to be ignorant of related Quranic verses and Hadith narrations.

Listening to the opposition

We see in Sayidina Ibn Abbas’ debate with the Khawarij that he carefully and patiently listened to the points his opposition raised. Then he addressed them directly. Strangely, this is not always present in contemporary debate. Very often people will ignore the actual issues at hand and address unrelated or partially related issues.

This is not an exhaustive list of lessons we can derive from this debate with the Khawarij. Rather there is a further abundance of guidance that can be derived from it. However, I will suffice with this to avoid lengthening the article further.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (09.03.25)