12/48. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1066g — True Words Used Wrongly
Exhortation to kill the Khawarij
Khawarij Hadith: A True Statement Used for a Wrong Cause
Sahih Muslim : 1066g
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1066g
حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَيُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ الأَشَجِّ، عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ الْحَرُورِيَّةَ لَمَّا خَرَجَتْ وَهُوَ مَعَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ - رضى الله عنه - قَالُوا لاَ حُكْمَ إِلاَّ لِلَّهِ . قَالَ عَلِيٌّ كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ أُرِيدَ بِهَا بَاطِلٌ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَصَفَ نَاسًا إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ صِفَتَهُمْ فِي هَؤُلاَءِ " يَقُولُونَ الْحَقَّ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ لاَ يَجُوزُ هَذَا مِنْهُمْ - وَأَشَارَ إِلَى حَلْقِهِ - مِنْ أَبْغَضِ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهُمْ أَسْوَدُ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ طُبْىُ شَاةٍ أَوْ حَلَمَةُ ثَدْىٍ " . فَلَمَّا قَتَلَهُمْ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ انْظُرُوا . فَنَظَرُوا فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا شَيْئًا فَقَالَ ارْجِعُوا فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كَذَبْتُ وَلاَ كُذِبْتُ . مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ وَجَدُوهُ فِي خَرِبَةٍ فَأَتَوْا بِهِ حَتَّى وَضَعُوهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ . قَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ وَأَنَا حَاضِرُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ . وَقَوْلِ عَلِيٍّ فِيهِمْ زَادَ يُونُسُ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ قَالَ بُكَيْرٌ وَحَدَّثَنِي رَجُلٌ عَنِ ابْنِ حُنَيْنٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ ذَلِكَ الأَسْوَدَ .
Ubaidullah b. Abu Rafi', the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said: When Haruria (the Khawarij) set out and as he was with 'Ali b. Abu Talib (Allah be pleased with him) they said, "There is no command but that of Allah." Upon this 'Ali said: The statement is true but it is intentionally applied (to support) a wrong (cause). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) described their characteristics and I found these characteristics in them. They state the truth with their tongue, but it does not go beyond this part of their bodies (and the narrator pointed towards his throat). The most hateful among the creation of Allah is one black man among them (Khawarij). One of his hand is like the teat of a goat or the nipple of the breast. When 'Ali b. Abu Talib (Allah be pleased with him) killed them, he said: Search (for his dead body). They searched for him, but they did not find it (his dead body). Upon this he said: Go (and search for him). By Allah, neither I have spoken a lie nor has the lie been spoken to me. 'Ali said this twice and thrice. They then found him (the dead body) in a rain. They brought (his dead) body till they placed it before him (Hadrat 'Ali). 'Ubaidullah said: And, I was present at (that place) when this happened and when 'Ali said about them. A person narrated to me from Ibn Hanain that he said: I saw that black man.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1066gIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 205USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2334
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1066g
This hadith about Khawarij focuses on a powerful lesson: a true statement can be used in a wrong way. The Haruria said, "There is no command but that of Allah." Ali said the statement itself was true, but they used it to support a wrong cause. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had described people whose truth stayed only on their tongues and did not go beyond their throats. This means their speech sounded religious, but it did not lead them to the right path. The report also shows Ali asking the people to search for the sign mentioned by the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, then saying that he had not lied and had not been lied to.
What we learn from this hadith
- A true religious phrase can be misused when the aim behind it is false.
- Religious speech should reach the heart and actions, not remain only on the tongue.
- Ali connected the traits he saw with the description he heard from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The companions treated the Prophet’s words with firm trust and careful checking.
