The Rise Of Khawarij

Hassan Al-Basri vs a Khariji – مَا الإِسْلامُ ؟

Hassan Al-Basri asked a man from the Khawarij – 1300 years ago – a question, which is still relevant to the neo-Khawarij extremists of today:

قَالَ الْحَسَنُ لِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ : ” مَا الإِسْلامُ ؟
قَالَ : شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ , وَحَجُّ الْبَيْتِ , وَصِيَامُ رَمَضَانَ , وَالْغُسْلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ ” وَذَكَرَ أَشْيَاءَ
فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ : إِنَّكَ لَتَقْتُلُ مَنْ هَذَا دِينَهُ

Hassan al-Basri asked the Khawarij: “What is Islam?”

The Khariji replied:

“That you testify that there is no other god besides Allah,
and that Mohammad is His messenger,
and make the pilgrimage,
and fast during Ramadan,
and wash yourself after impurity …”
and he mentioned some other things.

Hassan Al-Basri said: “You are killing people who have this as their religion.”

(“Al-Musannaf”, 18050).