The Khawarij in 2025: Who Truly Fits the Label?

In 2025, Islam is under a global spotlight, yet unbiased analysis of specific topics remains hard to find especially if you do not speak the Arabic language. One term, “Khawarij,” is often misused, thrown around like a lasso, ensnaring anyone deemed extreme. So I suppose the real question is who truly fits the characteristics of the Khawarij today?

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَيَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ، وَسُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْفَزَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ “‏ بَدَأَ الإِسْلاَمُ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Islam began as something strange and will go back to being strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.’”

Sunan Ibn Majah 3986

The term Khawarij literally means ‘those who went out’ or ‘those who rebelled and withdrew’. This term was birthed specifically from the First Fitna, the civil war after the assassination of Caliph Uthman in 656 CE.

It comes from the root kharaja (خرج), which means to go out or to exit. A group were called this because they seceded from the main Muslim community after disagreeing with the political decisions of Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib.

During the Battle of Siffin (657 CE), Ali, the fourth caliph, agreed to arbitration with Muawiya (governor of Syria) to resolve the conflict.

A faction of Ali’s army rejected this arbitration, claiming that judgment belongs to God alone (“La hukma illa lillah”).

This group broke away from Ali’s camp, hence the label Khawarij.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يُسَيْرُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِسَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ هَلْ سَمِعْتَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ فِي الْخَوَارِجِ شَيْئًا قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ ـ وَأَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ قِبَلَ الْعِرَاقِ ـ ‏ “‏ يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ قَوْمٌ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لاَ يُجَاوِزُ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ، يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الإِسْلاَمِ مُرُوقَ السَّهْمِ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated Yusair bin `Amr: I asked Sahl bin Hunaif, “Did you hear the Prophet (ﷺ) saying anything about Al-Khawarij?” He said, “I heard him saying while pointing his hand towards Iraq. “There will appear in it (i.e, Iraq) some people who will recite the Qur’an but it will not go beyond their throats, and they will go out from (leave) Islam as an arrow darts through the game’s body.’ “

Sahih al-Bukhari 6934

There are conditions to be fulfilled before we can label anyone a Khawarij, a kafir, a hypocrite. The evidence has to be as clear as the sun on a midday.

A major characteristics of the Khawarij is that they want to overthrow the Muslim ruler. Now lets assume the Muslim ruler is actually a Muslim and is not masquerading as one. Lets assume there is no evidence as clear as the sun on a hot summer day that the Muslim ruler has publicly, methodically and intentionally committed to thoughts and or actions that has nullified his Islam. (I will post an article on the Nullifiers of Islam soon..) Yet, despite this clarity, the Khawarij will still deem the ruler illegitimate and seek to remove them by force, demonstrating their extreme rigidity and uncompromising ideology.

Another characteristics of the Khawarij is that they love to make illegitimate takfir on Muslims. Takfir meaning to deem a person a disbeliever. Conditions have to be met and is typically reserved for the ruler to make. The Khawarij would typically see major sins as something that nullifies a persons Islam and this is incorrect!

The Troops (39:53)

۞ قُلْ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٥٣

Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

Another characteristic of the Khawarij is that they are harsh with the Muslims and leave the non Muslims alone, even cooperating with non Muslims against the Muslims. They roll out the red carpet for the disbelievers, work with them even in the killing of Muslims which is an action that nullifies your Islam. They lack understanding of the Quran and their outward worship may even come across as impressive and extremely pious but in truth and in fact they lack the understanding of the Quran and of the Sunnah and will often misinterpret verses of the Quran to fit their rigid extreme views. Rejecting scholars and declaring them as disbelievers. They pray, fast, and recite beautifully, but their actions contradict the mercy and balance of Islam, often young in age and foolish in mind.

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ يَخْرُجُ فِيكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَحْقِرُونَ صَلاَتَكُمْ مَعَ صَلاَتِهِمْ، وَصِيَامَكُمْ مَعَ صِيَامِهِمْ، وَعَمَلَكُمْ مَعَ عَمَلِهِمْ، وَيَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لاَ يُجَاوِزُ حَنَاجِرَهُمْ، يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الدِّينَ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ، يَنْظُرُ فِي النَّصْلِ فَلاَ يَرَى شَيْئًا، وَيَنْظُرُ فِي الْقِدْحِ فَلاَ يَرَى شَيْئًا، وَيَنْظُرُ فِي الرِّيشِ فَلاَ يَرَى شَيْئًا، وَيَتَمَارَى فِي الْفُوقِ ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “There will appear some people among you whose prayer will make you look down upon yours, and whose fasting will make you look down upon yours, but they will recite the Qur’an which will not exceed their throats (they will not act on it) and they will go out of Islam as an arrow goes out through the game whereupon the archer would examine the arrowhead but see nothing, and look at the unfeathered arrow but see nothing, and look at the arrow feathers but see nothing, and finally he suspects to find something in the lower part of the arrow.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 5058

Another sign is that they rush toward violence and bloodshed. Violence is their first solution, not the last; they glorify fighting and martyrdom without a legitimate cause. They do not follow the Quran and Sunnah when engaging in battles, disregarding what Allah the most High told us about taking the life of an innocent human being and often disregard what our Prophet may Allah the most High have mercy on him tells us about taking your own life. Anyone with sound intellect and basic understanding of the Quran and Sunnah would know the severity of taking your own life and the spilling of innocent blood.

The Table Spread With Food (5:32)

مِنۡ اَجۡلِ ذٰ لِكَ​ ۛ ۚ كَتَبۡنَا عَلٰى بَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ اَنَّهٗ مَنۡ قَتَلَ نَفۡسًۢا بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٍ اَوۡ فَسَادٍ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَكَاَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيۡعًا ؕ وَمَنۡ اَحۡيَاهَا فَكَاَنَّمَاۤ اَحۡيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيۡعًا ​ؕ وَلَـقَدۡ جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُنَا بِالۡبَيِّنٰتِ ثُمَّ اِنَّ كَثِيۡرًا مِّنۡهُمۡ بَعۡدَ ذٰ لِكَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ لَمُسۡرِفُوۡنَ‏ 

(5:32) Therefore We ordained for the Children of Israel that he who slays a soul unless it be (in punishment) for murder or for spreading mischief on earth shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind. And indeed again and again did Our Messengers come to them with clear directives; yet many of them continued to commit excesses on earth.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ الَّذِي يَخْنُقُ نَفْسَهُ يَخْنُقُهَا فِي النَّارِ، وَالَّذِي يَطْعُنُهَا يَطْعُنُهَا فِي النَّارِ ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira-: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire (forever) and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 1365

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ شَهِدْنَا خَيْبَرَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِرَجُلٍ مِمَّنْ مَعَهُ يَدَّعِي الإِسْلاَمَ ‏”‏ هَذَا مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ ‏”‏‏.‏ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ الْقِتَالُ قَاتَلَ الرَّجُلُ أَشَدَّ الْقِتَالِ، حَتَّى كَثُرَتْ بِهِ الْجِرَاحَةُ، فَكَادَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ يَرْتَابُ، فَوَجَدَ الرَّجُلُ أَلَمَ الْجِرَاحَةِ، فَأَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ إِلَى كِنَانَتِهِ، فَاسْتَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا أَسْهُمًا، فَنَحَرَ بِهَا نَفْسَهُ، فَاشْتَدَّ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، صَدَّقَ اللَّهُ حَدِيثَكَ، انْتَحَرَ فُلاَنٌ فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ قُمْ يَا فُلاَنُ فَأَذِّنْ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاَّ مُؤْمِنٌ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُؤَيِّدُ الدِّينَ بِالرَّجُلِ الْفَاجِرِ ‏”‏‏.‏ تَابَعَهُ مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira: We witnessed (the battle of) Khaibar. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said about one of those who were with him and who claimed to be a Muslim. “This (man) is from the dwellers of the Hell-Fire.” When the battle started, that fellow fought so violently and bravely that he received plenty of wounds. Some of the people were about to doubt (the Prophet’s statement), but the man, feeling the pain of his wounds, put his hand into his quiver and took out of it, some arrows with which he slaughtered himself (i.e. committed suicide). Then some men amongst the Muslims came hurriedly and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Allah has made your statement true so-and-so has committed suicide. “The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “O so-and-so! Get up and make an announcement that none but a believer will enter Paradise and that Allah may support the religion with an unchaste (evil) wicked man.

Sahih al-Bukhari 4203

So why would someone even take that risk of a first class ticket to the Hell fire? It does not make sense. Unless there are groups of people who have systematically overthrown resistance groups in grave times of turmoil, captured leadership and convert them to proxy tools; or created groups and prey and target over zealous Muslims who may even be new to the religion of Islam with no understanding and tell them to kill for their own higher motive? Allah the most High knows best.

And I end this article with a final hadith from our Prophet may peace upon him.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ الأَزْرَقُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي أَوْفَى، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ “‏ الْخَوَارِجُ كِلاَبُ النَّارِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated that Ibn Awfa said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘The Khawarij are the dogs of Hell.’”

Sunan Ibn Majah 173