The Atrocious Acts of the Khawarij and the Spark of War
When news arrived that the Khawarij had killed “Abdullah ibn Khabbab ibn Art” and had assaulted the protesting people, even murdering the envoy of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), those who were with Imam (peace be upon him) turned to him and said:
“O Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), why should we remain passive toward them? If we overlook their transgressions, they will dominate our families and property. Let us confront them now, and once we are rid of their threat, we will turn toward the enemy in Syria.”
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) then marched with his soldiers, who feared for their families from the Khawarij’ danger. The two armies faced each other at Nahrawan.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) Delivers the Final Warning to the Khawarij
In this battle, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) did not initiate hostilities; rather, he sought to fully clarify the truth for them. He sent Ibn Abbas to address them first.
“We addressed them with reason and sound judgment, yet they persisted in blindness and rebellion,” the sources report. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) then approached them directly, reminding them of their refusal to accept arbitration and urging them to reconsider, leaving no excuse. Many of them repented and returned, including Abdullah ibn Kawa, their congregational leader that day. However, some remained intent only on war.
Confirmation of Imam Ali’s Earlier Predictions
As both armies grew weary, reports claimed that the Khawarij had crossed the bridge. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) declared:
“By God, they have not crossed the bridge, and they shall not; the bridge will be their slaughterground.”When reports persisted that they had crossed, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) swore they had not and said:
“By God, not even ten of you will be killed, and not ten of them will survive.”When events unfolded exactly as Imam Ali (peace be upon him) had predicted, it became clear that the Khawarij had not reached the river, and the soldiers of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) rejoiced. He remarked,
“By God, I have not lied, nor has anyone lied to me.”
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) had instructed his companions: “Do not initiate the battle; let them begin.” The Khawarij then shouted, “Rush toward Paradise!” and launched their attack.
The Battle and Its Aftermath
The battle raged, and the companions of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) fought with unparalleled valor. Only eight Khawarij survived, fleeing in all directions, while merely nine of Imam Ali’s (peace be upon him) companions were killed—some sources mention seven.
The battle ended with the annihilation of the Khawarij . Narrations report that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) had forewarned his companions about this group before their appearance, describing them as one who abandons religion as an arrow passes through the air, with a sign being a man with a paralyzed hand.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) commanded:
“Find that man with the paralyzed hand.”
Some said they could not locate him, while others confirmed he was among the slain. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) joined them in searching and found him exactly as described.
He then declared:
“God is the Greatest! I have not lied, nor has anyone lied to me. Were it not for the fear that you might neglect your duty, I would recount for you the guidance revealed by God through His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) so that those who fought them may know that their killing was an act of insight and that we are indeed in the right.”
Imam Ali’s Sobering Reflection on the Kharijite Legacy
As Imam Ali (peace be upon him) passed over the slain Khawarij, he said:
“Woe to you! You have brought harm upon yourselves and been deceived.”
They asked, “O Commander of the Faithful, who deceived them?”
He replied:
“Satan and the commanding self, which beguiled them with vain desires, adorned sin for them, and promised them victory.”They expressed gratitude to God for their eradication, to which Imam Ali (peace be upon him) responded:
“By God, it is not so; they remain present in the form of seed within men’s loins and women’s wombs, and thus their legacy endures.”