Dialogue of Ibn Abbas with the Khawarij

 

Dialogue of Ibn Abbas with the Khawarij

ihayah, karya Imam Ibn al-Katsir.

Pati, December 19, 2016[:en]In history, during the Caliphate of Ali bin Abi Talib there were a number of rebellions against his caliphate. One of them was from a group of his own supporters, arguing that they did not agree with Ali's policies and decisions. They defected, and even more ironically, dared to call Ali an infidel, arguing that Ali ruled by human law.

According to Ibn Abbas, one of the Prophet's companions who was also a companion of Ali, the Khawarij who came out of Ali's congregation numbered around 6000 people. In the book entitled Al-Muntaqa an Nafis Min Talbis al-Iblis  by Imam Ibn al-Jauzi in chapter II, especially the one that discusses hururiyyah, it is said that there was a dialogue between Ibn Abbas and the Khawarij people. Here is what the author will try to display:

Ibn Abbas narrates, "When the sun was scorching hot, the time for the midday prayer was almost here, I met Ali. I said, 'O Amirul Mu'minin, wait for the weather to cool down for the dhuhur prayer. Give me permission to meet them (the Khawarij), I will invite him to dialogue."

Ali replied, "O Ibn Abbas, I am afraid something will happen to you."

"O Amirul Mu'minin, don't worry about me. I'm not a bad person, and I've never hurt anyone."

Then Ali also allowed Ibn Abbas to meet the Khawarij.

"I immediately put on the finest robes of Yemen, straightened my hair, and I stepped into the crowd of them," said Ibn Abbas. “I was in the midst of a people I had never seen before. They are people who are very passionate about worship. Their foreheads were covered with wounds from prostration, their hands were callused like camel's knees. Their faces are pale from lack of sleep, because they spend their nights in worship.”

"I greeted them," said Ibn Abbas, "and they welcomed me."

"Welcome, O Ibn Abbas, what on earth led you here?"

“I come to you as a representative of the companions of the Muhajirin and Ansar. I also came as a representative of the Prophet's son-in-law. It was to the companions that the Qur'an was revealed and they are the ones who understand its meaning better than you."

Ibn Abbas also explained to them the position of the Muhajirin and Ansar companions. The companions are the people who understand the Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah the most. Ibn Abbas also emphasized the greatness of Ali's position in the eyes of God and the Messenger of Allah.

As soon as they heard Ibn Abbas's explanation, some of them responded, "You should never argue with the Quraysh..." and then quoted the Qur'anic verse Al-Zukhruf: 58, "In fact, they are a people who like to argue."

But there were some people who interrupted, "Let us debate it!"

Ibn Abbas continued, "O you guys, give me a reason, why do you hate the son-in-law of the Apostle and the companions of the Muhajirin and the Ansar? Yet the Qur'an was revealed to them, and there is not a single friend on your side at this time. Ali is the one who understands the most about the interpretation of the Qur'an."

The Khawarij replied, "We have 3 reasons."

"Name those 3 reasons."

Then they expressed, "First, Ali has really made humans as judges (deciders of matters) in God's affairs, even though God said, "....The decision belongs only to God.... (Joseph's letter: 40). The law of men has no meaning in the sight of God."

“This is your first excuse, then what else?” said Ibn Abbas.

They continued, "Secondly, Ali has indeed fought and killed (in the battle of Siffin in which Aisha was involved), but why did he not want to capture his prisoners and take his ghanimah (spoils of war)?" If those who fought against Ali were believers, it would not be lawful for us to fight and kill him. His captives are not halal either."

"Then what is the third reason?" asked Ibn Abbas.

“Thirdly, Ali has removed the title Amirul Mukminin from him. If Ali is not Amirul Mukminin, then he is Amirul Kafirin."

Ibn Abbas asked again, "Is there a reason other than that?"

"For us, those three things are reason enough!"

"Your statement that Ali has made people as decision makers," said Ibn Abbas, "I will answer. But if your statement is refuted by my response, will you come back?”

"Of course we'll be back," they replied.

Then Ibn Abbas recited the Qur'an Surah al-Maidah: 95 and then explained, “Know all of you! Indeed, Allah has given some of His laws to human decisions, such as in determining the price of rabbits as a ransom for the offense of those who have killed the rabbit during ihram. Likewise, in matters of dispute between husband and wife, Allah also leaves the law to human decisions in order to reconcile between the two." Ibn Abbas did not forget to recite the Qur'an Surah Al-Nisa: 35.

"By Allah, answer me! Which is better for you to choose between the assignment of a human being to make peace and prevent bloodshed, or a human decision regarding the blood of a rabbit and a human decision regarding a dispute between husband and wife?”

The Khawarij answered "Of course, this is the assignment of people to reconcile people and prevent bloodshed."

Ibn Abbas also asked the question, "Have you understood the first question?"

"Yes we have understood that."

Ibn Abbas continued, "As for your statement that Ali fought but did not want to take booty and did not want to make his opponent a prisoner," Ibn Abbas said, "Truly you have insulted your mother ( ummul mukminin ) Aisha. By Allah, if you say 'Aishah is not the mother of all of us', you have definitely left Islam. You have denied the Qur'an. Likewise, if you take Aisyah as a prisoner of war and consider her halal, you have clearly left Islam. Indeed, you are in two forms of error."

Then Ibn Abbas recited the Qur'an surah al-Ahzab: 6. "The Prophet should be prioritized by the believers over their own interests, and the wives of the Prophet are the mothers of the believers."

Then Ibn Abbas asked, "Have you understood this second problem?"

"Yes," they answered.

Furthermore, Ibn Abbas explained the third problem, "As for your opinion that Ali has removed the title Amir al-mu'minin from himself, then I will tell you about a person whom you are pleased with, namely the Messenger of Allah. Know that the Messenger of Allah on the day of Hudaibiyah had made a peace treaty ( shuluh ) with the hostile Meccans. As representatives of them were Abu Sofyan and Suhail bin Amr. Do you know what happened at that time?” Ibn Abbas continued his story, “At that time the Apostle said to Ali, 'O Ali, write a treaty for them!' Ali also wrote with the statement, "This is the agreement between the Messenger of Allah ..." which was later refuted by Abu Sofyan's side.

"By God, we do not know that you are the Messenger of God. If we had known you as God's messenger, we would not have fought you," said Abu Sufyan.

With the satire from the Quraish infidel, the Apostle muttered, "O Allah, you really know that I am the Messenger of Allah."

Then the Messenger of Allah ordered Ali to change his attributes. "O Ali, write with the editor, 'This is the agreement of Muhammad bin Abdillah...'"

Ibn Abbas then said to the Khawarij, "By God, the Messenger is indeed more noble than Ali, but even so, he deleted the mention of the Messenger in the Hudaibiyyah treaty. Is it with Muhammad's decision to remove the attributes of the Messenger of God in the agreement then you will deny Muhammad's apostleship, just as you deny Ali's Islam by removing the title of Commander of the Faithful?"

Finally, through the dialogue, Ibn Abbas managed to bring home 2000 people from about 6000 people there. Ibn Abbas also invited him to meet Ali in Kuffah. While the rest refused and persisted in the rigidity of opinion and the brutality of his behavior. One day, as recorded in history, the Khawarij commissioned Abdurrahman ibn Muljam, a memorizer of the Qur'an, to kill Ali ibn Abi Talib.