Another instance:

As we know, the tale of Ohod has a tragic aspect. Seventy Muslims, including Hazrat Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet, were martyred. To start with the Muslims had won the battle. Subsequently, due to indiscipline of a battalion who were posted at a hillock, the Muslims were subjected to a surprise attack. Many were martyred, some scattered away. A small group got distant from the Prophet. Ultimately the same small group once again rallied the forces and halted the further enemy advance. The rumour that Prophet was martyred mainly contributed to the Muslim's scattering away. But instantly they realised that the Prophet was alive, they regained their morale. A number of the injured had fallen to the ground. They were absolu­tely indifferent to their end. One of the injured was Sa'd bin Rabi'. He sustained twelve grievous injuries. In the meantime, when he lay injured, one of the deserters came to Sa'd and said, "Have you heard that the Prophet has been killed?" Sa'd said, "If Muhammad has been killed, may be.But Muhammad's God has not been killed. Faith of Muhammad survives, why are you evasive to defend your faith?"

On his side, the Prophet collected his companions. Called out each of his companions to see who was alive and who was dead? He did not find Sa'd bin Rabi'. He said, "Who is there to go and fetch me exact information about Sa'd bin Rabi'? One of the Ansarites said, "I offer myself. When the Ansarite reached Sa'd, he had some symptoms of life left in him. He said, "Oh Sa'd! I have been sent by the Prophet to collect information about your life or otherwise". Sa'd said, 'Say he is from amongst the dead, because no more moments of life are left to him'. Tell the Prophet that Sa'd has said, 'God may bless you with the best of the Prophet's rewards". In the same behest he said to the Ansarites and all other companions of the Prophet, "God will accept no excuse from you if your Prophet is harmed while you are alive".

The pages of early Islamic history are rich in such dedications, devotions and graceful events. In whole of the history, we cannot find any one else to have been so profoundly loved and endeared by his friends, his contemporaries, his wives and his children, from the depth of their hearts, as the Holy Prophet has been.

In his commentary on 'Nehj-ul-Balagha" Ibn Abi Hadeed says: "None who had heard him (The Prophet) could avoid love and attraction rising in his heart for him. In Mecca the Qureish called the Muslims, "devoted and dedicated", and would say, "Our apprehension is lest Walid bin Mugheera accepts Mohammed's faith, and if Walid, who is crown flower of Qureish, ever does so the whole of the Qureish would follow his suit". They used to say, "His words are magic and they intoxicate deeper than liquor does. They would forbid their children to join his sittings lest he attracted them with his words and inspiring personality. Whenever the Prophet would sit along the Ka'ba in Hajar-i-Ismail and recite the Quran or beseech God, they would put their fingers in their ears lest they were bewitched by his words and got attracted to him.

They would wrap their heads and veil their faces to avoid being attracted by his captivating demeanour. Thus many people embraced Islam only on hearing his discourse, or on seeing his mien, or on having a glimpse of his, or by tasting his luscious diction.

Of all the historic facts about him, one that astonishes most a critic, a humanist or a sociologist, is the revolution, which Islam brought in the ignorant Arabia. In ordinary course, if such a society is sought to be reformed by popularising education and by adopting customary instructive measures, it  would require long time to elapse, so that the old generation which was vice-addicted has worn away and a new generation has been founded. But we should not ignore the influence of attraction. As we have said like flames of fire, which burn the roots, it would burn the evils to ashes.

Majority of Prophet's companions extremely loved him and it was by carriage of love that they travelled this long distance in such a short period and revolutionalised their society so briskly:

Our wings and feathers are lasso of his love,

It drags (us) by our forelock to beloved's street;

Why should I enlighten my whereabouts,

When my beloved's light never fails,

His light is to the right and to the left above and below

On my head like crown and round my neck like a collar.

LOVE OF ALI  IN THE QURAN AND SUNNAH

The preceding discussion elucidated the merits and effects of love. Incidentally it became obvious that love with the pious is rather a means for self-reformation and self-edification and not an end in itself. Let us now see whether or not the Quran has specified anyone to be loved by us.

The Quran reports all the early Prophets having said: "We do not want it from the people, our reward is with Allah alone". But it asks the last of the Prophets to say to the people: "I do not want any requital from you except your love with my kith and kin".

Here a question arises: why all those Prophets did not demand a recompense and why did the last of the Prophets want a requital for his mission and asks the people to love his nearest relatives as a reward of his mission? The Quran itself answers this question: "Say the love which I have asked for from you is to your own benefit. My own reward? It is due from none but Allah". That is to say, the Prophet means: "What I want as a reward reverts to you and not to me. This love is a ladder leading to your perfection and edification. Prima-facie, it is called reward but in fact it is yet another benefit which has been bestowed on you by me". Because the people of Apostolical House did never go near vice; they remained pious and chaste.

ABODES OF PIETY AND PURITY

Love with and devotion to them results in nothing but obedience to the Truth and pursuit of Virtue. Their love is like alchemy that transmutes and augments. Of all conformable to Quraba (kith and kin), Ali is the most befitting. Fakhr-i-Razi says, "Zamakhshari reports in Kashaf: when this verse was revealed, they asked from the Prophet, 'Who are those of your kith and kin whose love has been made obligatory on us'? The Prophet replied: "Ali, Fatima and their sons".

This tradition proves that these four personalities are Prophet's Quraba, i.e. the near ones from love with whom people should benefit. To this effect, arguments may be advanced from some other angles also:

1. The verses about "mowadat fil qurba" (affection with near ones).

2.   Undoubtedly the Prophet loved Fatima most of all and said. "Fatima is part and parcel of myself; whatever offends her offends me". He also loved Ali and Hasnain as is clear from abundant and consistent traditions reported in this context.

Hence love with them obligatory on the whole of the Umma. Because the Quran says "Follow the Prophet (so that) you may find the right course and get guided." It again says: "For you, virtuous precedent is instituted in the life style of messenger of Allah". It proves that love with the progeny of Muhammad, i.e., Ali, Fatima and Hasnain is obligatory on all the Muslims.

There are numerous traditions reported from the Prophet, enjoining love with and affection towards Ali:

1.   Ibn Aseer cites (from traditions) and says: Prophet said, "Oh Ali.' God, has enriched you with merits which are the most coveted for by His men. Avoidance of worldly benefits: He constructed you in such a manner that neither you benefit from the sordid world nor does it from you. He endowed you with the love for the have-nots. They are happy with your leading them and you are happy with them because they follow you. Blessed is the one who loves you with rectitude. Cursed is the man who has  animosity with you and fabricates lies against you".

2.   Suyooti reports that the Prophet said, "Love with Ali is the faith and, enmity with him is the hypocrisy."

3.   Abu Naeem narrates the Prophet having said while addressing the Ansar, "Should I tell you a thing which if you hold fast you will not get astray?" They said, "Yes, O! Prophet of God". He replied, "It is Ali. Love him for the sake of my love, because Allah through Jabra'eel has bade me to tell you this".

The Sunnis have also narrated from the Prophet, inter-alia, that a glance at Ali's face and description of his merits is like offering a prayer. Tabri narrates from 'Aisha saying, "I saw that my father would constantly gaze at Ali. I asked him, 'My dear father! I see you often looking at Ali, why so'? He replied 'O my daughter, I have heard the Prophet saying: 'a glance at Ali's face is like saying a prayer". Ibn Hojr reports from 'Aisha that the Prophet said, "The best of my brothers is Ali and the best of my uncles is Hamza. Remembrance and mention of Ali is like saying of a prayer".

By Allah and by Prophet, Ali was the most loved. Hence he is the best of the loved ones. Anas bin Malik says, "One of the boys from Ansar would be detailed each day for attending the Prophet. One day it was my turn, when Umm-i-Aiman brought a roasted fowl to the Prophet. She said 'Oh Prophet of God! I myself have caught it and have roasted it for you'. The Prophet said' 'Oh Allah! Send Thy cherished servant to join me in this feast'. In the meantime the door was knocked and the Prophet asked me to open it. I said to myself may be he is an Ansar. But I saw Ali at the back of the door. I told him that the Prophet was busy, and I returned to my own position. Once again there was a knock; the Prophet asked me to open the door. Again I prayed: may he be an Ansar. I opened the door, but again it was Ali. I said to him that the Prophet was busy, and I myself resumed my position. Again there was a knock and the Prophet said, 'Anasr go and open  the door and let him in. You are not the first to be clannish. He is not an Ansar'. I went and conducted Ali in. He joined the Prophet in eating the roasted fowl". 

THE SECRETS OF ALI'S ATTRACTION

What is the cause of Ali's love and affection in hearts of men? The secret of love has not till today been discovered by anyone. It is not possible to evolve a formula saying that had it happened so this would have been the result and had it happened the other way that would have been the result. However, it has a secret. There is something in the beloved, which attracts the lover and is bewitching for him. The love and attraction in the foregoing chapters has been named as "Ishq". Ali no doubt is the beloved of and coveted by men. Why? and to what end? Why this is exceptional with Ali that he inspires love and allures the souls to himself. Why has he become a perpetual phase and why does he live to eternity? Why do the hearts feel that they are acquainted with him? Why did people not feel that he is dead and it is why that they find him alive?

Admittedly the object of love is not his body because he is not bodily present amongst us and we do not feel him as such. Moreover, love with Ali is not equivalent to hero-worship of all nations. It will be doubtful if we say love with Ali is sequel to love with his human and moral merits and that love with Ali is love with humanity. Doubtless, Ali is an embodiment of a perfect man. It is also correct that man loves great models of human virtue. But let Ali possess all these human merits, let him possess wisdom, knowledge, devotion, sacrifice, humility, decorum, kindness, affection, love for the weak, justice, freedom, independence, regard for humanity, selfless-ness, chivalry, bravery and kindness even towards his enemy; (and according to Maulvi: you are in chivalry, the Lion of Allah; We cannot define what you are in benevolence), generosity, benevolence, and all that Ali had let him have; if he would not have enjoyed the complexion of God, he would not have been so much captivating and inspiring as he is even today.

Ali is loved because he has connection with Divinity. He, impercep­tibly, from the depths of our hearts attracts us towards the Truth and towards determination. And when we say Ali is one of the greatest signs of Allah, it is for the reason that we find in him the manifestation of Truth. Hence men's love for him. In fact what reinforces people's love with Ali is the bondage of love of God hidden in their souls. As the souls are eternal, so is love for Ali. There are so many brilliant points in Ali's personality, but what is always sublime and illuminating is his faith and sincerity, which has blessed him with Divine determination.

Sauda Hamdani is a lady fond of Ali. She in presence of Mo'awiyah paid salutation to Ali and described his merits: "Blessed is the soul who has been hurried and with him justice has been buried. He was so committed to truth that no other heart could do. He was conjoined with faith and belief. Saasaa-b-Sohan Abdi is another devotee of Ali. He is from amongst those who joined Ali's funeral on the fateful night. When they burried Ali and heaped dust on his body, Saasaa put one of his hands on his heart and threw dust on his head with the other, saying, "Death be happy to you! You were born in pious premises. Your perseverance was vigorous, your efforts were marvelous. You had control on your thoughts and your bargain was profitable".

"You have reverted back to your Creator and He has happily welcome you. His angels have rallied around you. You have resided in the proximity of the Prophet. Allah has brought you closer to Himself and has put you in the vicinity of your brother Mustafa. He has made you drink from his cup".

"I wish Allah may grace us to follow you and trace your footsteps. We should keep your fiends to be our friends and your enemies to be our enemies and may be we are resurrected among the company of thy friends".

"You discovered what others could not. You reached where others could not. In the view of thy brother, the Prophet, you have battled. With Allah's Faith you stood fast in a befitting manner upto enforcement of Sunnah, eradication of opposition to it and establishment of Faith. Best salutations to you.

"Through you the Muslims were fortified, their ways became clear and Divine commands were enforced. No single person would ever possess all those merits and charms which you singly possessed. You were responsive to the Prophet's call. You were foremost among others to receive Prophet's approval. You hastened to his assistance. You defended him at the risk of your life. In the moments of dread and horror you assaulted with your sword, The Zulfiqar, and broke the aggressor's spinal cord. You uprooted idolatry and meanness. You dragged the transgressor through sand and blood. May you rest in peace, O the leader of the faithful!"

"You were nearest to the Prophet. You were the first to embrace Islam. You were full of confidence. You were of the firm mind. You were rich in virtue. May God not deprive us of our reward for our missing you. May He not abandon us after you".

"By God! Thy life was key to virtue and lock to vice. Thy death is key to every vice and lock to every virtue. Had the people benefited from you, blessings would have showered on them from heavens. But they preferred the sordid world".

Yes they preferred the sordid world. They could not face justice and Ali's determination. Ultimately rigidity and stagnation came out of the sleeves of such a people and they martyred Ali

Ali is matchless in having such friends and selfless devotees who laid down their lives in the cause of his love and affiliation. They marched even to the gallows. The pages of Islamic history are proud of their blossoming, beautiful and marvelous biographies. Hands of the ignoble criminals like Ziyad, son of unknown, his son Obaidullah, Hajjaj bin Yusuf, Mutawakkil and, above all, Mo'awiyah bin Abi Sufian are soaked to elbow of the blood of such a cream of humanity.

ALI'S ANTAGONISATION

We will confine our discussion to four years and a few months of Ali's Caliphate. Ali has always been a personality with two faculties. Ali has always had attraction as well as repulsion. Especially from the beginning of Islamic era we have been seeing a class of people circumambulating Ali. The other group has had no love last for him; they would rather feel annoyed with him.

However, the period of his caliphate and the times after his death, i.e., the periods of his historical reassertion have been the main periods of his attraction and repulsion, as his public contacts prior to his caliphate were lesser, therefore, his attraction and repulsion found lesser manifesta­tion.

Ali antagonises and offends. This is yet one among many of his great distinctions. Every man of conviction and principles and particularly a com­batant revolutionary, who is after accomplishing his goals in conformity with these words of Allah: "They struggle in Divine Path and are not subdued by threats", rightly antagonises and offends. Therefore, in his own lifetime, if his enemies were not more, they were in no way less than his friends. If today Ali's personality is not mis-described and if it is faithfully projected, many a claimant of his love would be found standing amidst his enemies.

The Prophet sent Ali in Command of an army to Yemen. On his way back, in order to see the Prophet, he decided to go to Mecca. Near Mecca, on making one of his men in-charge of the affairs, he himself hurriedly proceeded towards Mecca. The Second-in-Command distributed amongst the soldiers the robes, Ali had brought along, so that they may enter Mecca in new clothes. On his return, Ali objected to it. He considered it to be an act of indiscipline, because it was not desirable to distribute the robes before seeking the approval of the Prophet. In fact, in Ali's estimation spending from National Treasury without the sanction of the head of the Muslims would be an act of criminal misappropriation. In these circum­stances, Ali ordered that the robes should be removed from their persons and be entrusted to the Prophet at an appropriate juncture. The Prophet himself might deal with them. The men of Ali's army got offended by his action. As soon as they reached the Prophet, he enquired about their welfare. They started complaining against Ali's displeasure over the distribution of the robes. Addressing them, the Prophet said: "O Men! Do not complain against Ali! By God, he is more strict in way of Allah than anyone who might complain against him".

Ali never showed any latitude to anyone in the way of Allah. If he ever showed favour to anyone, it was for God's sake. Naturally, such a policy is antagonising and offends the greedy and selfish at heart.

Amongst the Prophet's companions, none had such selfless friends as Ali had likewise, none of them had such daring and desperate enemies as Ali had. He was a man whose even funeral was apprehended to be assaulted by his enemies. He himself was aware of such a situation. He had anticipated it. He, therefore, made the will that his grave should be kept secret from all except his sons. So much so that after the passage of one century, i.e., after the downfall of Omeyyades, extinction and liquidation of Kharijites, and after animosities and vengeance had subsided, his sacred grave was made known to public by Imam-i-Sadiq.

THE DEVIATORS, THE RENEGADES AND THE REBELS:

During his caliphate Ali repelled three elements and drew sword against them, i.e., the people of the Camel, whom he himself called "the Deviators", the people of Siffeen, who were called by him "the Renegades", and the people of Nahrwan, known as the Kharijites, who by him were called "the Rebels".

"So when I (Ali) issued decrees of caliphate, one group betrayed allegiance, the other became Renegade, and the third became recalcitrant and Rebellious".

The deviators were mentally greedy people, they were voracious and advocated inequality. Most of Ali's discourses, underlining justice and equality, are often meant for them.

The mentality of the Renegade was that of diplomacy, duplicity and hypocrisy. They struggled to usurp power and to root out the authority of Ali. Some of them had made offers of getting close to him, meaning that in this way he might fulfil their ambitions. He did not accept it because he was not used to it. He had come to fight against tyranny and not to acquiesce in it.

On the other hand, Mo'awiyah and his type were against the very basis of Ali's government, they wanted to capture the seat of Islamic caliphate. In fact, Ali's battle against them is a battle against hypocrisy and duplicity.

The mentality of the third group viz. the rebels was a mentality of unfair prejudices, dry asceticism, and dangerous ignorance. Ali had forceful repulsion against all of them. He adopted a non-compromising attitude towards them.

One of the manifestations of Ali's being a perfect man and a magna­nimous personality is that from the position of authority and assertion he had to confront multifarious groups and divergent resilences and he com­bated them all. Some times we find him in the battlefield fighting with the greedy and voracious", "camelists", and at others we find him in the battlefield confronting the multifaceted treacherous diplomats and at times facing idiots and perverts of the self-styled sacerdotalism.

We revert to our debate about the last group viz. the Kharijites. Although they have been liquidated yet they have left an instructive and admonitory piece of history. Their thoughts have circulated amongst all the Muslims. Consequently, during the fourteen centuries, inspite of the fact that their manpower and even their name stand extinct, their spirit has been always and continues to dominate the formalists and is held to be the greatest resistance in the way at progress of Islam and the Muslims.       

EMERGENCE OF THE KHARIJITES

Kharijites, that is, rebels, is a derivative of 'Khorooj' which means revolt or rebellion. They emerged from "arbitration". In the battle of Siffeen the last day was going to end in victory of Ah. Mo'awiyah in consul­tation with Amr bin 'As took a very clever step. He saw that all his pains and efforts had failed and defeat was just a pace ahead. He thought that but for creation of confusion nothing would lead to their escape. He ordered that Qurans should be hoisted atop the launces. Thereby meaning: "O Men! We are people of the Quran and the Qibla, let us make it our arbitrator amongst us". It was not a plea to have been innovated by them. Earlier Ali had proposed in the very same words, but they did not agree. Even now they would not agree. It was an excuse to avoid a total defeat.

Ali rose his voice: "Kill them, they now exploit the leaves and the letters of the Quran as a hidey-hole but soon hereafter they will continue in their anti-Quranic manners. The leaves and the letters of the Book have no supremacy over and preference to its spirit. I am the spirit and the real manifestation of the Quran. They have hoisted the Quran while they mean to destroy its significance and spirit".

A group of the ignorant the vague and spurious divines who were in large numbers, among themselves looked through Ali: "What does he say"? They cried out, "Should we fight with the Quran? Our war is for restoration of the Quran; if they have submitted to the Quran why this fighting affair?"

Ali said, "I also say fight for the sake of the Quran. But they do not have any interest in the Quran. They want to have only a shelter in its letters and script".

In Islamic jurisprudence, in the Chapter of 'Al-Jehad' (the Crusade) there is a proposition called "The Infidels Warding off harm through Muslims".

The proposition means that if the enemies of Islam, while at war with the Muslims, use the Muslim prisoners of war as a means to their own protection and keep them ahead of themselves as a shield and themselves keep busy in their rear to cause damage to the Muslim fighters, in such a manner that if the Muslim forces want to defend themselves or to lead an advance or to halt the enemy offensive, they will be inevitably killing their enemies' human shield device viz. their own co-believers, on the principle of necessity, because without that a combat with the warring and aggressive enemy will not be possible. In such circumstances in the larger interest of Islam the killing of the Muslims has been held to be justified. They are also the soldiers of Islam. They are martyrs of the Divine cause. At the most their relatives bereft may be paid blood money from the Islamic budget. This rule is not peculiar to Islam. In the International Law of Belligerency and Armed forces, it is a recognised rule that if the enemy want to utilise the captive forces, they (parent army of the captives) may destroy such prisoners of war to get hold of the enemy and to repulse them.

In these circumstances when Islam says "Kill and do away with a living Muslim so as to achieve triumph of Islam", the paper and the binding cover are no exception to it. The leaves and the volume are sacred only for their significance and substance. Today the war is war of survival of the message of the Quran. They have taken its paper as an instrument to obliterate its significance and the substance.

However, ignorance and idiocy had blindfolded them. They could not comprehend truth. They said, "not only that we ourselves do not fight with the Quran but also, because fighting with the Quran is itself a vice, we must try to enforce prohibition against it, and those who fight with the Quran we must fight against them".

The ultimate victory of Ali was just a few moments ahead. Malik-ul-Ashtar, a loyal, devoted and venturesome officer, was about to reach the commanding tentage ofMo'awiyah and to raze it to the ground so as to remove the thorn from the pious body of Islam. In these very moments this group staged their revolt against Ali and said, "We will assault you from behind". All that Ali could do was to convince them but they had become more obstinate in their refusal and insisted upon refraction. Ali sent a message to Malik to cease-fire and return from the battlefield.

He, in reply to Ali's message, said: "If I am given some moments more the war will end and the enemy will be completely annihilated". They drew their swords saying: "Either order him to come back or we will cut you to pieces".

He again sent a message "If you want to see me alive suspend the battle and come back". He returned and the enemy was happy that his fraud had worked.

The battle was halt so that the Quran may be made arbiter, so that an arbitration council may be constituted and the arbitrators of both the sides as is enacted in the Quran and Sunnah may sit to decide the matters and remove the animosities or it may add yet another difference to the existing ones and may make worse what was bad. Ali said, "They should appoint their arbitrator so that we may appoint ours". They without little difference rather unanimously appointed Amr-bin-'As, the craftiest of the world, to be their arbitrator. Ali proposed that Abdullah bin Abbas the well-known statesman or Malik-ul-Ashtar, the devoted and far-sighted faithful, or a man of their caliber may be appointed (as arbitrator). But the asinine went in search of their own homogeneous and proposed Abu Moosa, an unwise person who had no mutuality with Ali. The more Ali and his friends asked them that Abu Moosa was not a man fit for the job, the more they disagreed with each else. He said: "If the things have assumed these propor­tions, then do whatever you like". Ultimately he, with the assumptive authority of an arbitrator from the side of Ali and his friends, joined the arbitration council. After months of consultations, Amr bin 'As said to Abu Moosa, "It is better that in the larger interest of Muslims, neither Ali nor Mo'awiyah should be there. We must elect a third person and he could be no other than your son-in-law, Abdullah bin Omar. Abu Moosa replied, "You are right. What is now the difficulty? " He said, "You should remove Ali from Caliphate and I shall remove Mo'awiyah. Thereafter the Muslims should go to elect a befitting person. They will definitely elect Abdullah bin Omar. Thus the disputes will be out rooted".

They agreed to this proposition and made proclamation for the public to assemble for hearing the results to be announced.

People collected, Abu Moosa looked towards Amr bin 'As to take the pulpit and declare his verdict. Amr bin 'As said, "I? You are the gray-hair and veteran companion of the Prophet. I will never take courage to have precedence on you in expressing my views". Abu Mossa moved from his seat and sat on the pulpit. Hearts were beating fast. Eyes were dazzled and breaths were held up in the bosoms. All were zealously expectant of what could the result be? He started giving out his views: "After deliberations we found it to be in the interest of the Ummah that neither Ali nor Mo'awiyah should be there and that let the Muslims elect whomsoever they like".

He removed the ring from one of his right fingers saying, "I remove Ali from Caliphate in the like manner as I have removed this ring from my finger" Having said this he demounted.

Amr bin 'As moved upto the pulpit, sat there and said, "You have heard Abu Moosa removing Ali from Caliphate. I also dismiss him from Caliphate as Abu Moosa has done". He removed the ring from one of his right fingers and put it on one of the left and said, "I install Mo'awiyah to the Caliphate in the like manner as I have just put this ring on my finger". With this he stepped down the pulpit.

There was pandemonium in the assembly. People pounced upon Abu Moosa. Some of them lashed him. He took to his heels to Mecca. Amr bin 'As also left for Syria.

Kharijites, who were authors of this situation, for themselves saw the outrage to arbitration and discovered their fault. However, they did not realize where did the fault lie. They did not admit that it was their fault to have fallen prey to the fraud of Mo'awiyah and Amr bin 'As and to have suspended the war. They also did not say that after conceding to arbitration they had erred in the choice of the arbitrator and appointed Abu Moosa to match Amr bin 'As. They rather said that the very appointment of the two persons as arbitrators and Judges in matters of Divine Faith was an act un-Islamic and of infidelity because Allah alone is the arbiter and not the men.

They came to Ali saying, "We did not realize. We accepted arbitration. You have become a renegade and we too. We have repented. Let you too repent". The misery revived and became manifold.

Ali said, "Repentance is good in all circumstances. God may forgive us for our sins. We always express repentance for every sin". They said, "It will not suffice, say arbitration was a sin', and you repent this sin". He said, "Virtually I did not invent this proposition of arbitration. On the other hand how could I declare something to be a sin which is permissible in Islam? Why should I confess a sin which I have not committed".

Hence they organised a religious denomination. To start with, they were a rebellious and an insurgent faction, therefore, they were called "Kharijites". By and by they evolved basic doctrines for themselves. The party that initially had political semblance gradually adopted religious complexion. Very late the Kharijites on the excuse of being supporters of a religion, started active poignant propaganda. In course of time they started thinking that by their own appreciation they should trace out the root cause of the malady of the Muslim world. They came to the conclusion that Osman, Ali and Mo'awiyah, all of them, are at fault and sinners. We must fight against the vices so produced. We should enjoin virtue and prohibit vice. Therefore, the Kharijites religion emerged for enforcing "Virtue" and prohibiting "Vice".

There are two pre-requisites for enforcement of virtue and prohibition of vice: Insight in precept and insight in practice.

If insight is lacking in precept, as it appears in the traditions, its demerits are more than its merits.' However, the insight in practice has two prerequisites that are juridically called as "producing effect" and "avoid­ing side effects". These two pre-requisites can be achieved only when logic is allowed to operate. Kharijites neither had insight in precept nor the insight in practice. Kharijites possessed neither of the insights. They were idiots, devoid of insight. They were basically abnegators of insight in practice. They asserted that' there must be automation in practice and a blind performance.