kharijism

Kharijism is an early Islamic movement known for its purist interpretation of the faith and opposition to the mainstream caliphates.

Kharijism (from Arabic khārijiyya, “those who seceded”) emerged in the 7th century CE during the first civil war (fitna) of Islam. The Kharijites (khawārij) originally supported Caliph ʿAlī but broke away after the arbitration with Muʿāwiya at the Battle of Siffin in 657, insisting that God alone can judge, rejecting any political compromise.

• Core tenets of Kharijism include: a literalist reading of the Qur’an,
• strong egalitarianism, stating that any righteous Muslim can lead, regardless of lineage or ethnicity,
• the belief that grave sinners are no longer true Muslims,
•  and the justification of rebellion against unjust rulers.

Though suppressed by the Umayyad and Abbasid states, Kharijism gave rise to various factions. Some were militant, while others, like the Ibadis, developed into more stable, enduring communities—still present today in Oman, Djerba, and parts of Algeria.

In Islamic historiography, the Kharijites are often depicted as extremist or deviant, but their egalitarian ideals had a lasting doctrinal influence.