Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

258 'Ali's attitude towards the Khanjites and Shia
Ummah who would rebel as a group, and whose characteristic feature
was that they would have shaven heads. He said: "They are the most
evil of mankind - or among the most evil of mankind - and they
will he killed by the group that is closer to the truth."
Another of the characteristics for which they were condemned
by the Messenger of Allah (g) is that they are the most hated of
creation to Allah. It is narrated in Saheeh Muslim from 'Ubaydullah
ibn Abi Rat, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (g), that he
was with 'Ali ibn Ahi T%b (&) when the Harooriyyah rebelled.
They said: "There is no ruling except the ruling of Allah." 'Ali said:
'These are tme words being used for false purposes.29 The
Messenger of Allah (g) described some people, and I recognise their
characteristics in these people: 'They will speak the truth on their
lips, but it will not go any further than this,' - and he pointed to his
throat - 'and they are the most hated of Allah's creation to Him.
Among them will be a black man, one of whose arms is like the teat
of a sheep or a nipple."' When 'Ali ihn Abi Taib (&) killed them,
be said: "Look (for that man)." They looked but did not fmd
anything. He told them two or three tlmes: "Go hack, for by Allah, I
did not lie, nor was I lied to." Then they found the man in a ruin, and
they brought him and placed him before 'Ali (&). 'Ubaydullah said:
"I was present when that happened, and 'Ali said that to them."30
Another of the blameworthy characteristics for which they
were criticised by the Messenger of Allah (g) was that they were
deprived of knowing the truth and being guided to it." Muslim
narrated in his Saheeh, in the hadith of Usayd ihn 'Amr from Sahl ibn
Hunayf, that the Prophet (g) said: "Some people from the east, who
have shaven heads, will he misguided."32 An-Nawawi said that this
means that they wiU go astray from the right path and the path of
tmth.33