Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

290 'Ali's attitude towards the Khnrijites and Shia
commits a major sin is to be regarded as a disbeliever. (We will
discuss their beliefs and ideas below.) Some of them went to such
extremes in that regard that they applied this opinion to one who
commits any sin, even a minor sin, they regarded him as a disbeliever
and polytheist who was doomed to spend eternity in bell."' As a
result of this strictness, which took them beyond the boundaries of
Islam and its sublime goals, they accused every Muslim who disagreed
with them of being a disbeliever or a hypocrite. They even regarded it
as permissible to shed the blood of those who disagreed - with them.13'
Some of them, such as the Azzqah, regarded it as permissible to kill
the women and children of those who differed with the~n.'~'
Undoubtedly because of their ignorance, strictness and
harshness, the Kharijites distorted the beauties of Islam in a very
strange way. This going to extremes, using far-fetched
interpretations, took them away from the spirit of Islam and its
beauty and moderation. In their extreme ways, they followed a path
that was never preached by Muhammad (g) or encouraged in the
noble Qur'an. The piety that they showed outwardly was like a kind
of blind piety; their outward righteousness was in fact superficial.
Their interpretation of Islam was artificially attractive. They hoped
for paradise and wanted to strive for it by means of strictness,
extremism and exaggeration, in a way that put them beyond the
boundary of what is right.'34 The Prophet (g) warned against going
to extremes or being overly strict with regard to religious matters,
because it is contrary to the moderate and easy nature of Islam, and he
told us that the one who goes to extremes is deserving of doom and
loss. It is narrated in a sound report that he (g) said: "Those who go
to extremes are doomed,"135 and he said it three times. Thus the
oddness of the Kharijites becomes clear. The Prophet (g) said:
"Religion is very easy. Whoever overburdens himself in religion will
be defeated, so try your best to do what is right. If you cannot attain
perfection, then strive to do that which will bring you close to it."136