Middle East Information Resource
Religions/Belief Systems - Kharijis
The Kharijis is the smallest of the three recognized orientations in Islam. The Kharijis are less than 10f all Muslims. Sunni Islam counts for about 90% and Shi’ite for about 10%.
The Kharijis broke with the majority of Muslims in 658. The vast majority of Muslims had agreed to choose two arbitrators to investigate events leading to the death of Caliph Uthman in 656. They claimed that the arbitrators were being called upon to pass judgement over the divine word. The Kharijis issued very strict proclamations, and engaged in violence. They considered their opponents infidels and they killed many of them. The Kharijis grew slowly in strength by joining up with other groups.
The Kharijis are known for strict rules on morals and contact with strangers. Their creed says that anyone can be the leader of Islam, and not only the descendants of Muhammad as the Shiites believe. The Kharijis believed strongly in the equality between all races, an important factor to understanding the success they had in Islam’s early days, when many of the non-Arab Muslims felt they were treated as inferiors by the Arabs.
In modern times, Kharijis dominate in Oman, and can be found in small groups in northwestern Libya, in Jerba in Tunsia, in southern Algeria and in East Africa. These Kharijis belong to the moderate branch established by Abdullah ibn Ibad around year 700.