The Khawaarij (Kharijites)

The
Khawaarij (Kharijites) are one of the deviant sects, as is proven by the
texts and by scholarly consensus. Al-Bukhaari (6934) and Muslim (1068)
narrated that Yusayr ibn ‘Amr said: I said to Sahl ibn Hunayf: Did you hear
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say anything about
the Khawaarij? He said: I heard him say – and he gestured with his hand
towards Iraq –: “From there will emerge people who recite the Qur’an, but it
will not go past their collarbones. They will pass out of Islam as an arrow
passes out of the prey.” 

Ibn
Maajah (173) narrated that Ibn Abi Awfa said: The Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The Khawaarij are the dogs
of Hell.”

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. 

The
Khawaarij are followers of whims and desires and innovation who have
deviated from the path of Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah, but we do not
describe them as disbelievers because of their innovation, unlike others who
follow whims and desires. 

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

The
view of ash-Shaafa‘i and the majority of his fellow scholars is that the
Khawaarij are not to be described as disbelievers; this also applies to the
Qadariyyah and the majority of the Mu‘tazilah and other groups that follow
whims and desires.

End
quote from Sharh Muslim, 7/160 

Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

The
Khawaarij who deviated, whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) enjoined us to fight, and whom Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (may Allah
be pleased with him), one of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs fought, and whom the
leading scholars of Islam among the Sahaabah, Taabi‘een and those who came
after them were unanimously agreed upon fighting, were not described as
disbelievers by ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas and others among
the Sahaabah; rather they regarded them as Muslims even though they fought
them, and ‘Ali did not fight them until they shed blood unlawfully and
raided the property of the Muslims; then he fought them in order to ward off
their wrongdoing and aggression, not because they were disbelievers. Hence
he did not take their womenfolk captive and he did not seize their wealth as
booty. 

End
quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 3/282 

Ibn
‘Aabideen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Even
though you may find that some scholars, within the context of debating with
the Mu‘tazilah and other groups, use the word kufr (disbelief) when refuting
their arguments, what they meant is that their (the Mu‘tazilah’s) arguments
would inevitably constitute disbelief, without implying that they themselves
were disbelievers, because what may be concluded from a view is not
necessarily to be attributed to the one who holds that view. 

Moreover, they think that they have shar‘i evidence to support their view,
even though they are wrong and are falling into error.

End
quote from Haashiyat Ibn ‘Aabideen, 3/46 

Shaykh
‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Saalih al-Mahmoud (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
Are the Khawaarij kaafirs (disbelievers)? 

He
replied: 

The
scholars differed as to whether they are disbelievers, but the correct view
is that they are not to be regarded as disbelievers. ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib
(may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about them: Are they disbelievers?
He said: They fled from disbelief, but they fell into the innovation of
labelling others as disbelievers; we will not fall into the innovation of
labelling others as disbelievers and thus label them as such. This is the
correct view, in sha Allah, even though their innovations may be described
as innovations that constitute kufr.

End
quote from Lam‘at al-I‘tiqaad, 7/26 

Among
their innovations are the following: 

–        

They
think that faith does not increase or decrease

–        

They
think that failing to do something obligatory constitutes disbelief.

–        

They
think that committing a major sin constitutes disbelief.

–        

They
believe in fighting those Muslims who disagree with them. 

For
more details on the Khawaarij and their innovations, please see the answer
to question no. 175217

And
Allah knows best.