Kharajites and Terrorism Following the horrific murderous action by the criminal terrorist in Paris there is something to learn about the islamist ideology that is feeding into the minds of the present terrorist groups throughout the world. Of great interest is ISIS and Al Qaida among so many others as Boka Haram, Al Nusra front, Haqqani network and Harkat –ul-Mujahideen and Taliban and so on. People in the media are trying to differentiate between the Islamists and Islamism. The former is being political in nature and brutal in action causing worldwide terrorism. Since there is a great overlap between the two groups most Muslims have muted response when terrorist attack with total impunity and debatable justification, be it the cartoons, bombing of ISIS or drones in Afghanistan or Pakistan or Gaza crisis. Very few know or mention the root cause of terrorism. Almost towards the end of his prophet hood, Prophet Mohammad (670-632 AD) had predicted that there would be a group of people in his community that will read Quran only from their throats and their actions will be despicable like the arrow piercing the prey. The group known as Kharajites, later emerged at the time of the fourth and final Khalifa Ali (656-661 AD). When Imam Ali son in-law of prophet Mohammad, agreed to an arbitration with Muawaya, his nemesis; the Kharajites labeled Ali as an infidel, Kafir) and vowed to kill him. The last three revered and rightly guided Khalifas (Omar, Uthman and Ali) were brutally

murdered. To this day the Kharajites thrive are all over the globe in different shades and forms. They have defamed the monotheistic Hanifs (followers of Abraham) who abide by the teachings of Quran and Sunna where honesty, respect for parents and love for neighbors, forgiveness, and charity are the guiding principles. Above all, the cardinal rule of Hanifs true Al Momineen is belief in pluralism and respect for people of other faiths realizing that any of the paths (faiths) is good but not better. Kharajites have dominated in the past few decades with ever increasing vengeance and has caused tremendous harm to our civilization and peace. The only way is to educate both Muslims and nonmuslims about this growing cancer, and it must be eradicated by all means throughout the world.