Literary Kharijism and Ibadi Identity - Dr. Hannah-Lena Hagemann and Prof. Adam Gaiser

In the world of Islamic terminologies “Khawarij” is truly one of the most infamous. Historically it denotes one of the most notorious factions to ever exist in all of Islamic history. And considering the way the term “Khawarij” (or “Khariji” in the singular) has been used, and how it is still in use today—in polemically charged and heresiographical writings—it only paints a picture of extremism, brutally, and deviance, such that most Muslims know only this contrived negative image. For modern Ibadis, Khawarij as an identity marker concerning their origins is highly disputable. And given the portrayal of the Kharijites in Muslim literature, it is completely understandable as to why they have chosen to distance themselves from such a label. But are what we deem to be characteristics of Kharijism, based on descriptors found in Islamic literature, historically sound? Or does the information for what we believe to be the intrinsic hallmark of Kharijite behavior, tell us more about the author’s intentions rather than the historicity of Kharijism? And are allegations of Ibadis being from the Kharijites, or having a Kharijite origin, a gross lie used to slander members of that community. Or is there any truth to such a claim, and that the Ibadi attempt to disentangle themselves from the Kharijites is nothing more than a sleight of hands to say the least? For more of Prof. Hannah-Lena Hagemann For more of Prof. Adam Gaiser