Studies in Ibāḍism (al-Ibāḍīyya)

children). To this the Kharijis has nothing to reply and they keep silent."57 It can be said that at this stage a serious division began within the Muhakkimah party on account of the move taken by Nafii' b. al-'Azraq, who regarded the adversary Muslims as idolaters, and treated them as polytheists, and made Khuruj compulsory for his fellow Muslims. All these opinions were contrary to the beliefs and the practice of the people of al-Nahrawan and the old Muhakkimah, and their followers, Abu Bilal Mirdas and his companions. So it became necessary for the outstanding leaders of this party such as Jabir b. Zaid to reject the policy of Nafii' and others who held the same opinions as he did, and to make that clear to all and sundry in order to keep their sympathy. Among the leaders who were preparing to join Nafii' was 'Abdullah b. Ibadh. While waiting in the mosque of Basrah, hearing people praying, reciting the Qur'an, and the call to prayer, he changed his mind and decided against Khuruj58, and "held it lawful to live amongst the Muslims and mix with them on terms of mutual tolerance."59 He held the same opinions as the people of al-Nahrawan and their followers up to his time, but he rejected strongly the views of Nafii' and declared himself to be dissociated from him.60 It may be suggested, then that after the revolt of Nafii', Jabir appointed Ibn Ibadh to reject the views of Nafii' and to propagate openly the true views of the Muslims (i.e. the Ibadhis). In fact, because of the successful part played by 'Abdullah b. Ibadh at the stage, the whole movement afterwards bore his name, and was known among other Muslims as al-Ibadiyyah.61

Several events suggest that Jabir had a close and effective relationship with the Ibadhi movement at a very early stage. It is reported that Jabir used to go to Mecca in the company of another member of "Jama'at al-Muslimin" called Abu Faqqas al-'Aswad b. Qais. They both used to meet Ibn 'Abbas in Meca. One year, Jabir came to Ibn 'Abbas alone, and the latter asked Jabir about his friend, Jabir told him that he was imprisoned by Ibn Ziyad. lbn Abbas asked Jabir, "Is Abu Faqqas suspected?"" Jabir said, "Yes." Ibn Abbas asked Jabir, "Are not you suspected as well?" Jabir said "Yes, I am".61 Shammakhi, further reports that an aged member of Jama'at al-Muslimin, Abu Sufyan Qunbur was arrested and beaten with a hundred lashes to make him give information about another member of the Jama'at al-Muslimin but he refused. Jabir b. Zaid said, I was very near to him and was expecting him to point me out, but God protected him."62 The other event which shows that Jabir had an effective connection wirh Ibadhi movement is his order to one of the Ibadhi youths to kill Khardalah, a former member of the movement who gave away cthe names of some Ibadhi members and caused their deaths at the hands of tyrants.63 This case was afterwards cited as a proof of the obligation to kill the defamer of the Ibadhis (Taain fi al-Din) in the Ibadhi jurisprudence.64

However, after the revolt of Nafi' and other Kharijites,the distinctive character