concerning Ibn Ibadh's part in revolts against Marwan b. Muhammad was not very convincing27. However, the information given about Ibn Ibadh is very limited and confusing. Among the early authors who noticed this fact was Ibn Hazm who states that the most learned men of the Ibadhis of al-'Andalus knew nothing of 'Abdullah b. Ibadh28. The reason, as suggested by Ibn Hazm, was that Ibn Ibadh renounced his views and joined the Tha'alibah group of the Kharijites29. Al-Dhahabi also reported that Ibn Ibadh recanted his heresies (i.e. Ibadhism)30. Ibadhi authorities did not confirm such information. Another example of the confused and unreliable information is reported by Ibn Hawqal who said that both 'Abdullah b. Ibadh and 'Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi came to Jabal Nafusah and died there31.

It may be necessary here to mention the fact that the view held by Lewicki, namely that the Ibadhi state of secrecy was started by Ibn Ibadh,32 is contrary to the information reported in Ibadhi works. Ibadhi authorities stated clearly that this state of secrecy (kitman) was introduced under the leadership or the Imamate of Jabir b. Zaid who conducted the activities of the movement and its members.33 They also reported that the revolts which took place during his life, whether that of Abu Bilal or others, were planned by Jabir b. Zaid,34 who was the man responsible for the foundation and the development of the Ibadhi school.

IBADHI VIEWS ON THE KHARIJITES:

Non-Ibadhi authorities regards the Ibadhi school as a branch of the Kharijite movement, which broke away from the mainstream to form a moderate group under the leadership of 'Abdullah b. Ibadh. This account of the Ibadhi School was repeated by those scholars who studied the subject on the basis of information from non-Ibadhi sources.

It was difficult for non-Ibadhis to form a clear view of the Ibadhi movement and the nature of its relationship to the Kharijite movement. This was due to the secrecy of the activities and plans according to which most of the early Ibadhi activities were conducted. The other reason was, as mentioned by Ibn al-Nadim, the Ibadhis fear of persecution by their opponents, which made them conceal their literature.35 It is essential therefore to present the Ibadhis' own view of the origin of their movement and its place with relation to the Kharijite movements as seen by their own authorities.

Ibadhis preserved a detailed account of their views of the early political development of the Muslim community. Al-Barradi gave the following list of the early works and documents dealing with the subject.36

1. Akhbar Siffin WA al-Nahrawan.