mukhalifun. The Azraqites held that their Muslim opponents were idolaters; accordingly, they regarded their land as a land of war, holding it lawful to kill their women and children or to take them captive, and to despoil them of their property. On the other hand they prohibited their followers from either inheriting from them or marrying their women fold. They also considered it lawful to keep what their Muslim opponents entrusted them with, and deny them their right to it.88

Ibadhis regarded all those doctrines about their relation with their Muslim opponents, as errors (dalalat) because they opposed the views of the Muslims and acted contrary to their Sirah. Both Ibadi leaders, Jabir bin Zaid and Abdullah bin Ibadi refuted these views of the Azraqites and renounced them.89 They took the same attitude towards the other Khariji groups such as Sufriyah, Najdat and others, though the latter differed from the Azraqites on some points.90

Ibadhis regarded the new doctrines, introduced by Nafii and the other Kharijites, as serious heresies, (bida'a), dissociated themselves from their movements, refuted their views, and even fought wars against them.91 Among the early Ibadhi documents, which discussed this problem of the extreme Kharijites and their views, is the Sirah of Salim b. Dhakwan. It may be of some value to quote here his views of the case, for it represents the contemporary view of an outstanding Ibadhi scholar, and reflects the general Ibadhi attitude towards the Kharijites.

Salim b. Dhakwan started his Sirah with a detailed account of the course of the religion of Islam from the beginning of its revelation up to the time when Ali b. Abi Talib, the fourth Caliph, accepted arbitration after which the Muhakkimah renounced him and went about establishing the rule of God on Earth in their own way, sacrificing their lived for their caused. Ibn Dhakwan gave the following account of the Muhakkimah and their successors, and described their policy, Sirah, as follows:

"The Muslim Kharijites revolted repeatedly, assenting to the judgement of God alone, following the example of their Muslim predecessors. They did not kill the children of their Muslim opponents, or permit their women to be taken captive, or kill those who did not fight them. They did not divide the property of their Muslim opponents, or take it for spoil, or prohibit inheritance from them. They delivered the trust to them and to others. They insured the safety of those of their people who abstained and isolated themselves, without doubting their effort in taking an intermediate position between right and evil, for 'What is there, after the truth, but error.'92 They fulfilled their duties to their relatives and recognised the right of the neighbour, the friend, the orphan, the travelling stranger, and the right of their slaves. Those of them who came out in jihad loved those who stayed behind, and those who came out