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Kharijites (Arabic: خوارج Khawārij, literally "those who went out";[1] singular, Khārijī ) is a general term describing various Muslims who, while initially supporting the authority of the final Rashidun Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law and cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, then later rejected his leadership. They first emerged in the late 7th century, concentrated in today's southern Iraq, and are distinct from Sunni Muslims and Shiʿa Muslims. With the passing of time the Kharijite groups fell greatly in their numbers and their beliefs did not continue to gain any traction in future generations.
From their essentially political position, the Kharijites developed extreme doctrines that further set them apart from both mainstream Sunni and Shiʿa Muslims. The Kharijites were particularly noted for adopting a radical approach to Takfir, whereby they declared other Muslims to be unbelievers and therefore deemed them worthy of death. The Kharijites were also known historically as the Shurāh (الشُراة),[A] literally meaning "the buyers" and understood within the context of Islamic scripture and philosophy to mean "those who have traded the mortal life (al-Dunya) for the other life [with God] (al-Aakhirah)", which, unlike the term Kharijite, was one that many Kharijites used to describe themselves.
originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Jason Burke along with lots of other Al-Qa'ida experts have been arguing for years that Al-Qa'ida has moved from a group to a ideology.
Its quite a prominent academic argument and one that i subscribe to.
originally posted by: Rob48
Al Qaeda never has been an "organisation". It's more like a franchise. Anybody can set up and call themselves "Al Qaeda", it's just like a brand.
They way to defeat fundamentalism is to allow free flow of ideas around the world, to let people realise that we are all humans.
That was happening to some extent - hell, the "hippie trail" in the 1970s used to go right through Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan - but once extremists get into power they try to shut out the outside world and demonise the "outsiders".
And I'm not just talking about Muslim extremists here. Christian fundamentalists and right-wing extremists are doing exactly the same thing: trying to shut out foreign people and foreign ideas, and cast them as "the enemy".
Humans are so small-minded, and it will be our downfall.
originally posted by: Vortiki
Ok first of all, there is no evidence that anyone in the USA government is part of a terrorist cell. All these are, are claims of opinion.
Loosely based conspiracy on nothing but hear-say.
Secondly, it's a group that has members, it's nothing more than a cult; A group for religious extremists.
Last, but not least, it's composed of nothing, but people of the Islamic faith; Violent people trying to blow themselves up for some stupid reason or another.
It's a fan-club from people who enjoy stoning their family to death because they got caught trying to marry someone they wanted to, instead of who they are told to marry.