Revolt of Khurrit bin Rashid

Khurrit b Rashid

Kurrit b Rashid was the chief of the Banu Najia tribe. He belonged to Bahrain. In the Battle of Camel at Basra he was an ally of Ali. He and his men fought on the side of Ali against the Syrians. He developed differences with Ali on the occasion of the Battle of Nahrawan. According to some accounts he sympathized with the Kharijites, and got alienated from Ali because of the massacre of the Kharijites at the Battle of Nahrawan. One day after the Battle of Nahrawan he appeared before Ali, and accused him of breach of trust by first agreeing to abide by the verdict of the umpires, and thereafter going back on this undertaking and refusing to be bound by the decision of the umpires. Ali told him that he had not committed any breach of trust. The decision of the umpire was a farce and had not been taken according to the injunctions of Islam as provided for in the agreement executed at Siffin. Ali told him that if he wanted to be enlightened in the matter, he could advance arguments in support of the righteousness of the course adopted by him in repudiating the decision of the umpires. Khurrit said that he would come to Ali the next day to hear his arguments.

Flight of Khurrit

Khurrith b Rashid, however, did not keep up his word, and before the next day dawned, Khurrit b Rashid and his three hundred followers escaped from Kufa. In the way they came across two men, and asked them who they were. One of them said that he was a Jew. He was let off being a Dhimmi. The other man said that he was a Muslim. He was asked what he thought of Ali. He said that he had high opinion about Ali, and regarded him as the Commander of the Faithful. Thereupon the Muslim was hacked to pieces by the men of Khurrit b Rashid.

When Ali came to know of the flight of Khurrit b Rashid, he sent a detachment of about three hundred persons under the command of Ziyad b Khasfa in pursuit of the fugitives. Ziyad overtook Khurrit at Mazar. Ziyad asked Khurrit to surrender. Khurrit said that he would first like to have a talk with Ziyad. Ziyad allowed him to have his say. Khurrit accused Ali of the breach of trust. He said that after the decision of the umpires, Ali should have stepped aside from the caliphate, and allowed the community to elect the Caliph. Ziyad pointed out that the umpires' decision about the reference of the issue to the community had not been accepted by the umpire of Muawiyah. Sovereignty was declared to belong to Muawiyah as a farce, and by no criteria Muawiyah could claim preference over Ali in the matter of the caliphate. Khurrit said that whatever the case he refused to acknowledge Ali as the Caliph. Ziyad said that in that case he would be forced to take punitive action against him as a rebel. Khurrit said that he was not prepared to submit, and the use of any force would be met with force. The two sides thereafter took to the sword. The battle waged for the whole of the day. Two men were killed from the troops of Ziyad, while five men were killed from the side of Khurrit. The battle proved indecisive, and the troops retired to their respective camps at nightfall. Although the casualties were not large, the number of persons who were wounded from either side was sufficiently large. When the next day dawned, it was found that Khurrit and his men had escaped during the night. Ziyad and his men thereafter proceeded to Basra. Here the scouts brought the intelligence that Khurrit and his men had proceeded to Ahwaz. Ziyad and his men halted at Basra, and sought for further instructions from Ali.

The Battle of Ahwaz

Ali appreciated the services of Ziyad and his men. He asked them to return to Kufa. From Kufa Ali sent a larger force comprising about 2,003 men under the command of Muaqil b Qais. This force proceeded direct to Ahwaz. The Governor of Basra was also asked to send a force from Basra in aid of the main force under Muaqil b Qais. In the neighborhood of Ahwaz, Khurrit was able to muster a considerable following. He incited the people not to pay taxes to the Government. Brigands and other disorderly persons also joined his ranks. A pitched battle was fought outside Ahwaz. Khurrit and his men suffered defeat and fled to Ramhurmuz. The action that took place at Ramhurmuz also ended in the reverse of Khurrit. Thereafter Khurrit escaped to Bahrain. The Alid forces pursued Khurrit to Bahrain. Here Muaqil issued a warning to the people that those who deserted Khurrit would be granted amnesty, but those who chose to fight would be allowed no mercy. Many persons availed of this amnesty and defected from Khurrit. Nevertheless many persons remained steadfast to his cause and fought desperately. In the bloody encounter that ensued Khurrit fell along with many comrades. Those who survived were taken captives and all was over with the revolt.

It transpired that during these disturbances many persons who were originally Christians but had been converted to Islam were reconverted to Christianity. They felt that Christianity was a religion of peace, but Islam was a strange religion, the followers of which cut at one another's throat mercilessly. Muaqail gave an option to these persons to be reconverted to Islam, but those who refused were executed on the charge of apostasy. The number of captives exceeded five hundred. As these persons parted from their families their womenfolk raised heart-rending shrieks. The Alid Administrator of the city of Ardshir who belonged to the same tribe as the captives was touched at the plight of these unfortunate men. This officer, Masakala, by name offered to ransom all the captives. The amount of ransom was worked out at two hundred thousand dirhams. He paid one 1akh dirhams forthwith, and promised to pay the balance after he had collected the amounts from the persons, concerned Muaqil accordingly handed over all the captives to Masakala. Ali was happy at the suppression of the revolt of Khurrit. He appreciated the services of Muaqil and his men for the successful termination of the campaign. He was also well impressed at the action taken by Masakala on humane and compassionate grounds. Masakala realized the amount from the persons concerned but he defalcated in depositing the amount in the state treasury. When pressed to pay the amount, he escaped to Syria where Muawiyah welcomed him and gave him an office. Ali was much grieved at this betrayal. It appeared the people had lost the Islamic values which the Holy Prophet had tried to inculcate in them.