Questioner
May Allāh treat you well, how does a Muslim dissociate himself from the acts of the Khawārij in the West?
Shaykh Muḥammad Bāzamūl:
As long as a Muslim conforms to the Islamic faith and the way of Ahlus Sunnati wal-Jamā`ah, he will certainly, with Allāh’s permission, dissociate himself from all those who indulge in heresy (bida`), whether it be the Khawārij or some other group, because the personality of the khawārij is a personality known in the field of psychology as a psychopathic personality, which is a personality marked by hostility and rejection of society and those in the immediate surroundings. As such, as long as a Muslim adorns himself with Islām, the Islamic etiquette, Islamic compassion, and Islamic wisdom, he will certainly, with Allāh’s permission, distance himself from any similarities to the Khawārij, and he will not have any need to dissociate himself any further than that. There is no doubt that Islamic character and manner will prevent him from having any similarities to heretics as well as the ways of misguided factions, especially the Khawārij and those who follow a similar course. Every Muslim residing in the lands of Unbelief, in the West, should know that he is an ambassador for Islām.
He represents Islām through his manners, character and interactions. Thus, when he adorns himself with Islamic manners and the Islamic character, he gives Islam a good image while at the same time presenting an image of himself that distances him from having any similarities to the Khawārij and their nature.
Moreover, if he learns of a masjid belonging to them, for example, he should avoid it, and if he learns of one of their meetings, he should not attend, and when he learns that the Khawārij wear a specific type of clothing, he should not wear it, in order not to bear any similarities to any heretics and misguided factions. A
Muslim must not place himself in suspicious circumstances nor must he place himself in situations that would lead to his demise. I ask Allāh for us as well as you and the listeners to safeguard us from every evil.