the people of Basra before the Battle of the Camel, then ordered his companions not to initiate the fighting against them. Then he said: "This is a day, he who triumphs in it, triumphs on the Day of Resurrection." Then he heard them saying: "Allah is the Greatest, [O for the blood-avenging of] Uthman." So he said: "O Allah, cast the murderers of Uthman upon their faces." And Abdullah ibn Shaddad ibn al-Had reported that when the Haruriyyah (Khawarij) withdrew from Ali, he sent Abdullah ibn Abbas to them, and they debated with him regarding the Book of Allah for three days, and four thousand of them returned. If they refuse to return, he admonishes them and warns them of fighting; this was only because the objective is to restrain them and repel their evil, not to kill them. So if it is possible through mere speech, it is better than fighting, due to the harm it entails for both parties. If they ask for a respite, he considers their situation and investigates their affairs; if it becomes clear to him that their intention is to return to obedience and recognize the truth, he grants them a respite. Ibn al-Mundhir said: All the scholars I have memorized this from are in agreement on this. But if their intention is to gather to fight him and await reinforcements by which they would grow stronger, or to deceive the Imam so that they might take him by surprise and cause his army to disperse, he does not grant them a respite and hastens to act against them; for he cannot be certain that this would not become a means to overpower the people of justice. This is not permissible, even if they offer him wealth for it, because it is not permissible to accept wealth for confirming them in what they are not permitted to be confirmed in. And if hostages are offered to him for their respite, it is not permissible to accept them for that reason; furthermore, since the hostages cannot be killed for the treachery of their people, it is of no benefit. And if they possess...