Instructions to Ibn Abbas before talks with the Kharijites

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 77

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 2, Chapter 77

Instructions to Ibn Abbas before talks with the Kharijites
2 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 443

ومن وصية له (عليه السلام) لعبد الله بن العباس لما بعثه للاحتجاج على الخوارج

Given to ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās, at the time of his being deputed to confront the Khārijītes.

Ḥadīth 444

لَا تُخَاصِمْهُمْ بِالْقُرْآنِ، فَإِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ حَمَّالٌ ذُو وُجُوهٍ، تَقُولُ وَيَقُولُونَ، وَلكِنْ حَاجِجْهُمْ بالسُّنَّةِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يَجِدُوا عَنْهَا مَحِيصاً.

Do not argue with them by the Qur’ān because the Qur’ān has many faces. You would say your own and they would say their own; but argue with them by the sunnah, because they cannot find escape from it.