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 hadithsومن 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.
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.