How are the Kharijites considered innovators, not disbelievers, despite their declaring the perpetrator of a grave sin to be a disbeliever? And how does one judge the Rafidah who declare ten or twenty Companions to be disbelievers without any (valid) interpretation? And is one sinful if one believes that whoever insults or accuses ten or twenty Companions of disbelief is not a disbeliever unless he considers that permissible?

Scholars have differed regarding the excommunication (takfir) of the Khawarij, with the majority holding that they are not disbelievers. They have also differed concerning the excommunication of one who insults the Companions. Jurists have agreed on the excommunication of whoever declares all the Companions disbelievers, or slanders Lady Aisha, or denies the companionship of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq. As for one who declares some of the Companions disbelievers, jurists have differed regarding him. The Hanafis, Malikis, and Imam Ahmad, in one of his narrations, held that he is not to be excommunicated. The Shafi'is, Hanbalis, and some of the Ahl al-Hadith held that he is to be excommunicated.