is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.18 Al-Salimi argued that God ordered his Prophet to ask forgiveness for those women on account of their agreement to the above terms by word of mouth only, and that he should not wait to see their works.19

According to the Ibadhi School, to act in accordance with the three concepts discussed above constitutes the duty of the individual. He should act according to those rules from the time when he first arrives at the age of maturity (i.e. in the case of boys approximately fifteen, and in the case of girls -- twelve years).20

The concepts of al-walayah and al-baraah, form one of the main themes of Ibadhi doctrine. Ibadhi scholars devoted great attention to this subject and many books were written to explain the system of al-walayah wa al-baraah.21

Ibadhi literature in North Africa did not treat these subjects in complete detail until the end of the IVth century H. Strictly speaking, the first work which presented a systematic study of this subject was K. al-Tuhaf al-makhzunah wa al-jawahir al-masunah,22 by Abu al-Rabi Sulaiman b. Yakhlaf al-Masati, (d. 471H./1078 A.D.). Legal opinions on the subject appeared throughout Ibadhi writings prior to Abu al-rabi. Biographical works contain scattered material on this subject in opinions recorded of Ibadhi Imams and learning scholars during the first four centuries.

THE RULES OF AL-WALAYAH

The system of al-walayah has two main aspects; the first of which goes with belief in the Unity of God, (tawhid) which, according to Ibadhis, cannot be complete without belief in the following precepts:

1. Walayah, with God; that is, to obey His orders and avoid what he has forbidden.23

2. Walayah which all Muslims in general, (walayat al-jumlah).

   c) Walayah with those who were preserved from sin. (المعصومون), and those who were mentioned in the Quran by name as being people of Paradise, (المنصوصون). Whosoever ignored or neglected this aspect of al-walayah, is a polytheist, (mushrik).24

The second aspect is that walayah, constitutes a part of the mutual rights of the believers.25 Those who ignore or neglect this obligatory duty are Hypocrites.26

To return to the first aspect, most authors who discussed this subject speak about the following three issues: