movement at that period was secrecy, (kitman). According to the requirements of this stage, an underground organisation was formed to pass on the true teachings of Islam out of sight of the “tyrants.” Several centres (majalis) were established for meetings of the Ibadhi scholars, and also for religious instruction for the members of the sect in order to fulfil requirements of the organisation.

The system of walayah and baraah served a great deal in securing the growth of the movement in the right direction. It was one of the basic rules for the new member who wanted to join the Ibadhis to declare ‘baraah’ from the enemies of God and the Prophet, (i.e. the opponents of the Ibadhi movement) and to believe in ‘walayah’ for the ‘awliya’ of God and His Prophet, (i.e. the upright members of the Ibadhi community).

It is reported that Ibadhis invited Bistam Abu al-Nazr who was a Sufri, to join their movement; Bistam said, “When they invited me, they said, “We call you to (walayah) for those whom you know to declare the truth and follow it; and to (baraah) from those whom you know to say contrary to the truth and follow it; and we call you to ‘reservation’ for what you are not sure about till you become certain.’ He said, ‘This was in the time of secrecy (Kitman).115 This appears to be one of the basic principles of the Ibadhi movement, for the first Imam of the Ibadhi state in Yemen, Abdullah b. Yahya al-Kindi, after conquering Yemen, said in his address to the people, “We call to the Unity of God, ……, and to ‘walayah’ for God’s friends, and to enmity for the enemies of God.”116 The members who did not follow the teachings of Islam were to be treated in different ways in regard to the gravity and nature of their mistakes. It is reported from Jabir b. Zaid, “If one of you sees a fault of his brother, he must forbid him to do it again, and this must be between the two of them only; if he refuses to abandon his fault, he must ask help from another member, until he has two witnesses with him. If the sinner refrains from committing the sin, they must conceal his fault; but if he persists in his sin, they must then declare baraah from him.”117 A similar opinion is reported from Hajib al-Tai, one of the early Ibadhi leaders.118 Hajib divides such defections into two kinds:

1. A) That which is related to the duties of man to God; Muslims must conceal such faults and give their fellow believer the advice and let him attend their meetings (majalis), for God may relent towards him.

2. B) But if the defection is related to the faith by holding contrary views to what the Ibadhis believe, in such a case, they must declare baraah from him, forbid him to attend their (majalis), and inform all the members about him so that they can be wary of him.119 In order to explain this doctrine, we may cite the following cases:

Abu Sufyan Mahbub b. al-Rahil said, “Hamzah al-Kufi came to Abu Ubaidah