Another group, the Kharijites, had arisen from events surrounding the assassination of Uthman, the third caliph, and the transfer of authority to the fourth caliph, Ali.

In the war between Ali and Muawiyah, part of Ali's army had objected to arbitration of the dispute.

They had left Ali's camp, causing other Muslims to refer to them as "kharijites" (the ones who leave).

The term Kharijites had also become a designation for Muslims who refused to compromise with those who differed from them.

Their actions had caused the Sunni community to consider them assassins.

Some Kharijites began to moderate their position in the eighth century.

Leaders arose who suppressed the fanatical political element in Kharijite belief and discouraged their followers from taking up arms against other Islamic leaders.

Kharijite leaders emphasized instead the special benefits that Kharijites might receive from living in a small community that holds high standards for personal conduct and spiritual values.

One of these religious leaders, or imams, is Abd Allah ibn Ibad (d. 708), whose followers found communities in parts of Africa and southern Arabia.

Some of Abd Allah's followers, known as Ibadis, became the leaders in Oman.