When he was told that the Kharijites had been totally annihilated
1
وقال (عليه السلام) لمّا قتل الخوارج فقيل له: يا أميرالمؤمنين، هلك القوم بأجمعهم، فقال:
When Amīr al-mu’minīn was told that the Khārijites had been totally killed, he said :
2
كَلاَّ وَالله، إِنَّهُمْ نُطَفٌ فِي أَصْلاَبِ الرِّجَالِ، وَقَرَارَاتِ النِّسَاءِ، كُلَّمَا نَجَمَ مِنْهُمْ قَرْنٌ قُطِعَ، حَتَّى يَكُونَ آخِرُهُمْ لُصُوصاً سَلاَّبِينَ.
By Allāh, no, not yet. They still exist in the loins of men and wombs of women. Whenever a chief would appear from among them he would be cut down till the last of them would turn thieves and robbers. [1]