Imamology, Lessons 94-97: The narration of arguments in the completion of the religion, Hajj and Guardianship

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The narration of arguments in the completion of the religion, Hajj and Guardianship

In his book “Ihtejaj”, the greatest Sheikh, Abu Mansour Ahmad bin Ali bin Abī Tālib Tabarsi ^[24] has related it by his documents from Alghama bin Muhammad Hazrami, quoting the Holiness Imam Muhammad Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, that has related: ‘The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, set out from Medina to the Hajj, he had already taught the people all the religious laws and rules in Islam but except the rites and ceremony of the Hajj. Gabriel descended stating: ‘O Messenger! Allah the Honorable and Exalted has commanded: “I have not taking the soul of any messenger until he has carried out his duty and fulfilled his task perfectly.

Now, among the rites that your folk need most are two that you have to announce them: one is the rites of the Hajj, and another one is the Guardianship and the Caliphate after you. That is because I have never left the land void of My Proof, nor will it be empty from now on.”’

“Now, Allah, the Exalted, has commanded you to teach your folk how to fulfill the Hajj Pilgrimage and while you are doing it yourself. Whoever from Medina, who can afford to take the Hajj Pilgrimage, and the people around the town, and the Bedouin must take the Hajj Pilgrimage. And you have to teach them the rites, as you have instructed them how to establish prayer and fast! You are responsible to teach them every single rite and the quality of the Hajj Pilgrimage.”

For carrying out the rites of the Hajj, the Messenger of Allah left Medina, the people too followed him. The crowd was about seventy thousand, or even a few more, that is as many as the folk of Moses. The Holiness Moses took their covenants to follow his brother, Aaron, after him, but they broke their covenants and took the Calf to worship instead.

Similar to Moses, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, took the covenants of seventy thousand people for Ali’s Guardianship and the Caliphate, and they broke their covenants and acted as the Samarians; while each group rose against another group.  

The chanting of the ‘Lab‘baik” of the people who set out Medina for Mecca could be heard all along from Medina to Mecca.

It was because the herald of the messenger of Allah had announced people in Medina as; ‘O people! The Messenger of Allah has decided to take the Hajj pilgrimage, and he wants to inform you whatever he has not said to before. As he taught you the other rules and laws of the religion, he is going to teach you the hajj rites too and you know all duties of yours.

When the Messenger of Allah stopped at the station to Mecca, Gabriel came down from the Allah, the Exalted, and said: ‘O Messenger Allah greets you and commands: “Your life has come to an end, it is the final moment of your life; I want to take you away for the last states.

“Therefore, make a firm decision! Give priority to fulfilling your testimony. Transfer to your successor and Caliphate, Ali bin Abī Tālib, whatever knowledge you have with you: the knowledge of the preceding messengers, armor, and Tabernacle, whatever of the messengers’ miracles and signs. Assign him as the Master, Leader and the Imam for the people! And have a new covenant with him.

“And remind the people concerning the covenant that you have taken from Me, and the covenant that you have made behalf of Me with them that the Guardianship of their Master and the master of every believing man and woman is Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace.

“It is because I have not taken the soul of any of My messengers until I have completed My religion, and I perfected My blessing to My slaves by their obeying and following the Guardians of Mine. I never leave the earth without a Guardian and Leader to look after My slaves.” So, He has stated that:

فاليوم أكملت لكم دينكم و اتممت عليكم نعمتى و رضيت لكم الاسلام دينا بولاية وليى، و مولى كل مؤمن و مؤمنة على عبدى، و وصى نبيى، و الخليفة من بعده، و حجتى البالغة على خلقى، مقرون طاعته بطاعة محمد نبيى، و مقرون طاعته مع طاعة محمد بطاعتى، من اطاعه فقد اطاعنى، و من عصاه فقد عصانى، جعلته علما بينى و بين خلقى، من عرفه كان مؤمنا، و من انكره كان كافرا، و من اشرك بيعته كان مشركا، و من لقينى بولايته دخل الجنة، و من لقينى بعداوته دخل النار.

فاقم يا محمد عليا علما، و خذ عليهم البيعة، و جدد عهدى و ميثاقى لهم الذى واثقتهم عليه، فانى قابضك الى و مستقدمك على!‏

“So, it is just today that I completed your religion for you! And I completed My blessing for you! And I approved the religion of Islam to be your religion through My own Guardian, the Master of every believing man and woman. Ali is My slave, and so is he the Successor of Messenger and his deputy after his death – he is a mature proof for the worshippers.

“Whoever knows him to be considered as a Muslim, but he who denies him is the disbeliever; and anyone who meets Me while believing his Guardianship, will enter paradise. However, whoever meets me while hating him, will enter the fire.

“So, O Muhammad, Produce Ali, and raise him as the Leader and the Chief among the people, and take the covenant of the people to obey him; and renew the covenant you have promised me concerning Ali! It is because I am about to take your soul and bring you to me!”

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, was afraid that his clan: Quraish and the hypocrites would turn away to their old ignorance state. He knew their enmity towards him; he knew that they had enmity towards Ali but would always hide it – although they kept it secret, their dealing with Ali proved it.

Therefore, he asked Gabriel to ask Allah for his security against the people. He always kept waiting for the news of the security by Allah for to be brought by Gabriel.

It took almost a long time until when the Messenger of Allah went to the Mosque of Khaif and there, Gabriel descended for him commanding to announce the covenant about Ali bin Abī Tālib; by assigning him as the manifest sign of Allah and the Successor to let the people know the Devine Command. The Messenger of Allah carried out his duty but still not so seriously as Allah had commanded. Next, the Messenger of Allah went to " كراع الغميم‏ ", (Kora-ul-Ghamim),^[25] which was between Mecca and Medina. One again Gabriel descended and commanded him to announce the covenant. However, this time too the Messenger had no security.

The Messenger of Allah said to Gabriel: ‘I am afraid of my tribe, I am afraid that they might reject me; they might deny my words concerning Ali.’ We already got to know that he had asked Gabriel for Allah’s security, but Gabriel had delayed to bring it. The Messenger left “Kora-ol-Ghamim” for the territory of Ghadir-e-Khum, three mile to Johfa. At that moment, which was nearly the midday, Gabriel descended in hurry and seriousness while having the guarantee of the security with him and said: “O Muhammad! Your Allah has greeted you and stated:

"يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ"  في عليّ  "وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ."  

‘…O Messenger, announce what has been revealed to you by your [Creator and Nurturer] Lord, concerning Ali, ‘for if you do not do so you have not conveyed His message. Allah protects you from people, (Qur’an: 5/67).’

In the beginning, the people were near Johfa at that moment, the Messenger of Allah commanded them to move on, while waiting for the people behind to reach. He wanted, in a certain place, to introduce Ali as the Guardian, and to let the people know that Allah had assigned him as the banner and the guarantee for the chastity for the people.

By the permission of the Messenger of Allah, the herald announced: ‘الصلاة جامعة’ and then, turned to the right side of the road, the place where the mosque of Ghadir was built later on. The Messenger ordered the people to clean the ground under the trees, and they made a pulpit out of the camels’ saddles and rocks, then the Messenger climbed it and began his sermon.

This sermon is very lengthy, and after praising the Almighty, Allah, the messenger explained every thing very clearly and in details. He displays the fact and nature of the soul, and reasons everything by referring to the Qur’an; he also states in details about the nature of the Guardianship and its close connection with the Qur’an. And for fifty-four times he addresses the people with the phrase: معاشر الناس‏, and also once with the phrase ايها الناس‏. Then, he asks for their agreements and they all bear witness to it and admit the case.

For the favor of the situation, we restrain ourselves to mention its quality, those who are interested in, can refer to “Ehtijaj-e-Tabarsi, publication Najaf, volume 1, pages 66-84, or they should refer to “Behar-al-Anwar” published by Company, volume 9, pages, 224-228.

After relating this sermon, Majlisi says: ‘It is related in “Kashf-ul-Yaghin” of Ahmad bin Muhammad Tabari, one of the opposing scholars that he has related in his book of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr bin Abd-ur-Rahman, who has quoted Hassan bin Ali Abi Muhammad Dinwari, quoting Muhammad bin Musa Hamadani.

And the writer of the book of “الصراط المستقيم‏” has brought up the most part of this sermon, that is about nature and the priority of the Household, from Muhammad bin Jabir Tabari in his book called: “ولايت‏”, by his document from Zeid bin Argham; and also Sheikh Ali bin Yusuf bin Motahhar Helli has related this narrative from Zeid bin Argham. ^[26]

And also it has been put in “احتجاج‏” from the Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace, relating that: When the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, brought up this sermon, the people listening to it saw a moon-like-face of a man with them saying: ‘By Allah, I had never seen the Messenger of Allah speak so severely about his cousin, and to emphasize to establish a firm covenant for him so that not a disbeliever could damage and tear it up – so, who to his who breaks this covenant!’

When his word ended up, Omar bi Khattab, who had heard what he say, and on the other hand being interested in his bright feature, turned to the Messenger and said: ‘Did you hear the statement of this man – that which he was saying?!’

The Messenger of Allah asked: “Do you know who he is?” Omar answered: ‘No, I do not know.’

The Messenger stated: “The man was the Holy Spirit, Gabriel. So be on watch not breaking your covenant with Ali! Otherwise, Allah, the Messenger of Allah, the angels of Allah and the believers will become weary of you!” ^[27]

Abul Fotuh Razi has related it in his commentary: Abu Ishaq Tha‘labi Mofassir, the Imam of the narratives for the companions, in his commentary book, which is called “كشف و بيان‏” has related that he had asked Abu Sofyan Oyayna about the revelation of the verse ^[28] “سَأَلَ سائِلٌ بِعَذابٍ واقِعٍ‏” that about whom it was revealed!

Sofyan answered: ‘This question is the first time being asked me.’

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The occasions of revelation of the Chapter "Once a Questioner Asked about the oncoming chastisement"

‘My father ^[29] related to me from Abu Ja‘far Muhammad bin Ali, and he from his ancestors, peace and blessing be upon them, that when the Messenger of Allah arrived at the territory of Ghadir, he let the people know and gathered then in one place, then, while holding Ali’s hand up, he said aloud:

من كنت مولاه فعلى مولاه

this news spread everywhere to the towns, and it reached to Harith bi No’man Fahri.

Harith mounted his camel and set out for the Messenger of Allah and reached to the encampment, he dismounted his camel, tided up the knee of the camel and went into the tent of the Messenger of Allah who was sitting among the Immigrants and the Assistants. 

Then, he said: ‘O Messenger, you came to us saying: “Leave your three hundred and sixty objects of worship but say instead: ‘Allah is only one’! And we did so. And you said: Now, say: ‘You are a Messenger’, we also said. And you said: ‘Pray five times a day’, we did pray five times a day. Next you said: ‘Fast in the month of Ramadan’, we did fast in that month. And you said: ‘Pay Zakat, (the welfare taxes)’, we paid it. ‘You said to go on the Hajj’, we also fulfilled it; and you commanded ‘for jihad’, we accepted it. So after so many commands you are still going further:

 رفعت بضبع ابن عمك فرفعته و فضلته علينا، فقلت: من كنت مولاه فعلى مولاه! فهذا شى‏ء منك ام من الله!‏

You held your cousin on the arm and lifted him high and giving him priority by saying: “Whomsoever I am a Master to, so is Ali his Master!” Now, is this from Allah or by your own?’

The Messenger Allah stated: “و الله الذى لا اله الا هو ان هذا من الله‏, by Allah, it is by One that there is no deity except Him. This is by Allah and I said it behalf of Allah.”’

By hearing what the Messenger say, Harith turned away going toward his camel and, in the mean time, saying:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كانَ هذا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنا حِجارَةً مِنَ السَّماءِ أَوِ ائْتِنا بِعَذابٍ أَليمٍ ^[30]

[And remember when they said], ‘O Allah, if this is indeed the Truth from You, then rain down stones upon us from the heavens, or give us an immense chastisement, (Qur'an: 8/32).'

‏

‘O Allah, if Muhammad telling the truth, and he has done it by Your command, do send us rain of stones from the sky! Send us painful tortures!’

He had not finished his word than a stone fell from the sky and hit him so hard on the head that he died in the spot! Then, Allah, the Exalted, revealed this verse:

سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ ﴿1﴾ لِلْكَافِرينَ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ ﴿2﴾ مِنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ ﴿3﴾

 ‘…a questioner asked about the chastisement bound to happen,

to the disbelievers that there is no protection against it,

[it is] from Allah, the Elevations, (Qur’an: 70/1-3).’

In the beginning, Allah, the Highest, sent His blessing to him but he asked for torture! It is said that: ‘When blessing is not helpful to you, then, you are not immune against the torture!’

 مِنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ ‏

I sent a Guardianship that he is the perfection of the religion and full of blessing!

 اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم. ^[31]

By means of his documents from Hakim Abul Ghasim, Sheikh Tabarsi explains it in “Majma’-ul-Bayan” from Haskani quoting Sofyan bin Oyayna while referring it to the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, with the slight difference that he continues the narrative to the Holiness Imam Ja‘far bin Muhammad Sādiq, but not the Holiness Abu Ja‘far Muhammad bin Ali al- Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, and then, he has mentioned the name of the man as No’man bin Harth Fahri, but not Harith bin No’man. However, in the beginning of his discussion, he has said that: ‘the narrator has said that: he had been, Nasr-ubn-o-Harith bin Kaldah.’ ^[32]

In his book “Behar”, Majlesi has put this narrative from the “Commentary of Forat bin Ibrahim”, and also from the “Taraeef” of Sayyid Tawous from Tha’labi; and from the book “Kanz-o-Jame’al-Fawaeed”from Muhammad bin Abbas, by his document from Sofyan bin Ayyinah, and then he has said: ‘The writer of Kanz says: “I am relating this narrative by the another document from Abu Basir quoting the Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace, that: the Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace, recited this verse:

سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ ﴿1﴾ لِلْكَافِرينَ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَافِعٌ ﴿2﴾ مِنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ ﴿3﴾

‘…a questioner asked about the chastisement bound to happen,

to the disbelievers that there is no protection against it,

[it is] from Allah, the Elevations, (Qur’an: 70/1-3).’

And then he stated: It has been put in the book of Fatima in the same way.

And Barqi has related his father quotingAbu Basir, and quotes the Holiness Imam Sādiq sating that:

 هكذا و الله انزلها جبرئيل على النبى، و هكذا هو مثبت فى مصحف فاطمة. ^[33]

‘By Allah, Gabriel has brought it to the Messenger of Allah in the same way, and it has been put in Fatima’s book as it was.’

And also Majlesi relates two narratives from the “Commentary of Forat bin Ibrahim” concerning the revelation of the verse: سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ, which had happened to an Arab who had asked the Messenger of Allah concerning the Guardianship of Ali bin Abī Tālib. He himself asked for torture and it befell upon him. First, he mentions the narrative to be of Abu Horaira, and the second time, from Ja‘far bin Muhammad bin Bashroyah Ghattan from Ozaee, of Sa’sa’a bin Sohan and Ahnaf bin Ghais, that both of them have said that: ‘We heard ibn Abbas saying that: we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah when that questioner came and the thing that happened to him later on.’ ^[34]

In the book of “Al-Ghadir” that this story has been related from Ishaq Tha’labi, mor or less it it has been related in the same way in the “Commentary of Abul Fotoh” which we already explained it in brief. The only difference is that he firstly relates it as it was said by the Holiness Imam Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, and then he adds that: Harth ibn No’man set out for the Messenger of Allah until he reached Ibtah. However, the word ‘Abtah’ ^[35] has not been mentioned in Abol Fotoh’s narrative.

Apart from this narrative, in almost thirty different books of the Sunnite, commentaries and the nature of the Sunnite, this narrative has been mentioned.^[36] They have even mentioned the name of that Arab questioner to be Hafiz Abu Obaid Haravi, it is in the commentary of “Gharib al-Qur’an”, that Jabir bin Nasr has mentioned it.

At the bottom of the book, it has been written, the questioner might be the same Jabir bin Nazr bin Harith – although Tha’labi, who is well-known among the narrators, has mentioned the man to be Harith bin No’man Fahri. It goes back to the time when the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, captured his father, Jabir at the Great Battle of Badr, and with the permission of Allah killed him. At that period, people had tendency towards the ignorance, they had not yet embraced Islam fully; it was why he said so to demand his father’s blood money. ^[37]

In truth, the confirmer of this statement is that: as we saw it, it has been explained in the “Commentary of Abul fotoh” Nazr-ubn-Harith bin Kaldah. But it is absolutely not Nazr himself, it is by Jabir. It is because the sons were called after their fathers, so it has been mentioned Nazr.

Anyhow, now we are to explain the verse: يا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ ما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ‏ to prove the position of its revelation; and then to refer to the narrative of: يا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ ما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ‏; because these two need to discuss upon separately – they are not related to each other.

There are eight narratives by the Sunnite, and there has been related nine narratives by the Shiite on the occasions of revelation of the propaganda verse, in the book of “Ghayat-ul-Maram”.^[38]

Concerning the narrative books, commentary and historical books, they, as well as we Shiite have no objection against the companions that the occasions of revelation this verse is about the Guardianship of Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace; thus, we bring some basic narratives here and then refer to some of the narratives in the Sunnite books.

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The narrative by the Holiness Imam Baqir, upon him be peace, on the occasions of revelation of the Propaganda Verse

Muhammad bin Ya’ghub Kolaini quotes Muhammad bin Yahia, he also Ahmad bin Muhammad, and he quotes Muhammad bin Al-Hossein, and they both are quoting Muhammad bin Ismaeel bin Bazi’, and he quotes Mansour bin Yunes, he quotes Abul Jarood, and he quotes the Holiness Imam Muhammad Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, relates that Abul Jarood has said: ‘I heard the Holiness Abu Ja‘far saying: Allah, the honorable and Exalted has made five things incumbent to man, however, people took four but ignoring one of them!

I said: ‘May I be made sacrifice to you! Would you please mention those four to me?’

The Holiness said: “The first one is prayer.

“After that, the command for Zakat, (the due welfare tax), came down, saying to Muhammad to teach people how to pay it. Then, the rule of fast came down; prior to that, on the Day of Aashura, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, sent his men to the villages and the suburbs to let the people fast on that Day. So the rule how to fast was revealed in the month of Ramadan, between the months of Sha’ban and Shawwal.

Then, Gabriel brought down the rule for Hajj and said: ‘Teach the people the rites of their Hajj as you did with their prayer, fast and Zakat.’

In the end, the Guardianship was descended, and it happened on Friday at Arafat. Allah, the Honorable and Exalted sent this verse: اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم و اتممت عليكم‏; so the perfection of the religion relies on the Guardianship of Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace.

At that time, the Messenger of Allah was speculating and pondering what to do, he was wondering: my nation has newly embraced Islam and they are still close to their ignorance. And if I invite them to accept the Guardianship of my cousin, they may resist and object me for whatever I had already told them.

Of course, I did not mention it but it was what I was pondering upon! In that state, I was inspired with the divine determination; I was frightened that if I did not fulfill my duty I might be chastised for it. Right then this verse was sent down:

  يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ

‘… O Messenger, announce what has been revealed to you by your [Creator and Nurturer] Lord; for if you do not do so you have not conveyed His message. Allah protects you from people: surely Allah does not guide the disbelieving people, (Qur’an: 5/67).’

The Messenger of Allah held Ali on his hand and raised it saying: “O people! There had been not any messenger before me unless Allah gave him a period of time to live and then took him to Himself; he too by saying: ‘Here am I’ accepted His invitation and passed away. And now, it is my time, I am nearly passing away! I will be questioned in the presence of Allah! You to will be questioned there! Then, what is your answer going to be?”

The people said: ‘We will bear witness that you fulfilled your duty and propaganda! You advised us, and whatever you were responsible at, you did it towards us! Thus, may Allah honor you the best rewards of the messengers!’

The Messenger said for three times: اللهم اشهد ‘O Allah, You bear witness!’ And then, he said:

 يا معشر المسلمين! هذا وليكم بعدى، فليبلغ الشاهد الغائب‏

‘O the company of the Muslims! This (Ali) is your Master after me; so those who are present here must reach my voice to those who are absent!’

The Holiness Imam Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, said: ‘I swear by Allah that Ali, Upon Him be Peace, was the trustee of Allah in nature, and he was the trustee of Allah in absence, in His religion; the religion that he approved it and was satisfied with.’

When the time arrived for the Messenger of Allah passing away, he called Ali to him and said: “O Ali I nominate you as a trustee upon whatever Allah made me trustee upon: for His Knowledge, His absence, His creatures and His religion; the religion that Allah has approved it for Him.” O Zayyah (Abu-al-Jaroud), by Allah, this trustee was specified for Ali only, and by Allah, the Holiness Messenger appointed no one to be partner to Ali.

When Ali’s death time approached, he called his sons to him; they were twelve and he said to all of them: ‘O my sons! Allah has thus decided that to honor me such a fate as the Holiness Jacob. The Holiness called his twelve children and wanted them to obey one among them whom he had chosen. Now, o my son, I enjoin you to follow and obey the Masters of yours.

Know that these two Masters are the sons of the Messenger of Allah: Hassan and Hussein, Upon Them be Peace. Do obey these two and obey whatever they say; and also ask them for help. I have recognized them to be the best trustee of the nation. They are trustee upon whatever the Messenger of Allah considered to be trustee of Allah, and Allah had trusted them to the Messenger: from His slaves, His secrets, and His religion; the religion that He had approved it and was satisfied with.

There fore, the same state and position that Allah assigned for Ali in the ratio of the Messenger, the same state and position were assigned for Hassan and Hussein. None of these two has priority to the other except their ages. On this base, whenever Hussein, Upon Him be Peace, was in the assembly of the Holiness Hassan, Upon Him be Peace, he would not say a single word for showing highest respect to him – it last until he would leave the assembly.

When the life of Hassan, Upon Him be Peace, came to an end, he trusted the affairs of the Caliphate to Hussein, Upon Him be Peace. And when the life of Hussein, Upon Him be Peace, coming to end, he called his elder daughter, “Fatima the daughter of Hussein”, and after wrapping up a letter and enveloping it, as well his written will, he handed it to her. And when at the time of Hussein, Peace be upon him, was to pass away, the Holiness Saj’jad had a serious illness in the stomach, the enemies found excuses that it was enough for him to die naturally, so they stop killing him.

Fatima the daughter of Hussein gave that letter and the written testimony to Ali bin al-Hussein; and by Allah that letter has reached to us.^[39]

Kolaini has related the very narrative with another document quoted by Moalli bin Muhammad, quoting Muhammad bin Homhur, and he is quoting  Muhammad bin Ismaeel bin Bazi’, who has quoted Mansour bin Yunus, quoting Abu-al-Jarood and he has quoted the Holiness Imam Muhammad Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace.^[40]

Moreover, Kolaini has rated it from Muhammad bin Yahia, quoting Muhammad bin-al-Hussein and Ahmad bin Muhammad, he also quoting ibn Mahbob, quoting Muhammad bin Fozail, quoting Abu Hamzah Thomali, and he quotes the Holiness Abi Ja‘far Imam Muhammad Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, that Abu Hamzah has said, I have heard that Holiness say: ‘When the time of Muhammad ended, and his period reached the state of perfection, Allah, the Highest inspired him: “O Muhammad, the time of your mission has come to an end, and your life is ended.

Therefore, the knowledge that is with you, together with that belief, and the greatest name, and the heritage –  the knowledge of the messengers – which you have gone through, and the signs of the messenger-hood which is with you, trust them all to Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

It is because I will not cut the knowledge, the belief, and greatest name, the heritage of the messengers and the sign of the messenger-hood from your children and progeny – as I did not cut it from the Household of the Messenger.^[41]

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The narrative by the Holiness Imam Sadiq, upon him be peace, , on the occasions of revelation of the Propaganda Verse

And Kolaini has related from Muhammad bin al-Hussein and some others: Sohail, quoting Muhammad bin Isa, Muhammad bin Yahia, Muhammad bin al-Hussein, and all of them quoting Muhammad bin Senan, and he is quoting Ismaeel bin Jabir and Abdul Karim bin Amru, he has quoted Abdul Hamid bin Abu Dailam, he too quoting the Holiness Abu Abdullah Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace, that has said:

The Holiness Musa appointed Joshua bin Noun as his Successor, and Joshua bin Noun trusted it to the off spring of Aaron; but he did not trusted it to his children or among the children of Moses. The whole authority is with Allah, He chooses whomsoever He will from among anyone He will. Ad Moses and Joshua gave the glad-tidings of Messiah.

And when Messiah was raised by Allah, Messiah informed: ‘Soon after me, there will come to you a messenger fro the off spring of Ishmael, whose name is Ahmad; he will confirm me  (in the messenger-hood and the Guardianship), and he will confirm you (in your belief, and he will confirm my proof and yours).

And that testament and tradition, and also the choice of Allah were transferred to the disciples to protect them.^[42] And Allah called them the Protectors. Because they were trusted to protect the Greatest Name – the Greatest Name of Allah – and they did. The Greatest Name is a Book by that the knowledge of anything given to the messengers is known; and Allah has stated:      

     لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنْزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ‏ ^[43]

 ‘…indeed We sent Our messengers with apparent proofs, and We sent with them the Book and the Balance, ‘(Qur’an: 57/25).’

And the book is the Greatest Name. And what is know is that the book is the very three Books: of the Torah, Bible and the Criterion; though there had been other books with the previous messengers: as the book of Noah, the book of Salih, the book of Joshua and Abraham. Because Allah has stated:

 إِنَّ هَذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأولَى، صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى ^[44]

‘…surely this [statement] is recorded in the ancient Scriptures; the scriptures of Abraham and Moses, ‘(Qur’an: 87/18/19).’

So, where is the book of Abraham? The book of Abraham is the Greatest Name, and the book of Moses is the Greatest Name. This Greatest Name is constantly commanded from a learned to the next learned until it has reached to Muhammad, Bless be to Him and his Descendants.

And when Allah, the Honorable and Exalted assigned Muhammad as His Messenger, the group of leaders who lead the people at that time and were far behind the genuine Guardians, embraced his Islam; and the Children of Israel also rejected the Holiness. The Holiness kept inviting them to Allah, the Honorable and Exalted, but they denied it.

Then, Allah, the Exalted, inspired the Holiness that: Announce the virtue and the priority of your Successor to the nation! The Holiness had the honor to inform that: O my Creator! The Arabs are the oppressive; they are rough people and are not sociable! There had not been the Divine Book with them, nor had a messenger come to them. They do not know the status and position of the messengers. So, if I inform them of the priority and the nobility of my Household, they will not care what I say and will not believe me. Allah, the glorified, stated:

و لا تحزن عليهم و قل سلام فسوف تعلمون. ^[45]

‏Be not afraid of them, say: ‘Peace be upon you, you will learn it soon.’

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah mentioned about his Successor in brief but it sowed discord in their hearts.

By seeing their discord, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, was rather dismayed until when Allah, Exalted, stated: 

يا محمد! وَ لَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِما يَقُولُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَ لكِنَّ الظَّالِمينَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُون.‏^[46]

‏O Muhammad! Indeed, We see that you are disappointed by seeing their denying you! However, know that the oppressors always deny the signs of Allah!

It was true, with having any excuses, they denied the signs of Allah, and the Messenger of tolerated them and dealt with them friendly. He did not encounter them face to face, but he did it by means of some others. Anyhow, he did mention some of the virtues and priorities of his Successor until the verse: أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَك  was revealed; Here, Allah stated:

 فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ- وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ ^[47]

‘‘…so when you are free, try [to worship], and toward your [Creator and Nurturer] Lord direct your desires.

Allah states: “When you are free, set up your flag and banner!^[48] Do introduce your Successor, and reveal his status and priority to the public.”

The Messenger of Allah stated:

من كنت مولاه فعلى مولاه. اللهم وال من والاه! و عاد من عاداه!‏

‘Whomsoever, I am Master so is this Ali his Master; O Allah, stand by him who is friend of his, and be enemy to one who is his enemy. He repeated it three times.

He also stated:

 لابعثن رجلا يحب الله و رسوله، و يحبه الله و رسوله، ليس بفرار

“I will send a man to open the gate of Kheibar that he loves Allah and His Messenger, and so do Allah and His Messenger love him; and he does not escape it. With his statement, the Messenger of Allah hinted those men who had already escaped the battle. And those who frightened the Messenger and his companions by saying: “The case was the other way round, (they had excuses that Abu Bakr and Omar, whom the Messenger of Allah had nominated to go to the battlefield, had escaped the battle).

He also stated: على سيد المؤمنين‏ ‘Ali is the Master of the believers.’

Moreover, he stated: على عمود الدين‏ ‘Ali is the pillar of the religion.’

And he stated: هذا الذى يضرب الناس بالسيف على الحق بعدى‏ ‘This man is the one who, after my demise, will strike the people with his sword according to the right.’

Furthermore, he stated: الحق مع على اينما مال‏ ‘Right is alongside of Ali wherever he moves.’

Besides, he stated:

انى تارك فيكم أمرين، ان اخذتم بهما لن تضلوا: كتاب الله عز و جل، و اهل بيتى عترتى، ايها الناس اسمعوا و قد بلغت: انكم ستردون على الحوض! فاسالكم عما فعلتم فى الثقلين.

و الثقلان كتاب الله جل ذكره و اهل بيتى! فلا تسبقوهم فتهلكوا! و لا تعلموهم فانهم اعلم منكم.‏

‘I am leaving two affairs with you, if you cling to them, you will never go astray: they are the Book of Allah and my Household! O people! Do listen; I really reached my voice to you, and I propagated it. You will soon join my by the Kow‘thar [river in Paradise]. Then, I will ask you whether you have fulfilled what I told you about these two precious things!

They are two precious and rare things: The Book of Allah and my Household! You must not take the lead, nor should you show priority to them, otherwise you will ruin yourselves! And try not teaching them anything for they know everything.’

After all, according to what the Messenger of , Bless be to Him and his Descendants, said, and the Book of Allah which people were reciting it, ultimatum was given. However, again and again the Messenger of Allah was mentioning of the virtues and the priorities of Household, and he confirmed his words with the manifest verses and the statements of the Qur’an. Such as:   

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا ^[49]

‘…Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you, (Qur’an: 33/33).’

And Allah has stated:

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَى ^[50]

‘…and know that whatever you may take as spoils of war, a fifth of it belongs to Allah and for the Messenger and for the kinsman [of him] and orphans, (Qur’an: 8/41).’

And He has stated:

وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ ^[51]

‘Give the rights of kinsmen back to them. (Qur’an: 17/26)’

And it was Ali, Upon Him be Peace; and his right is the same thing that was assigned by the Messenger of Allah. And another one is the Greatest Name, the heritage of the knowledge of the messengers, and the effects of the prophet-hood’s knowledge, which all must be given to him.

And he Allah stated:

 قُلْ لا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى ^[52]

‘…say, ‘I do not ask you any wage for this but affection towards [my] relatives, (the Household), (Qur’an: 42/23).’

And He has stated:

  وَ إذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ بِأىِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَت‏ ^[53]

‘and when is questioned concerning the beloved of the Messenger of Allah, why they have been killed?’

Here, he says: I will question you about the cordiality of those I had enjoined you of their virtues and priorities; I will ask you for what excuses you have killed them.

And also the Honorable and Exalted Allah has stated:

فَاسْئَلُوا أهْلَ الذَّكْرِ إنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُون ^[54]

‘…so ask the people of the Book if you do not know about, (Qur’an: 16/43).’

The Holiness stated that the meaning of “the Book” is the Glorious Qur’an. And the meaning of “the people of the Book” is the Household of Muhammad, Bless be to Him and his Descendants. Allah has commanded the whole people ask their obscure questions from them; it is not said to the people to ask from the ignorant folk.

And Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has called the Qur’an “Az-Zikr” (Reminder), and He states: 

وَ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُون ^[55]

He also states:

وَ إِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَ لِقَوْمِكَ وَ سَوْفَ تُسْأَلُون ^[56]

‘…surely this [Qur’an] is a Reminder for you and your people, and you will be questioned, (Qur’an: 43/44).’

Then, He states:

أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُوْلِى الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُم ‏^[57]

‘…obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you, (Qur’an: 4/59).’

And also He states:

وَ لَوْ رَدُّوهُ (إِلَى اللَّهَ) وَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَ إِلَى أُوْلِى الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُم ^[58]

 ‘…if they would just refer it to (Allah), the Messenger and those who are in authority, for sure some of them who investigate would have known about it, (Qur’an: 4/83).’

(Note: the phrase (to Allah) does not exist in the Holy Qur’an.)

Here, we see that “command” is rejected – commanding the people – toward those in the authority, those whom Allah commanded to be obeyed and refer their problems to them.

When the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage, Gabriel, , Upon Him be Peace, descended informing him:  

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَ اللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنْ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِين ^[59]

‘…O Messenger, announce what has been revealed to you by your [Creator and Nurturer] Lord; for if you do not do so you have not conveyed His message. Allah protects you from people: surely Allah does not guide the disbelieving people, (Qur’an: 5/67).’

After receiving this verse, the Messenger of Allah invited the people and they gathered in one place, and he commanded them to sweep and clean under the “Samur Trees” and while standing there, he gave a sermon saying that:

(يَا) أيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ وَليُّكُمْ وَ أوْلَى بِكُمْ مِنْ أنْفُسِكُمْ؟! فَقَالُوا: اللَهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ. فَقَالَ: مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِىٌّ مَوْلَاهُ اللَّهُم وَالِ مَنْ وَالَاه، وَ عَادِ مَنْ عَادَاه.‏

“O people! Who is better Guardian to you than yourselves? Who is your Master and Guardian?” They answered: ‘It is Allah and so is His Messenger.’ The Holiness said: “Whomsoever I am worthier to him than he himself, so is Ali worthier to him than he himself. O Allah You be the Guardian of him who has considered Ali to be worthier than himself! And be opponent to him who is Ali’s opponent.”

It was here that hatred grew in the hearts of some folk, and they said: ‘Allah has never mentioned it to Muhammad:

وَ مَا يُرِيدُ إلَّا أنْ يَرْفَعَ بِضَبْعِ ابْنِ عَمِّه.‏

He has no intention except raising his cousin’s hand and introducing him [to the people]!’

When he reached Medina, the Helpers of Medina went to him, and said: O Messenger of Allah! May Allah protect you for your being with us; He has honored us by sending you to us! And Allah has made our friends happy while humiliating our enemies. We see that guests and the needy keep coming to you, to visit you and ask for their needs. However, you have nothing of your own to give them! That is the enemies only excuse to rejoicing at you!

We would like to give you one third of our belongings so that to share it among the deprived of Mecca who come to you!

The Messenger rejected their offering and was waiting for something from Allah; then Gabriel descended with this verse as:

قُلْ لَا أسْألُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أجْراً إلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِى القُرْبَى ^[60]

‘… (O Messenger,) say, ‘I do not ask you any wage for this but affection towards [my] relatives, (the Household), (Qur’an: 42/23).’

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, did not accept their properties and wealth, and the hypocrites said: ‘Never has Allah sent down this verse to the Muhammad, he wants just to raise the hand of his cousin and introduce him to us, then, by doing so, to let his Household rule over us! In the past, he said:

 من كنت‏ مولاه فعلى مولاه.  

‘Whosoever, I am Master so is Ali his Master,’ and later on he said:

قُلْ لَا أسْألُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أجْراً إلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِى القُرْبَى.‏

Say, ‘I do not ask you any wage for this but affection towards [my] relatives.

Then, after these incidents, Gabriel descended saying: ‘O Messenger, your mission has come to an end, and your life has ended; so entrust Ali, Upon Him be Peace everything: the Greatest Name, the heritage of the knowledge and the effects of the knowledge of the prophet-hood! Let it be known that I never leave the earth without a learned of Mine through whom My obedience to be known, he must be my proof among My slaves – to be of such a people to remain between My passing-away Messenger and the egress of another messenger.

The Holiness Imam Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, sated that: ‘Concerning the Greatest Name, the heritage of the knowledge of the prophets, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, made his will to Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace, and so did he make his will about a thousand words and a thousand gates of knowledge; while every single word and gate opens other one thousand words and gates^.’^[61]

In his commentary, Ayashi has put the very subject but in brief. He has quoted the narrator of this subject, Abu-al-Jaroud, who is quoting the Holiness Imam Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, saying: ^[62] While the Holiness Imam Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, was discussing with Ibn Zeiada in Abtah, a man, Othman A’sha, who was from Basra stood up in the assembly and said: ‘O the son of the Messenger of Allah! May I be made your sacrifice, Hassan Basri has related us a narrative and he believed that this verse was revealed for a man, but he did not reveal us the name of the man!’

The Holiness answered:

 مَالَهُ لَاقَضَى اللَهُ دَيْنَهُ- يَعْنِى صَلَاتَهُ- أمَا أنْ لَوْ شَآءَ انْ يُخْبِرَ بهِ لَأخْبَرَ بِه‏ ^[63]

 “Why did he not inform you? May Allah not reward him; may Allah not to accept his prayer! He could inform you if he wanted.”