In the Name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful

And bless be upon Muhammad and his pure Household, and may Allah's curse be on his enemies from now until the Day of Resurrection! And there is no power or strength except for the Lofty Glorious Allah.

The Wise Allah has stated in His Glorious Book:

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 ^[1]

 

‘…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).’

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The poems of Sahib bin Abbad on praising the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace

1. حب النبى و اهل البيت معتمدى             اذا الخطوب اساءت رايها فينا

2. ايا بن عم رسول الله افضل من              ساد الانام و ساس الهاشميينا

3. يا قدوة الدين يا فرد الزمان اصخ           لمدح مولى يرى تفضيلكم دينا

4. هل مثل سبقك الاسلام لو عرفوا            و هذه الخصلة الغراء تلفينا

5. هل مثل علمك ان زلوا و ان وهنوا         و قد هديت كما اصبحت تهدينا

6. هل مثل جمعك للقرآن تعرفه                 لفظا و معنى و تاويلا و تبيينا

7. هل مثل حالك عند الطير تحضره            بدعوة نلتها دون المصلينا

8. هل مثل بذلك للعانى الاسير و لل            طفل الصغير و قد اعطيت مسكينا

9. هل مثل صبرك اذ خانوا و اذ خترو         حتى جرى ما جرى فى يوم صفينا

10. هل مثل فتواك اذ قالوا مجاهرة              لو لا على هلكنا فى فتاوينا

11. يا رب سهل زياراتى مشاهدهم              فان روحى تهوى ذلك الطينا

12. يا رب صير حياتى فى محبتهم              و محشرى معهم آمين آمينا ^[2]

1- ‘The affection of the Messenger and the Household of the Messenger are what I trust in all my affairs in life, and so are in all my difficulties that depress me and lead me to stubbornness.

2- O the cousin of the Messenger of Allah, o you who are the noblest and the most honorable, and the Master of the masters, who have protected and looked after the Hashemite.

3- O the exemplar and the pioneer of the religion! O the rare one in the world! Do listen to the praise of your slave who has paid his debt by telling the truth that you have priorities among the creatures of Allah.

4- Is there anyone similar to you, to take precedence, in Islam? The very manifest and illuminating nature of yours saves us and leads us ahead!

5- Is there anything similar to your knowledge? When they used to stumble, they would become useless, it was you who directed them ahead, pointed to their mistakes and cured them by your wisdom and knowledge.

6- Is there anyone similar to you in collecting the Qur’an; to know the meaning of the Qur’an, to translate and comment on it, to translate it and explain the kernel of it!

7- Is there anyone similar to you, among those the prayers, to call the flying bird in the sky and bringing it to him?

8- Is there anyone like you to donate the afflicted captive in his disposal, and the orphan child with no one to look after him?

9- Has ever been seen such patience as yours; when they deceived you, they played tricks against you, they brought up that event of Siffin but you tolerated them all!

10- Has ever been seen a verdict like yours? As they confessed that: ‘If Ali were not among us, we would be perished in our verdicts.’

11- O my Creator! Make it easy for me to visit the shrine of his! My soul has fallen in love with the structure of his grave!

12- O my Creator! Run my life by the affection of his. And assign my gathering among them on the Day of Resurrection! Amen, Amen!

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The descending of Gabriel at Ghadir-e-Khum and the halt of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, left Mecca to Medina on the 14^th along with all the pilgrims of the House of Allah. We already mentioned that the pilgrims to Medina who were with the Messenger are counted as one hundred and twenty-four thousand people. It was because the pilgrimage had already been announced; the Messenger had even announced it to the nearby towns and villages that he had decided to go on the Hajj Pilgrimage, and whoever could afford it, could follow the messenger.

Therefore, except the sick and the elderly, all people took part in the pilgrimage – even the women did. Medina was quite empty of the dwellers.

The generous Messenger of Allah had already made several sermons about paying attention to the Household of his, referring to and respecting the Book of Allah, and he had furnished the road to announce the Guardianship of the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace.

The caravan of the Messenger of Allah reached to the Land of Ghadir-e-Khum, which is near Johfa ^[3] and the ‘Y’ junction from Medina to Egypt and Sham.

There, again Gabriel descended saying:

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).’

And according to all the historians, this descending in Ghadir-e-Khum was on the 18^th Dhul-Hijja, though they differ whether it was on Sunday or on Thursday. However, according to that which we already explained it must be on Sunday. ^[4]

Here, Gabriel commands to the Messenger of Allah to stop and to introduce Ali as the Master and the Imam for the nation; and whatever concerning the Guardianship had reached the Messenger to announce it – that is: Ali is the Master of all the creatures and obeying him was necessary to all. 

On that state, when the front part of the caravan and the pilgrims had reached Johfa, and the next half was still behind and not yet close where the Messenger was, the Messenger stopped where he was – in the Land of Ghadir. He commanded the first part of the caravan to return back, and he waited until the part also to come. Then, when all came together, he commanded them to clean and sweep the ground with the sweeps made of 'Samor', ^[5] under the huge tall trees, and then commanded them not to sit under the shade of five specified trees – leave them unoccupied.

Then, when all the pilgrims gathered in one place, they joined the group of the Messenger of Allah. They all hand n hand tried to clean the land and prepare it for sitting or standing there. Soon afterward it was time to say the mid-day prayer, so the Messenger of Allah went under the shade of a tree and commanded the people to get closer to him.

He began praying and the people all followed him in the prayer. It was too hot that day; it was so that the people had to spread part of the robes on the sand to sit on and with the other part to cover their bodies and heads.

In the mean time, they made a shady place for the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, it was simple; they spread some pieces of cloth and blankets on a few trees to keep the burning sun-heat away. Then, they took some saddles of the camels, put them upon each other and made a high stand, as a pulpit.

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The sermon of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, at Ghadir-e-Khum

When the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, finished the noon prayer, he climbed on the saddles of the camels and started preaching to the gathering. He was reciting his sermon so aloud that even the far-end listeners could catch what he was saying. At that time, all his sermon, as well as his direct words to the people, and asking for their bearing witness was in Arabic text as:

الحمد لله، و نستعينه، و نؤمن به، و نتوكل عليه، و نعوذ بالله من شرور انفسنا، و من سيئات اعمالنا، الذى لا هادى لمن ضل، و لا مضل لمن هدى. و اشهد ان لا اله الا الله، و ان محمدا عبده و رسوله.

اما بعد: ايها الناس! قد نبأنى اللطيف الخبير انه لم يعمر نبى الا مثل نصف عمر الذى قبله! و انى او شك ان ادعى فاجبت! و انى مسؤول، و انتم مسؤولون: فماذا انتم قائلون؟!

قالوا: نشهد انك قد بلغت و نصحت و جهدت! فجزاك الله خيرا!

قال: أ لستم تشهدون ان لا اله الا الله، و ان محمدا عبده و رسوله، و ان جنته حق، و ناره حق، و ان الموت حق، و ان الساعة آتية لا ريب فيها، و ان الله يبعث من فى القبور؟!

قالوا: بلى! نشهد بذلك!

قال: اللهم اشهد!

ثم قال: ايها الناس! الا تسمعون؟!

قالوا: نعم!

قال: فانى فرط على الحوض، و انتم واردون على الحوض! و ان عرضه ما بين صنعاء و بصرى، فيه اقداح عدد النجوم من فضة. فانظروا كيف تخلفونى فى الثقلين؟!

فنادى مناد: و ما الثقلان يا رسول الله؟!

قال: الثقل الاكبر كتاب الله، طرف بيد الله عز و جل، و طرف بأيديكم، فتمسكوا به لا تضلوا! و الآخر الاصغر عترتى، و ان اللطيف الخبير نبأنى انهما لن يتفرقا حتى يردا على الحوض! فسالت ذلك لهما ربى، فلا تقدموهما فتهلكوا، و لا تقصروا عنهما فتهلكوا!

ثم اخذ بيد على فرفعها حتى رئى بياض آباطهما و عرفه القوم اجمعون.

فقال: ايها الناس من اولى الناس بالمؤمنين من انفسهم؟!

قالوا: الله و رسوله اعلم!

قال: ان الله مولاى، و انا مولى المؤمنين، و انا اولى بهم من انفسهم! فمن كنت مولاه فعلى مولاه. يقولها ثلاث مرات، و فى لفظ احمد امام الحنابلة: اربع مرات. ^[6]

ثم قال: اللهم وال من والاه! و عاد من عاداه! و احب من احبه! و ابغض من ابغضه! و انصر من نصره! و اخذل من خذله! و ادر الحق معه حيث دار! الا فليبلغ الشاهد الغائب!

ثم لم يتفرقوا حتى نزل امين وحى الله بقوله:

اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم و اتممت عليكم نعمتى و رضيت لكم الاسلام دينا» ^[7] الآية.

فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله: الله اكبر على اكمال الدين و اتمام النعمة و رضى الرب برسالتى و الولاية لعلى من بعدى‏

ثم طفق القوم يهنئون امير المؤمنين صلوات الله عليه. و ممن هناه فى مقدم الصحابة: الشيخان: ابو بكر و عمر، كل يقول: بخ بخ لك يا بن أبى طالب اصبحت و امسيت مولاى و مولى كل مؤمن و مؤمنة!

و قال ابن عباس: وجبت فى اعناق القوم. فقال حسان: ائذن لى يا رسول الله ان اقول فى على ابياتا تسمعهن! فقال: قل على بركة الله!

فقام حسان فقال: يا معشر مشيخة قريش اتبعها قولى بشهادة من رسول الله فى الولاية ماضية.ثم قال:

1. يناديهم يوم الغدير نبيهم             بخم فاسمع بالرسول مناديا ^[8]
2. و قد جاءه جبريل عن امر ربه             بانك معصوم فلا تك وانيا
3. و بلغهم ما انزل الله ربهم             اليك و لا تخش هناك الاعاديا
4. فقام به اذ ذاك رافع كفه             بكف على معلن الصوت عاليا
5. فقال: فمن مولاكم و وليكم                 فقالوا و لم يبدوا هناك تعاميا
6. الهك مولانا و انت ولينا             و لن تجدن فينالك اليوم عاصيا
7. فقال له: قم يا على فاننى             رضيتك من بعدى اماما و هاديا
8. فمن كنت مولاه فهذا وليه             فكونوا له انصار صدق مواليا
9. هناك دعا اللهم وال وليه                 و كن للذى عادى عليا معاديا
10. فيا رب انصر ناصريه لنصرهم             امام هدى كالبد ريجلو الدياجيا ^[9]

“Praise belongs only to Allah, and all of us believe in Him and also rely on Him. We take refuge in Allah against our evil souls, and evil actions.

He is such Lofty Allah that if someone gets lost, then he will not have anyone to guide him; and if He guides someone, no one can mislead him. I bear witness that there is no deity except He, and Muhammad is His slave and the Messenger.

Now, O people! The Benevolent and Aware Allah has informed me that: the span of life of any messenger is half of the preceding messenger,^[10] so it is almost time to call me back to my Creator, Allah. Then there, in the Presence of Allah, I will be questioned, so are you going to be questioned! Therefore, what are we going to answer in the Presence of Allah, on the Day of the Resurrection?”

The people answered: ‘Then, in the Presence of Allah, we are going to confess that you really delivered the message of Allah, and you advised the nation! You tried, you did your best in guiding us; may Allah reward you with the best reward!’

The Messenger sated: “Now, are you not in such a state to bear witness that: There is no deity except Allah, and Muhammad is His slave and the Messenger! And that the paradise of Allah is right! And so is His hell right! The death is right, and that the Hour of the Resurrection is right and it will occur; and then, Allah will raise the dead from the graves?!”

All of them answered: ‘Yes, we bear witness that whatever you said is right.’

The Messenger had the honor to inform Allah: “O my Creator! Be witness [of what they say].”

Then, he said: “O people! Do you not hear me?”

They said: ‘Yes, we do.’ So the Messenger stated: “I am pioneer in what I say, in the way of Allah and Resurrection of His. I move in the front line, and you will reach me later, you will join me by the Kow‘thar [river in Paradise]: by the pond that it measurement is as the distance between Sana in Yemen and Bosra in Sham! There are as many as the counts of the stars cops by the pond [to drink water]. All pots are made of silver! So be careful how you are going to look after the two valuable things I am going to leave with you; and how you are going to save the two loveliest reminders!”

A certain man among the crowd called: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what do you mean by the two valuable things?’

He answered: “The greatest valuable thing is the Book of Allah, which one end of it is with Allah and the other end is in your hands! So cling to it, hold it firm not getting lost!

And the smaller valuable thing is my Household. The Benevolent and Aware Allah has informed me that these two valuable things will never get separated until they join me by the Kow‘thar [river in Paradise]. And I have asked Allah to keep us together! O people, do not advanced them for you will be perished! And do not overlook them for you will be ruined!”

Then, he held Ali on his hand and raised him up as high as his stretched arm. Everyone saw Ali and recognized him.

Next he stated: “O people! Whose Guardianship upon the believers’ is more?”

They said, so far as they knew, it was the Guardianship Allah and His Messenger.

He stated: “Allah is my Guardian, and I am the Guardian of the believers; and my Guardianship upon them is more than their Guardian for them! So know that: من كنت مولاه فعلى مولاه‏ whoever I am his Master so is Ali his Master. The Messenger of Allah repeated this sentence three times more. Ahmad Hanbal, who is of the Sunnite’s scholar, has said: the Messenger of Allah repeated it four times.

And then, he stated:

اللهم وال من والاه! و عاد من عاداه! و احب من احبه! و ابغض من ابغضه! و انصر من نصره! و اخذل من خذله! و ادر الحق معه حيث دار.

“O Allah! Secure him who has accepted the Guardianship of Ali; consider him enemy who is enemy to Ali, and love someone who loves Ali. Be angry with him who is angry with Ali; do help him who helps Ali. Let him remain abject who humiliates Ali. O Creator! Make the right move wherever Ali moves! Be aware carrying these sayings to those who are absent.”

The people were still there when the Angel Trusted for Revelation, Gabriel descended bringing this verse:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإسْلامَ دِينًا.

‘…today, I have perfected your religion for you, and completed My favour upon you, and have granted Islam as a religion for you – a commitment to live in peace, (Qur’an: 5/3).’

At that sated, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, stated: ‘the magnitude belongs to Allah with this religion of His, and for the completion of His blessing, and with His satisfaction with my messenger-hood and then, for Ali’s guardianship after me!’

Soon after, each of the different tribes began congratulating the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace. The first ones among the crowd congratulating him were Abu Bakr and Omar; each of them in turn said:

بخ بخ لك يا بن أبى طالب! اصبحت و امسيت مولاى و مولى كل مؤمن و مؤمنة.

‘Well done! Congratulation, o the son of Abī Tālib, you passed through the life nights and days and now you are my Master and so are the Master of every man and woman!’

Ibn Abbas said: ‘By Allah! To undertake the Guardianship of the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace. Was accepted by every nation – it was fixed with their souls and selves.

Therefore, Hisan stood up and said: ‘O the Messenger of Allah, let me read these people a poems of mine concerning Ali, [or you do it for them].

The Holiness Messenger of Allah stated: “Go on with the assistant of Allah!”

Hisan started his poem by addressing: ‘O the great! O the Sheikhs of the Quraish! After that I confess the statement of the Messenger of Allah concerning the Guardianship of Ali is authentic and acceptable, I read my composition as:

1-‘On the Day of Ghadir-e-Khum, the Messenger of these tribes and nation addressed the whole gathering – how influence his voice is, and so absorbing it is!

2- Gabriel came down with the command of his Creator and announced that “You are under the direct care and security of Allah; so do not linger in your propagating.

3- Announce and propagate to the people what has been revealed by your Creator; do not worry about your enemies!

4- Then, the Messenger of Allah took Ali’s hand into his hand and lifted it up introducing him to the gathering.

5- Asking: o people, who is the Master and Guardian of yours? Then, and without feigning ignorance, said:

6- Your Allah is our Guardian, and you are our Master! Thus today, you will find no man to disobey your command.

7- At that state, the Messenger said to Ali: ‘Ali, stand up! I am pleased and like to see the Guardian and Leader of the nation after me.’

8- O people! Whomsoever I am a Master, so is Ali his Master. And you, o people, try to be his followers and assistant all the time.

9- It was there the Messenger of Allah prayed that: O my Creator! Guard those who are under the Guardianship of Ali, and be the enemy to one who is enemy to Ali.

10- O my Creator! Do help those who help Ali just for their assistance to him. Ali is the pioneer and the guidance, like the crescent that illuminates in the darkness and casts light everywhere.

When Hisan recited his composition, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, told him:

 يا حسان لا تزال مؤيدا بروح القدس ما نصرتنا بلسانك ^[11]

‘O Hisan, you are always confirmed by the Holy Spirit so that to help us with your dialect!’

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Another sermon of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, at Ghadir-e-Khum

Ahmad bin Abu Ya‘qub, the son of Wazih, the Abbasid’s writer, who is known as Ya‘qubi, says that: the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, left Mecca to Medina during the night, then, he reached a place close to Johfa, called Ghadir-e-Khum. It took place on the night of 18^th Dul-Hijja. He says:

و قام خطيبا و اخذ بيد على بن ابى طالب فقال: أ لست اولى بالمؤمنين من انفسهم؟ قالوا: بلى يا رسول الله. قال: فمن كنت مولاه فعلى مولاه، اللهم وال من والاه، و عاد من عاداه. ثم قال ايها الناس! انى فرطكم و انتم واردى على الحوض، و انى سائلكم حين تردون على عن الثقلين، فانظروا كيف تخلفونى فيهما. و قالوا: و ما الثقلان يا رسول الله؟؟! قال: الثقل الاكبر كتاب الله سبب طرفه بيد الله و طرف بأيديكم، فاستمسكوا به و لا تضلوا و لا تبدلوا، و عترتى اهل بيتی. ^[12]

The Messenger of Allah stood up to sermon, and in the mean time, held Ali bin Abī Tālib on his hand and said: ‘Am I not more worthy to the believers than they are? They answered: ‘O yes, the Messenger of Allah.’ And He said: ‘Then, whomsoever I have privilege to, Ali deserves to have privilege upon him. O Creator Allah, do guard and secure those who have accepted Ali’s Guardianship, and take him as enemy who is the enemy of Ali.’ Then, he continued: ‘O people, I am the pioneer and the leader for you, and you are going to join me by the Kow‘thar [river in Paradise]. I will ask you for two things when you are with me there.

So, now think how you are going to look after my rights after my demise; and how you are going to respect them!’ They asked: ‘O the Messenger of Allah! What are those valuable things?’

The Messenger of Allah said: “The valuable biggest thing is the Book of Allah, which is a means that one end is with Allah and the other end is with you! Cling it firmly altogether, do not miss it nor change it with any other thing! And another valuable thing is my Family – mu Household!”

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The congratulation of the Companions as well as the wives of of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, to the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace

In the book " ولايت‏", (the Guardianship), Tabari quotes it from Zeid bin Argham saying that the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, stated it in his last sermon: “People! Now, declare that you have paid allegiance to the Guardianship of Ali bin Abī Tālib behalf of your bygones, and you did it with your own tongues, and you shook hands while swearing the allegiances. You promised to fulfill your covenant and carry this event to your children as well as your relatives. You bore witness that you would not alter this occasion with anything else. And you promised that: ‘O the Messenger of Allah, you bear witness to it! And Allah is enough for us and for our allegiance!’

“O people, repeat what I told you, and salute Ali, as the Commander of the believers! And say:

الحمد لله الذى هدانا لهذا و ما كنا لنهتدى لو لا ان هدانا الله. ^[13]

‘Praise be to Allah who honored us and lead us to this; for we would not be directed to Allah if there were not this guidance.’

Allah is Aware of any sound and voice, and He is responsive to the souls, and He is the Wise Knowing; know that:

فَمَنْ نَكَثَ فَإِنَّما يَنْكُثُ عَلى‏ نَفْسِهِ وَ مَنْ أَوْفى‏ بِما عاهَدَ عَلَيْهُ اللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتيهِ أَجْراً عَظيماً ^[14]

And say whatever pleases Allah with you:

إِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْكُمْ ^[15]

Zeid Argham says: ‘Right then, the people began shouting:

سمِعنا و اطعنا على امرِ اللهِ و رسولِهِ بِقلوبنا ^[16]

‏‘We do listen, and we will obey the command of Allah and His Messenger most heartily.’

The Messenger of Allah returned to his tent and ordered the Commander of the believers to sit in another tent. Then, he commanded to the different tribes of the people to go to Ali bin Abī Tālib and after congratulating him to pay allegiance to him as the Guardianship.

The people carried the Messenger’s command and when their ceremony ended, the Messenger of Allah commanded the wives of the believers, as well as his wives, to go to the tent of Ali and pay their allegiance to him.

And among the companions who congratulated Ali bin Abī Tālib was Omar bin Khattab, who said: 

هنيئا لك يا بن ابى طالب! اصبحت مولاى و مولى جميع المؤمنين و المؤمنات. ^[17]

‘Best wishes for you o Ali bin Abī Tālib, it is becoming to you, you deserve it to be the Guardian and the Master of all the believing men and women!’

The people in different groups went to Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace, and after congratulating him, paid allegiances to him. The rule was that, everyone rested his hand in Ali’s hand and declared his formula of allegiance.

Khalili Tabari has related it in the book of “The Virtues of Ali bin Abī Tālib” that: The first ones who paid allegiances were Abu Bakr, Omar Tal‘ha and Zobair. Soon after them, and then the other tribes according to their ranks and files went to the tent and paid their allegiance. It last until the time for the midday prayer that they established the noon and after noon prayers together. Again the ceremony went on until the time for the sunset prayer and they performed it as well the prayer of night together. Soon after the prayer ended, the remaining people went to Ali bin Abī Tālib to congratulate him and to pay their allegiances with him.  

When, after paying their allegiances, any group went to the Messenger of Allah to congratulate and thank him for the occasion, the Messenger of Allah stated:

الحمد لله الذى فضلنا على جميع العالمين.‏

“Praise be to Him Who privileged us to be upon the people of the worlds.”

Since then, the hand shakings became a custom; it became even a custom among those who did not pay the allegiance. ^[18]

Abu Saeed Khodri says: ‘By Allah, we had hardly left the territory of the Ghadir when this verse was revealed:

 الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ دِينِكُمْ فَلا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإسْلامَ دِينًا ^[19]

‘…today, those who disbelieve are despair of [dividing] your religion, but do not fear them, just fear Me.

Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and completed My favor upon you, and have granted Islam as a religion for you – a commitment to live in peace, (Qur’an: 5/3).’

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The narration of the Book “An-Nashr wa at-Taii” by the scholars of the Sunnite

Majlisi, May Allah be pleased with, has related a narrative concerning Ghadir in his book “An-Nashr Wat-Tayy” saying that: The writer of this book, has assigned this book as a manifest proof concerning the Guardianship of Ali for the friends and the enemies. When he went to REY, he presented a copy of the book to Malik Shah Mazandaran, Rostam bin Ali. And with his own document, he relates in that book that Ateyya Sa‘di had said: ‘I asked Hozaifa bin Yaman about the Ghadir, he said: First of all, Allah sent this verse down in Medina:

النَّبِيُّ أَوْلى‏ بِالْمُؤْمِنينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ أَزْواجُهُ أُمَّهاتُهُمْ وَ أُولُوا الْأَرْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلى‏ بِبَعْضٍ في‏ كِتابِ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ الْمُهاجِرينَ ^[20]

The Messenger has more privilege upon the believers than they have against their souls, and the wives of the Messenger are as their mothers and in Allah’s Book, some of the relations by the mother, and Immigrants and the Helpers have privilege to the others.

They asked the Messenger of Allah what the meaning of ‘He had more privilege upon the believers than they had against their souls was’?

The Messenger of Allah stated: السمع و الطاعة فيما احببتم و كرهتم‏

‘It is ‘listening and obeying the Messenger of Allah concerning whatever you like or dislike’.

They said: سمعنا و اطعنا ‘Then, we listen and obey.’ And Allah sent down this verse:

واذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَاقَهُ الَّذِي وَاثَقَكُمْ بِهِ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ ^[21]

‘…and remember Allah's blessing upon you, and His covenant, which He made with you when you said, ‘We have ear, we hear and obey.’ Fear Allah, for indeed Allah knows the secrets of the hearts, (Qur’an: 5/7).’

Huzaifa says: ‘We left Medina for Mecca with the Messenger of Allah for the Farewell Pilgrimage, and then, when we arrived at Mecca, Gabriel came down saying: ‘O Muhammad! Allah has greeted you and commanded: “Assign Ali as the main Leader to the people!” The Messenger cried so much that the tears ran down on his blissful face and said: ‘O Gabriel! These people of mine have newly abandoned their ignorant customs and embraced Islam; I have made them obey me willingly and unwillingly, now if I want to tell them to obey another one, they will leave me for good!’ Hearing what the Messenger say, Gabriel left him ascending to heaven.

And the writer of the book “An-Nashr Wat-Tayy” has related the Commander of the believers’ travelling to Yemen and from there to Mecca, and also he explains in details of his generosity in donating, and also the revelation of the verse: انما وليكم الله‏. He continues until when he relates the statement of the Messenger of Allah at Mina, saying:

يا ايها الناس انى تركت فيكم أمرين ان اخذتم بهما لن تضلوا: كتاب الله و عترتى اهل بيتى، و انه قد نبأنى اللطيف الخبير انهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض كاصبعى هاتين- و جمع بين سبابتيه- الا فمن اعتصم بهما فقد نجا، و من خالفهما فقد هلك. الا هل بلغت ايها الناس؟ قالوا: نعم. قال: اللهم اشهد.

‘O people! I am leaving two things with you, if you take them both and refer to them during your lives, you will never get lost: they are my Household and the Book of Allah! Know that Allah, the Wise Subtle, has informed me that they will not separate from each other until they reach me at the Kow‘thar [river in Paradise].

In the mean time, the Messenger of Allah showed his two index fingers to the audience saying that: ‘They are similar to these two fingers of mine. O people! Know that whoever takes refuge in them, and cling to them firmly, will be saved; and he who denies them he will surely get lost. O people! Did I reach my voice to you?’ They said: ‘O, yes!’ Then, the Messenger of Allah said: “O Allah, bear witness to this!”

And when it was three days after the sacrifice, the thirteenth of Dhul-Hijja, Allah revealed the Chapter of: اِذا جاء نصر اللهِ و الفتح

Thus, the Holiness said: the news of my demise has arrived, so he went to the Mosque of Khif and called the people: الصّلاة جامِعة all the people gathered around him; the Holiness praised Allah first and then started his sermon until he said:

 

ايها الناس انى تارك فيكم الثقلين: الثقل الاكبر كتاب الله عز و جل طرف بيد الله، و طرف بأيديكم فتمسكوا به، و الثقل الاصغر عترتى اهل بيتى فانه قد نبأنى اللطيف الخبير انهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض كاصبعى هاتين- و جمع بين سبابتيه- و لا اقول كهاتين- و جمع بين سبابته و الوسطى- فتفضل هذه على هذه.

 

‘O people! I am leaving two most valuable things with you‏; one of them, the most of the dearest one, is the Book of Allah, the Honorable and Exalted; one end of it is with Allah and the other end is in your hand, so, cling at it. And the other small one is my household. Allah, the Wise Subtle has informed me that those two will never separate from each other until they reach me at the Kow‘thar [river in Paradise]. In the mean time, the Messenger of Allah showed his two index fingers to the audience saying: similar to these fingers of mine which are different from the middle ones. That is both of them are same while one is most valuable to refer than the other one.’

After the sermon was ended, some of the people came together as a group and said: ‘Muhammad has decided to share the position of the Imamate among his own household.’ Then, four of them left Mina for Mecca, they went inside, and they made a covenant and promised each other that if Muhammad were killed or past away, not to let the Guardianship and Imamate to be for the Household. At that moment, Allah sent this verse down saying:

أَمْ أَبْرَمُوا أَمْرًا فَإِنَّا مُبْرِمُونَ، أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ ^[22]

‘…or they have firmly planned a thing among them? Well, We are [also] planning. Do they suppose that We do not hear their secret talks and evil plans? Why not, Our messengers are by them and writing, (Qur’an: 43/79-80).’

Here, in a parenthetical sentence, Majlesi says: consider this gradual process by the Messenger of Allah, and the favor of Allah has been occurred concerning the Guardianship of our Master, the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace. In the first place, Allah has sent this verse:

أُولُوا الْأَرْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلى‏ بِبَعْضٍ في‏ كِتابِ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ الْمُهاجِرينَ

and it has been made clear that the Immigrants and believers have priority in the closeness to them. And by sending this verse, Allah has dismissed the Immigrants and the believers to take the ranks of the Imamate and the Guardianship – He has allocated this position for the closer relations of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants.

So, do consider how, after the Messenger of Allah entering Mecca, Gabriel came down to assign Ali for the Guardianship. Because due to his love and affection towards the people, and their being jealous towards Ali, the Messenger referred to Allah and left everything with Him; and then, by sending: انما وليكم الله و رسوله‏ Allah unveiled the secret.

And also consider well to understand how, by means of his sermons and lectures, the Messenger of Allah expressed his Household in the Mosque of Khaif and, in this way, he made preparation to introduce them in the most proper occasion.

The writer of the book “An-Nashr wa At-tair” says: ‘The Messenger of Allah left Mecca for Medina; since the, time and again, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, has referred to Allah and He too has revealed His revelations to him.’ Hozaifa says: ‘The Messenger of Allah let the companions and the pilgrims set out from Mecca to Medina, and we too set out with them. Gabriel came down in Zajnan and commanded the Messenger of Allah to announce the Guardianship of Ali. From there, the Messenger left for Johfa, and as soon as the people settled there with the permission of Allah, he read his famous sermon about the Guardianship there.’

Here, he explains the sermon in details, following the sermon, he also mentions it in detail how the people swear allegiance. ^[23]

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References

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[1] Surah 5, "مائده", Verse 67.
[2] "مناقب خوارزمی", Najaf Publication, seventh section, page 55 and 56.
[3] "Johfa", (جُحْفَه‏), was a big village on the way of Mecca, in the distance of four stations. This village used to have its own pulpit and mosque wherein they prayed, had the Friday mass prayer and delivered sermons. Its previous name was "مَهْيَعة", but a flood had destroyed it, now, it is called " جُحْفَه", (Johfa) – ' لانَّ السَّيْلَ أجْحَفَهَا'. The distance between Johfa to the sea-shore is about six miles, reference: (مراصد الاطّلاع‏, volume 1, page 315). And Ghadir is a pond, which in the season of rain, it fills up, and then, it gradually subsides in the hot summer season. And " خُم‏" is the name of a man or a reed-bed which is found in the marsh land by the river, and it is in Arabic language, " غَيْضَة". Or it is the name of a place where spring gushes out, or it is the name of a well which is dug by the stream, and it said that ' مُرَّة بن كَعْب‏ ' has dug it. And this Khum has been attributed as the Ghadie-e-Khum, which is on the way to Mecca frim Medina and is located in two or three miles to Johfa, and there is a mosque for the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, (مراصد الاطّلاع‏, volume 1, page 482).
[4] "حبیب السیر", volume 1, the third part, page 410.
[5] " سَمُر" is a tree belonging to the 'Azzt threes' which among these trees there id no  a tree stronger that one. The singular form is called "سَمُرَة ", and the plural, is called ' سَمُرَات‏'.
[6] In the History of "البداية و النّهاية", ibn Kathir Demeshghi says: 'Nisaee has related it in his "سنن‏" quoting Muhammad bin Mothan'na, and from Yahia bin Hammad, quoting Mua‘wiyah and he too A'mash, and from Habib bin Abu Thabit, quoting Abu Tofail  relating  Zeid bin Arqam that has said:

 ' لَمّا رجع رسول الله من حجّة الوداع و نزل غدير خمّ أمر بِدَوحاتٍ فَقُمِمْنَ ثم قال: كَأنّى قد دُعِيتُ فَأجِتْتُ إنّى قد تركت فيكم الثّقلين: كتابَ الله و عترتى أهل بيتى. فانظروا كيف تخْلُفونى فيهما فإنَّهما لن يفترقا حتّى يردا عَلَىَّ الحوضَ. ثمّ قال: الله مولاى و أنا ولىُّ كلِّ مؤمن. ثمّ أخذ بيد علىٍّ فقال: من كنتُ مولاهُ فَهَذا وَليّهُ، اللَّهُمَّ وَالِ مَن والاهُ و عَادِ مَن عاداهُ. فقلت لزيد: سمعت من رسول الله صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم؟ فقال: مَا كان فى الدَّوحات أحد إلّا رآه بعيينه و سمعه بِاذُنيه‏ .'

Nasaee is alone in relating this narrative from ibn Majeh. And Our Sheikh Abu Abdullah Zahabi has said: 'This narrative is correct.'

[7] Surah 5, "مائده", Verse 3.
[8] "الغدیر", volume 1, pages 10 and 11; and " حبيب السّير", volume 1, part 3, pages 410 and 411. And " روضة الصّفاء", volume 2, the " حجّة الوداع‏", (Farewell Pilgrimage). And ibn Kathir has brought the narrative in brief in " البداية و النّهاية", volume 5, pages 209 and 210, from Bara bin Aazib by stipulating the narrative: ' من كُنتُ مَولاه فعلىٌ مولاه‏ ' and Omar bin Khattab's congratulation as: ' هنيئاً لك أصبحتُ و أمسيت‏'.

And he has brought it in details in " مناقب‏", ibn Moghazeli, from the page 16 t- 18, as well, in " الصواعق المحرقة", page 25, and in " فرائد السمطين‏", volume 1, section 9, pages 64 t- 65, two narratives under the title of number 30 and 31. And in " بحار الانوار ", volume 9, pages 199 and 200 " تفسیر علی بن ابراهیم", and on the 201 and 202 from " خصال صدوق", and on the page 202 from " آمالی " of Sheikh.

[9] "الغدیر",  volume 2, page 39 from the investigator Feiz Kashani, in "علم اليقين‏ ", and from the book of Salim bin Ghais Hilali. Also very near to this meaning and style, it is in volume 1, of الغدير pages 214 to 216, from Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Jarir Tabary in the book of " ولايت‏", he has put it alike the narrative of Ghadir-e-Khum.
[10]
[11] "تفسیر ابوالفتوح رازی", Mozaffary publication, volume 2, page 193.
[12] "تاریخ یعقوبی", printed in Beirut, 1379, volume 2, page 112.

[13] Surah 7, "اعراف", Verse 43: " they say, ‘All praise is to Allah Who led us to this [blessing]! We would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us".
[14] Surah 48, "فتح", Verse 10: In fact, those who swear allegiance unto you, they indeed swear allegiance to Allah, for Allah's hand rests above their hands, so whoso fulfills his covenant made with Allah, He will give him a mighty reward.
[15] Surah 39, "زمر", Verse 7: 'So if you become disbelievers, Allah is free from your need; and it is "إن تَكْفُرِوا" in the Qur'an.
[16] "الغدیر", volume 1, page 270, from Muhammad bin Jarir Tabary in the book of "الولاية". And from Ahmad bin Muhammad Tabary Khalili in the book of "مناقب علىّ بن أبى طالب‏", (The virtues of Ali bin Abi Talib) written in the year 411 in Cairo.
[17] "روضة الصفّا", lithography printing, second volume; the even of the event of the Farewell Pilgrimage, and "حبيب السير", volume 1, the third part, page 411, and "الغدير", volume 1, page 271 from Moulavi, Wali-ul-lah Lekahnawi, in the book "مرآة المؤمنين‏" (the mirror of the pious).
[18] "الغدیر", volume 1, pages 270 and 271; he has also brought this event from the book of "النشر و الطّى‏", and under the narrative he has added, from "احتجاج‏", volume 1, page 84.
[19] "تفسیر ابوالفتوح", Mozaf'fary publication, pages 193 and 194.
[20] Surah 33, "احزاب", Verse 6.
[21] Surah 5, "مائده", Verse 7.
[22] Surah 43, "زخرف", Verse 79.
[23] "بحارالانوار", Kompany's publication, volume 9, pages 203 to 205.