The Event of Ghadir Khumm is one of the most important topics that Shia Muslims defend strongly. In accordance with the authentic traditions narrated by Islamic (Shia/Sunni) Scholars, The Prophet (PBUH&HP) on the way to Medina (in return back from Mecca) was ordered by Almighty Allah to introduce Imam Ali as the Imam appointed by Allah who people must obey him according to Allah command… The article aims to present a brief introduction to this important event and clarify where and when and how the event occurred.
The Farewell Pilgrimage
Ten years after the migration (hijrah), the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him and his Progeny] ordered to his close followers to call all the people in different places to join him in his last pilgrimage. On this pilgrimage, he taught them how to perform the pilgrimage in a correct and unified form.
This was the first time that Muslims of this magnitude gathered in one place in the presence of their leader, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP). On his way to Mecca, more than seventy thousand people followed the Prophet (PBUH&HP). On the fourth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah, more than one hundred thousand Muslims had entered Mecca. When the Prophet and Muslims performed and completed their pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Wida: the Prophet’s last Pilgrimage), their great leader the Messenger of Allah decided to come back toward Medina. On the way back, he and the crowd of people reached a place called Ghadir Khumm (which is close to today’s al-Juhfah) on the 18th of Dhu’l-Hijjah of the year 10 AH (10 March 632 CE). It was a place where people from different provinces used to greet each other before taking different routes to their homes. Almighty Allah commanded His Prophet to declare His important command. That Command was to declare the appointment of Imam Ali (PBUH) as the successor of the Prophet and the first Imam of All Muslims.
The revelation of Qur’an Verse 5:67
In this place, the following verse of the Glorious Quran revealed:
“O Apostle! Communicate that which has been sent down to you from your Lord, and if you do not, you will not have communicated His message, and Allah shall protect you from the people. Indeed Allah does not guide the faithless lot ” (5:67).
The last sentence in the above verse indicates that the Prophet (PBUH&HP) was mindful of the reaction of his people in delivering that message but Allah informs him not to worry, for He will protect His Messenger from people’s reaction.
The Sermon
Upon receiving the verse, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) stopped in that place (the pond of Khumm) which was extremely hot. Then he sent for all people who have been ahead in the way, to come back and waited until all pilgrims who fell behind, arrived, and gathered. He ordered Salman Farsi to use rocks and camel toolings to make a pulpit (minbar) so that he could stand on it to make his announcement. It was around noontime in the first of the Fall, and due to the extreme heat in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and legs and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks. On this day the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) spent approximately five hours in this place; three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited many verses from The Glorious Quran, and seventy-three times reminded and warned people of their deeds and future. Then he gave them a long speech.
The following is a part of his speech which has been widely narrated by Sunni traditionists:
The tradition of the Two Weighty Things (Thaqalayn)
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) declared: “It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call (to die and leave this world). I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul-Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise).”
Some Samples of Sunni references:
- Sonan Al-Termadhi, Vol.5, p,662-663 quoted by more than 30 people of the Prophet companions,
- Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, Vol.3, P.109-110, 148, 533
- Sunan ibn Majah, Vol.2, P. 432
- Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Kitab al-Fada’il Sahaba, Vol.2, P.585, Tradition NO.990
- Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol.2, P,194
Acknowledgement of Authority
Then the Messenger of Allah continued: “Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?” People cried and answered: “Yes, O’ Messenger of God”. Then he followed the key sentence denoting the clear designation of Imam Ali as the leader of the Muslim ummah (Nation). The Prophet (PBUH&HP) held up the hand of ‘Ali and said: “For whoever I am his Leader (Mawla), ‘Ali is his Leader (mawla)(From now on)”.
[In some narrations the word used was Wali rather than mawla with the same implication]
The Prophet (PBUH&HP) continued: “O’ God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are hostile to him.”
Some of the Sunni& Shia references:
- Al-Ghadir, Vol.1, P.12, 151, 294, 322
- Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.37, P.181-182
- Isbāt al-Hudāt bin-Nou wa al-Mut, Vol.2, P.200-250
- Sonan Al-Termadhi, Vol.12, P.175
- Khasais of Amir Al Momenin, Vol.1, P.96
- Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, Vol.3, P.118
These were the key parts of the speech of the Prophet (PBUH&HP). There are also more detailed versions of this sermon which are recorded by many Sunni authorities.
‘Coronation’ of Imam ‘Ali [PBUH] under development
The revelation of Qur’an Verse 5:3
Immediately after the Prophet (PBUH&HP) finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur’an was revealed:
“…Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam as your religion…” (5:3).
The above verse clearly indicates that Islam without clearing up the matter of Imam Ali’s leadership after the Prophet (PBUH&HP) was not complete, and the completion of religion was due to the announcement of the Prophet’s immediate successor.
Hassan Ibn-Thabit’s poetry
Immediately after the Prophet’s speech, Hassan Ibn-Thabit, the Companion and poet of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP), asked for his permission to compose a few verses of poetry about Imam ‘Ali (PBUH) for the audience. The Prophet (PBUH&HP) said: “Say with the blessings of Allah”. Hassan stood up and said: “O’ people of Quraysh. I follow with my words what preceded and witnessed by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP). He then composed the following verses at the scene:
He calls them, (on) the day of Ghadir, their Prophet
In Khumm so hear (and heed) the Messenger’s call,
He said: “Who is your guide and leader? (mawlakum wa waliyyukum)”
They said, and there was no apparent blindness (clearly):
“Your God, our guide, and you are our leader
And you won’t find from among us, in this, any disobedient,”
He said to him: “Stand up O’ Ali, for I am
pleased to announce you Imam and guide after me (min ba’di imam (an) wahadiy (an),
So whoever I was his leader (Mawla), then this is his leader (Mawla).
So be to him supporters in truth and followers,”
There he prayed: “Allah! Be a friend and guide to his follower
And be, to the one who is Ali’s enemy, an enemy”
Oath of Allegiance
After his speech, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) asked everybody to give the oath of allegiance to ‘Ali (PBUH) and congratulate him. Among those who did so was ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, who said:
“Well done Ibn-Abi Talib! Today you became the Leader (Mawla) of all believing men and women.”
Number of Companions in Ghadir Khumm
Allah ordered His Prophet (PBUH&HP) to inform the people of this designation at a time of crowded populous so that all could become the narrators of the tradition, while they exceeded a hundred thousand.
Narrated by Zayd Ibn-Arqam: Abu al-Tufayl said: “I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP), and there was no one (there) except that he saw him with his eyes and heard him with his ears.”
Allah Punished Enemy of Imam Ali (PBUH)
there are several verses regarding the Ghadir Khumm event. Two of them are the first two verses of the A-Ma’arij chapter. Allah has said there:
“An asker asked for a punishment sure to befall — Upon the infidels, which none would be able to repel — from Allah, Lord of the lofty stations”.(70:1-3)
Some Sunni commentators further report that the three verses of the chapter of al-Ma’arij were revealed when a dispute arose after the Prophet (PBUH&HP) reached Medina. It is recorded that:
On the day of Ghadir the Messenger of Allah summoned the people toward ‘Ali and said: “Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla.” The news spread quickly all over urban and rural areas. When Harith Ibn Nu’man al-Fahri (or Nadhr Ibn Harith according to another tradition) came to know of it, riding his camel, coming to Medina, going to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP), saying to him angrily: “You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah. We obeyed you. You ordered us to perform the prayers five times a day and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to offer pilgrimage to Mecca and we obeyed, but you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying `Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla. Is this imposition from Allah or from you?”
The Prophet (PBUH&HP) said: “By Allah who is the only deity! This is from Allah, the Almighty and the Glorious.”
On hearing this, Harith turned back and proceeded towards his camel saying: “O Allah! If what Muhammad said is correct then fling on me a stone from the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture.” He had not reached his camel when Allah, who is above all defects, flung at him a stone which struck him on his head, penetrated his body and passed out through his lower body and left him dead. It was on this occasion that Allah, the exalted, caused to descend the mentioned verses.
It is so significant to mention and know that Allah considered Harith Ibn Nu’man al-Fahri as an infidel (unbeliever) while Al-Fahri said that believed in Allah as the One Allah, he perform the prayers five times a day, he fasted the Ramadan Month etc.
It obviously means that Almighty Allah doesn’t accept the practices and worshipping of the Enemy of Imam Ali (PBUH).
So the Event and Quran verses clarify the high importance of Imam Ali’s Imamate. In another word, it is one of the most important and necessary pillars of Islam in the way that Imamate is the cause of complements Islam and declaring Imamate completes the Prophet (PBUH) Mission.
Also:
When Harith Ibn Nu’man al-Fahri disagreed with Almighty Allah’s Command (Imam Ali’s Imamate) Allah Punished and killed him. So Shia Believe in Imamate as one of the five pillars of Islam.
