Hadith al-Ghadir (explanations from al-Murajiat book)

Letter 53
(Source)

Requesting the Hadith Pertaining to the Ghadir Incident

Muharram 16, 1330


You have repeatedly referred to the Ghadir incident. Please narrate its story from Sunni sources so that we may look into it, Wassalam.

Sincerely,

S


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Letter 54
(Source)

Glitters of Ahadith Relevant to the Ghadir Incident

Muharram 18, 1330


Relying on the consensus of narrators of hadith, al-Tabrani and many others[1] have quoted Zayd ibn Arqam saying:

"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, once delivered a sermon at Ghadir Khumm under the shade of a few trees saying, `O people! It seems to me that soon I will be called upon and will respond to the call.[2] I have my responsibility[3] and you have yours;[4] so, what do you say?' They said: `We bear witness that you have conveyed the Message, struggled and advised [the nation]; therefore, may Allah reward you with the best of His rewards.' He asked them: `Do not you also bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, that His Paradise is just and that His Fire is just, that death is just, that the life after death is just, that the Hour will undoubtedly approach, and that Allah shall bring the dead to life from their graves?' They said: `Yes, indeed, we do bear witness to all of that.' He said: `O Mighty Lord! Bear witness that they have.' Then he said: `O people! Allah is my Master, and I am the mawla (master) of the believers. I have more authority over their lives then they themselves have;[5] therefore, to whomsoever I have been a mawla, this (`Ali) is his mawla;[6] O Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him, and be an enemy of whoever sets himself as his enemy.' Then he said: `O people! I am to precede you, and you shall join me, at the Pool [of Kawthar] which is wider than the distance from Basra to San`a; it contains as many silver cups as the stars; and I shall ask you when you join me about the Two Weighty Things, how you shall succeed me in faring with them; the Greatest Weighty Thing is the Book of Allah, the Omniscient, the Sublime, one end of which is in Allah's hand and the other in yours; so, uphold it so that you may not go astray, and your faith shall not suffer any alteration; and the other are my Ahl al-Bayt, for the most Gracious and Knowing has informed me that they both shall never part from each other till they join me at the Pool.'"[7]

In a section dealing with `Ali's virtues in Al-Mustadrak, the author indicates that Zayd ibn Arqam[8] is quoted through two sources both of which are held reliable by both Shaykhs: al-Hakim [one of such sources] says that when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, returned from his Farewell Pilgrimage, he camped at Ghadir Khumm and ordered the believers to sweep the area under a few huge trees where a pulpit of camel litters was made for him. He stood and said: "It seems as if I have been called upon and responded to the call, and I enjoin you to look after both the Book of Allah and my Progeny; see how you fare with them after me, for they shall never part from each other till they join me at the Pool." Then he added: "Allah, the Dear and Mighty, is my Master, and I am the master of every believer," then he took `Ali by the hand and said: "To whomsoever I have been a master, this `Ali is [henceforth] his master; O Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him, and be the enemy to whoever antagonizes him." The author quotes this lengthy hadith in its entirity. In his Talkhis, al-Thahbi quotes it without commenting on it. Al-Hakim, too, quotes it as narrated by Zayd ibn Arqam in his Al-Mustadrak, admitting its authenticity. In spite of his intolerance, al-Thahbi admits the same in his Talkhis, to which you may refer.

Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal has quoted the same hadith as narrated by Zayd ibn Arqam thus:

"We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, when he camped in a valley called Wadi Khumm, and he ordered everyone to gather for prayers in midday heat. He then delivered a sermon to us under the shade of a robe over a rush tree [Juncus spinosus] to protect him from the heat of the sun. He said: `Do you know - or do you bear witness - that I have more authority over a believer's life than the believer himself has?' They answered: `Yes, indeed, you do.' He said: `Whosoever accepts me as his mawla, `Ali is his mawla; O Lord! Befriend whosoever befriends `Ali and be the enemy of whomsoever opposes `Ali.'"

Al-Nisa'i quotes Zayd ibn Arqam saying that when the Prophet (pbuh) returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage, and having reached Ghadir Khumm, he ordered the ground under a few huge trees to be swept clean. He announced: "It looks like I have been invited [to my Lord's presence] and I have accepted the invitation, and I am leaving with you the Two Weighty Things, one of them is bigger than the other: the Book of Allah and my Progeny, my Household; so, see how you succeed me in faring with both of them, for they shall never part from each other till they join me at the Pool." Then he added: "Allah is my Master, and I am the master (mawla) of every believer." Taking `Ali's hand, he added saying, "To whomsoever I have been a master, this `Ali is his master; O Lord! Befriend those who befriend him, and be the enemy of all those who antagonize him." Abul-Tufail says: "I asked Zayd: `Have you heard these words of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, yourself?"[9] He answered that all those who were there under the huge trees had seen the Prophet with their own eyes and heard him with their own ears. This hadith is recorded by Muslim in a chapter on the attributes of `Ali in his Sahih from several different narrators ending with Zayd ibn Arqam, but he abridged it and cut it short - and so do some people behave.

Imam Ahmed has recorded this hadith from al-Bara' ibn `Azib[10] from two avenues saying; it reads: "We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) when we camped at Ghadir Khumm. The call for congregational prayers was made. The site of two trees was chosen, and it was swept clean. He performed the noon-time prayers then took `Ali by the hand and asked the crowd: `Do you not know that I have more authority over the believers than the believers themselves have?' They answered: `Yes, we do.' He asked: `Do you know that I have more authority over every believer than the believer himself has?' They answered in the affirmative; then he took `Ali's hand and said: `Whoever has accepted me as his master, this `Ali is his master; O Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him and be the enemy of whoever chooses to be his enemy.' `Umer met him immediately following that and said to him: `Congratulations to you, son of Abu Talib! You have become, at dawn and at sunset, the master of every believing man and woman.'"

Al-Nisa'i has quoted `Ayisha daughter of Sa`d saying that she heard her father saying: "I have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, on the Day of Juhfa, when he took `Ali's hand and delivered a sermon, praised and adored Allah, then said: `O people! I am your wali.' They said: `You have said the truth.' Then he raised `Ali's hand and said: `This is my wali unto you to discharge the responsibilities of my religion on my own behalf, and I support whoever supports him and am the enemy of whosoever chooses to be his enemy.'"

Sa`d is also quoted saying: "We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). When he arrived at Ghadir Khumm, those who went ahead of him returned to join him, while he waited for those who lagged behind, till all people assembled. Then he said: `O people! Who is your wali?' They answered: `Allah and His Messenger.' Then he took `Ali's hand, made him rise and said: `Whoever has taken Allah and His Messenger as his wali, this (`Ali) is his wali; O Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him and be the enemy of whoever chooses to be his enemy.'"

The books of traditons recording this incident are numerous and cannot be all cited here. They all contain explicit texts indicating that Ali is the Prophet's vicegerent and successor, just as al-Fadl ibn al-Abbas Abu Lahab has said:[11]

The one to be recognized as the Vicegeret, generation after generation,

After Muhammad, is `Ali; for he was his companion in every occasion.


Sincerely,

Sh

--------------------------

[1] Many renown authorities have admitted its authenticity, so much so that even Ibn Hajar stated the same, quoting al-Tabrani and others, in the shubha (allegation) number 11 of the ones which he enumerates on page 25, Section 5, Chapter One, of his book Al-Sawa`iq al-Muhriqa.

[2] He has eulogized his own pure soul simply to attract their attention to the fact that time had come to bring his mission to perfection, necessitating the appointment of his successor, and that he is unable to postpone doing so for fear he might be called upon [i.e. die] before discharging such mission which he is to bring to perfection, a mission that is indispensable to his nation.

[3] Since the appointment of his brother weighs heavily against those who compete, envy, create dissension and hypocrisy, he, peace be upon him and his progeny, desired, before making such an announcement, to first apologize to them in the hope that that might touch and unify their hearts and in apprehension of their speeches and deeds; he said: "And I am responsible," so that they might come to know that he receives orders, and that he is responsible to discharge them; therefore, he simply has to do so. Imam al-Wahidi, in his book Asbabul Nuzul, quotes Abu Sa`id al-Khudri saying: "The verse `O Messenger! Convey that which has been revealed unto you from your Lord' was revealed on Ghadir Khumm day in reference to `Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)."

[4] By saying "You, too, are responsible," he, peace be upon him and his progeny, may have implied, as quoted by al-Daylami and others and stated in Al-Sawa`iq al-Muhriqa and other books from Ibn Sa`id, that they should follow in their footsteps, since they are responsible regarding `Ali's wilayat. Imam al-Wahidi has said: "They are responsible regarding the wilayat of `Ali and Ahl al-Bayt." Thus, the purpose of his saying "and you, too, are responsible" is to threaten those who would dispute the authority of his wali and wasi.

[5] Many have contemplated upon this sermon, giving it due attention, and they have come to know that its gist is nothing other than a reference to the fact that `Ali's wilayat is as much a root of the faith as his own responsibility as the Imam, for the Prophet (pbuh) first put the question: "Do not you bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger?" Then he said: "The Hour is approaching; there is no doubt about it, and Allah shall certainly bring to life those who are in the graves," following that with a statement in which he mentioned the wilayat so that it would be understood that the latter bears the same significance like the matters about which he has asked them and to which they have agreed. This is obvious to all the discreet who are familiar with the methods and objectives of speech.

[6] His statement: "I am the mawla" is an outspoken testimony to a significant fact. The meaning of "mawla" is: one who is "awla," foremost in status, superior. Thus, the meaning of his statement is: "Allah is superior to me, and I am superior to the believers, and whoever considers me to be superior to him must also consider `Ali as such."

[7] This wording of the hadith is quoted by al-Tabrani, Ibn Jarir, al-Hakim al-Tirmithi, from Zayd ibn Arqam. It is transmitted by Ibn Hajar from al-Tabrani and others in this exact wording, without questioning its authenticity; so, refer to page 25 of Al-Sawa`iq al-Muhriqa.

[8] Refer to page 21 of Al-Khasa'is al-`Alawiyya, where the Prophet (pbuh) is quoted saying: "To whomsoever I have been the wali, this (`Ali) is his wali.

[9] Abul-Tufayl's question is obviously indicative of his amazement at this nation's overlooking this matter regarding `Ali in spite of the hadith it narrates from its Prophet (pbuh) in his honor on the day of the Ghadir. As if suspicious of the accuracy of the narrated hadith, he went ahead and inquired of Zayd, having heard him narrate the same, "Did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah?!" His tone is that of someone amazed, bewildered, and skeptical. Zayd answered him that all individuals present under those trees had, indeed, seen the Prophet with their eyes and heard him with their ears; so, Abul-Tufayl then knew that the matter was just as al-Kumait, may Allah be merciful unto his soul, says:

On the day of the dawh, the dawh of the Ghadir,

Caliphate was made for him manifest and clear,

Only if the throngs opted to obey;

Yet I have never seen such a day,

Nor have I seen such right

Trampled upon, discarded outright;

But the men had sold it, and I never saw

Such a precious thing to sale would go...

[10] This occurs on page 281 of his Al-Khasa'is al-`Alawiyya, in a chapter dealing with `Ali's status in the eyes of Allah, the Exalted, the omni-Scient, and also on page 25 of another chapter enjoining acceptance of his wilayat and warning against bearing animosity towards him.

[11] These are among poetic lines composed as the answer of al-Walid ibn `Uqbah ibn Abu Ma`it, quoted by Muhammad Mahmud al-Rafi`i in his Introduction to Sharh al-Hashimiyyat, page 8.

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Letter 55
(Source)

Why Use it as a Testimonial if not Transmitted Consecutively?

Muharram 19, 1330


Shi`as apply the principle of consecutive reporting when discussing imamate, due to the fact that they consider consecutive reporting as one of the principles of faith; so why do you quote the Ghadir hadith in support of your argument although such hadith is not consecutively reported according to Sunnis, even if its authenticity is attested to by their sahihs?

Sincerely,

S


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Letter 56
(Source)

I Natural Laws Necessitate the Consecutive Reporting of Hadith al-Ghadir
II The Almighty's Benevolence
III Concern of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
IV Concern of the Commander of the Faithful
V al-Husain's Concern
VI Concern of the Nine Imams (as)
VII Shi`as' Concern
VIII Its Consecutive Reporting Through the Masses

Muharram 22, 1330


Suffices to prove its application as an argument what we have mentioned in Letter No. 24 above.

1) The consecutive reporting of the Ghadir hadith is necessitated by the natural laws which Allah has created. Its similitude is like that of any great historical step undertaken by the most important man of a nation who announces, in the presence of thousands of his nationals, the undertaking of a major step, so that they may convey its news to various lands and nations, especially if such an undertaking enjoys the concern of his own family and their supporters in all generations to come, so that such an announcement might receive the widest possible publicity. Can such an announcement, as significant as it is, be transmitted by, say, just one single person? Certainly not. Its news would spread as widely as the early morning sun rays, encompassing the plains as well as the oceans; "And you shall never find any alteration to Allah's order (Qur'an, 33:62)."

2) Hadith al-Ghadir has won the divine concern of Allah, the Dear One, the Sublime, Who inspired to His Messenger, peace be upon him and his progeny, including it in His Qur'an which is recited by Muslims even during the late hours of the night or the early hours of the day, in public and in private, in their supplications and ceremonial prayers, from the top of their pulpits and the heights of their minarets, stating:

"O Messenger! Convey that which has been revealed unto you from your Lord, and if you do not do so, then you have not conveyed His Message at all, and Allah will protect you from (evil) men." (Qur'an, 5:67)[1]

When he, peace be upon him and his progeny, conveyed the divine Message (implied in this verse), appointing `Ali as the Imam and entrusting him with the caliphate, Allah Almighty revealed the following verse:

"Today have I perfected your religion (Islam) for you, completed my blessing unto you, and accepted Islam as your religion." (Qur'an, 5:3)[2]

So, congratulations upon congratulations to `Ali; this is Allah's favour; He grants it to whomsoever He pleases. Anyone who looks into these verses will be profoundly impressed by such divine favours.

3) If divine concern is as such, no wonder, then, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, expressed such a profound concern when death approached him, may my life be sacrificed for his sake. It was then that, according to the order which he received from Allah Almighty, he set to announce `Ali's wilayat during his supreme pilgrimage, in the presence of so many witnesses, without being satisfied with similar previous announcements such as his warning in Mecca, or on other occasions with some of which you have by now become familiar. He, therefore, invited the believers to participate in his very last pilgrimage, known as the Farewell Pilgrimage. People from far and wide responded to his invitation, and no less than one hundred thousand pilgrims left Medina with him.[3] On the standing day at `Arafat, he informed the attendants that: "`Ali is of me, and I am of `Ali, and nobody discharges the responsibility [of my religion] on my behalf except I and `Ali."[4] And when he came back from the pilgrimage and arrived at the valley of Khumm, trusted Gabriel descended upon him with "ayat al-tabligh," verse of conveying the Message, from the Lord of the Worlds. Immediately thereupon, he alighted there till those who lagged behind him, as well as those who went ahead of him, joined him. When they all assembled, he conducted the obligatory prayers then delivered a sermon about Allah, the Dear and the Omniscient, emphasizing the significance of `Ali's wilayat. You have already heard a glittering report of its news, and what you have not heard is even more exact and more explicit; yet what you have heard should suffice you. Its news was carried on behalf of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, by all those masses who were present with him there and then and who are estimated to have been over one hundred thousand pilgrims from various lands.

The order of Allah, the Dear and Sublime, which does not suffer any alteration in His creation, necessitates the consecutive reporting of this hadith in spite of all obstacles in conveying it. Yet the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (as) follow their own wise methods of disseminating it and publicizing for it.

4) Referring to the latter, I suggest that you may consider the measure taken by the Commander of the Faithful (as), then Caliph, in gathering people in the spacious meeting place, the Rahba plain. He then said: "I ask in the Name of Allah each Muslim who heard what the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said on the Ghadir Day to stand and testify to what he heard. Nobody should stand except those who saw the Prophet with their own eyes and heard him with their own ears." Thirty sahabis, twelve of whom had particiated in the Battle of Badr, stood and testified that the Prophet (pbuh) took `Ali by the hand and asked people: "Do you know that I have more authority over the believers than the believers themselves have?" They answered in the affirmative. He, peace be upon him and his progeny, then said: "To whomsoever I have been mawla, this (`Ali) is his mawla; O Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him, and be the enemy of whosoever chooses to be his enemy." You know that accusing thirty sahabis of being liars is rejected by reason; therefore, the achievement of consecutive reporting through their testimony is an irrefutable and undeniable proof.

The same hadith was transmitted from those thirty sahabis by all those crowds who were then present at the Rahba, and who disseminated it after their dispersal throughout the land, thus providing it with extremely wide publicity. Obviously, the Rahba incident took place during the caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful (as) who received the oath of allegiance in the year 35 A.H. The Ghadir event took place during the Farewell Pilgrimage, 10 A.H. The time period separating the first date from the second is twenty-five years during which many events took place such as a devastating plague, wars, the opening of new countries, and the invasions contemporary to the three righteous caliphs. This time period, one fourth of a century, merely due to its duration, wars and invasions, in addition to a sweeping and devastating plague, had ended the lives of many of those who had witnessed the Ghadir event, especially the elderly among the sahabah as well as their youths who were eager to meet their Lord through conducting jihad in His way, the Exalted, the Omniscient, and in the way of His Messenger, peace be upon him and his progeny, so much so that their dead outnumbered their survivors. Some of them were scattered throughout the land, and many of those were not present at the Rahba except those who kept company with the Commander of the Faithful (as) in Iraq, and these were only males. In spite of all this, thirty sahabah, twelve of whom were participants in the Battle of Badr, had heard hadith al-Ghadir from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny.

There may have been others who hated to testify, such as Anas ibn Malik[5] and others who received their due punishment in lieu of the prayers of the Commander of the Faithful to Allah to punish those who hid the truth while knowing it. Had he been able to gather all sahabis who were alive then, males and females, and address them in the same way which he employed at Rahba, several times that many would have testified; so, what if he had asked people in Hijaz before the passage of such a long time after the incident of the Ghadir? Contemplate upon this fact and you will find it a very strong proof testifying to the consecutive reporting of hadith al-Ghadir.

The books of tradition should suffice you in their documentation of hadith al-Ghadir. Take, for example, what Imam Ahmed has quoted on page 370, Vol 4, of his Musnad from Abul Tufayl who has said: "`Ali gathered people at the Rahba, then he said to them: `I adjure in the name of Allah every Muslim who heard what the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, had said on the Ghadir Day to state his testimony.' Thirty persons stood up." Abu Na`im has said: "Many stood up and testified how the Prophet (pbuh) took `Ali by the hand and asked people: `Do you know that I have more authority over the believers than the believers themselves have?' They answered: `We do, O Messenger of Allah!' Then he said: `To whomsoever I have been a mawla, this `Ali is his mawla; O Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him and be the enemy of whoever sets himself as his enemy.'" Abul-Tufail continues to say: "I left the place dismayed (disgusted with many people's ignorance of this hadith), and I met Zayd ibn Arqam and said to him: `I have heard `Ali say such and such.' Zayd said: `Then do not deny that you have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, say so about him.'"

Zayd's testimony stated above, and `Ali's statement in this regard, may be added to the testimony of the thirty sahabis, thus bringing the number of narrators of this hadith to thirty-two sahabis. Imam Ahmed has recorded `Ali's hadith on page 119, Vol. 1, of his Musnad as transmitted by Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Layla. The latter says: "I saw `Ali at the Rahba abjuring people to testify, emphasizing that only those who had seen and heard the Prophet (pbuh) should stand and testify. Twelve participants in the Battle of Badr, whom I remember so well as if I am looking at them right now, did so." Abdul-Rahman quotes the latter testifying that they had all heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, asking people on the Ghadir Day: "Do not I have more authority over the believers' lives than they themselves do, and my wives are their mothers?" The audience responded: "Yes, indeed, O Messenger of Allah!" Then he said, as Abdul-Rahman quotes him, "Then whosoever takes me as his mawla must take `Ali as his mawla; O Mighty Lord! Befriend whoever befriends him and be the enemy of whoever bears animosity towards him!"

Another narration is recorded by imam Ahmed on the same page. It quotes the Prophet (pbuh) saying: "O Lord! Befriend whoever takes him as his wali and be the enemy of whoever antagonizes him; support whoever supports him, and abandon whoever abandons him." The narrative goes on to state that with the exception of three men, the witnesses stood to testify. `Ali invoked Allah to curse those who hid the truth, and his invocation was heeded. If you add `Ali and Zayd ibn Arqam to the afore-mentioned twelve participants in the Battle of Badr, then fourteen is obviously the number of witnesses. By tracing the traditions regarding the Rahba incident, `Ali's wisdom becomes manifest in disseminating hadith al-Ghadir and publicizing for it.

The Master of Martyrs, Abu Abdullah al-Husain, peace be upon him, has left us a legacy of a very memorable stand which he took during the reign of Mu`awiyah. It was then that truth became manifest. It was similar to the stand taken by `Ali at the Rahba. During the pilgrimage season, al-Husain (as), surrounded by throngs of pilgrims, praised his grandfather, father, mother and brother, and delivered an unprecedented, wise and eloquent speech that captivated his audience and won their hearts and minds. His sermon was inclusive, one wherein he reawakened the masses, traced and researched history, and paid the Ghadir incident its fair and just dues. His great stand, therefore, produced great results, and it became equivalent to hadith al-Ghadir in its fame and wide publicity.

6) His nine descendants, all sinless Imams, applied their own methods to publicizing and propagating the same hadith. Their methods reflect their wisdom which is comprehended by by all those who possess sound senses. They used the eighteenth of Thul-Hijjah as a special annual feast to congratulate and congratulate one another, merrily and humbly seeking nearness to Allah, the Exalted, the Mighty, through fasting, prayers and supplications. They go beyond limits in their deeds of goodness and acts of righteousness, thanking Allah for the blessings which He bestowed upon them on that Day by virtue of the text that nominated the Commander of the Faithful (as) as Caliph, and His divine promise for him to be the Imam. They used to visit their kin, give more generously to their families, visit their brethren, look after their neighbours, and enjoin their followers to do likewise.

7) For this reason, the eighteenth of Thul-Hijjah of every year is celebrated as a feast by the Shi`as of all times and climes.[6] It is then that they rush to their mosques to offer obligatory and supererogatory prayers, recite the Glorious Qur'an, and read the most celebrated supplications as a token of thanking Allah Almighty for perfecting His religion and completing His blessings upon them by nominating the Commander of the Faithful (as) as the Imam [in the theological as well as the secular sense]. It is then that they exchange visits and happily wish each other the best, seeking nearness to Allah through righteousnes and goodness, and through pleasing their kin and neighbours. On that day, every year, they visit the mausoleum of the Commander of the Faithful (as), where no less than a hundred thousand pilgrims come from far and wide. There, they worship Allah on that day in the same way their purified Imams used to worship Him: through fasting, prayers, and remembrance of Allah. They seek nearness to Him through acts of righteousness and the payment of sadaqat. They do not disperse before addressing the sacred shrine with a highly commended address authored by some of their Imams. It includes testifying to the glorious stand taken by the Commander of the Faithful (as), honouring his feats and struggle to lay the foundations of the principles of the faith, his service of the Master of Prophets and Messengers (pbuh), and his virtues and merits, among which was the honour which he had received from the Prophet on the Ghadir Day. This is the custom of the Shi`as every year. Their orators have always been referring to hadith al-Ghadir, quoting its traditon or even without reference to them, and their poets are accustomed to compose poems in its commemoration in old as well as modern times;[7] therefore, there is no way to cast doubts about its being consecutively reported from the sources of Ahl al-Bayt (as) and their Shi`as. Their motives to memorize it by heart, their efforts to maintain its pristine text, safeguard its authenticity, publicize and disseminate it.., all have indeed resulted in the achievement of their most aspired objectives. Refer to all the four major Shi`a Musnads, as well as other Shi`a references, containing well-documented and supported traditions, and you will find each one of them reverberating with the same meaning, and each tradition supporting the other. Whoever acquaints himself with these traditions will find out that this hadith is mutawatir through their precious sources.

8) There is no doubt about its being consecutively reported through Sunni sources, according to natural laws, as you have come to know; "Allah's creation suffers no alteration; this is the Right Guidance, but most people do not know." (Qur'an, 30:30) The author of Al-Fatawa alHamidiyya, in spite of his stubbornness, admits the consecutive reporting of this hadith in his abridged dissertation titled Al-Salawat al-Fakhira fil Ahadith al-Mutawatira." Al-Sayyuti and other scholars of exegesis all admit the same. Refer to Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, author of the famous works titled "Tafsir" and "Tarikh," Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Sa`id ibn Aqdah, Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn `Uthman al-Thahbi, have all written critiques of the sources of this hadith. Each one of them has written an entire book on this subject. Ibn Jarir includes in his own book as many as one hundred and five sources for this hadith alone.[8] Al-Thahbi, in spite of his fanaticism, has testified to the truth of many of its sources. In chapter sixteen of Ghayat al-Maram, as many as eighty ahadith transmitted by Sunnis testify to the authenticity of the Ghadir hadith. Yet he did not quote al-Tirmithi, al-Nisai, al-Tabrani, al-Bazzar, Abu Ya`li, or quite a few other reporters who transmit this hadith. Al-Sayyuti quotes this hadith while discussing `Ali in his book Tarikh al-Khulafa' transmitted by al-Tirmithi, adding, "This hadith is also recorded by Ahmed as transmitted by `Ali (as), and also by Ayyub al-Ansari, Zayd ibn Arqam, `Umer [inb al-Khattab], and Thu Murr. Abu Ya`li quotes it from Abu Hurayrah, al-Tabrani from Ibn `Umer and from Ibn Abbas as transmitted by Malik ibn al-Huwayrith, Habshi ibn Janadah, and Jarir, and also by Ammarah and Buraydah."

A proof of the fame of this hadith is evident from the fact that imam Ahmed records it in his Musnad from Riyah ibn al-Harish as transmitted by two sources. It states that a group of men once came to `Ali (as) and said: "Assalamu Alaikum, our mawla." The Imam asked who they were, and they answered him by saying that they were his subjects. The Imam asked them: "How can I be your mawla, while you are [stranger] bedouin Arabs?" They said: "We have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, on the Ghadir Day saying: `Whoever I have been his mawla, `Ali is his mawla.'" Riyah says that when they left, he followed them and asked them who they were, and that they said to him: "We are a group of the Ansar (Medenite Supporters) in the company of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari." Another proof of its fame is what has been recorded by Abu Ishaq al-Tha`labi while explaining Surat al-Ma`arij in his book Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, relying on two very highly respected sources, and stating the following:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, ordered people on the Ghadir Day to assemble, then he took `Ali's hand and said: "Whoever accepts me as his mawla, `Ali is his mawla." The news of this announcement spread throughout the land, and al-Nu`man al-Fahri came to know about this hadith. Riding his she-camel, he came to meet the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny. Having alighted, he said the following to the Prophet: "O Muhammad! You ordered us to bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah, and we obeyed; then you ordered us to offer prayers five times a day, and we agreed; then you ordered us to pay zakat, and we agreed; then you ordered us to fast during the month of Ramadan and we agreed; then you ordered us to perform the pilgrimage and we agreed; then, as if all of this is not sufficient, you favoured your cousin to all of us and said `Whoever accepts me as his mawla, `Ali is his mawla;' is this one of your own orders, or is it Allah's?" He, peace be upon him and his progeny, answered: "I swear by the One and only God that this is the command of Allah, the Exalted and omni-Scient;" whereupon al-Harith left heading towards his animal murmuring softly to himself: "O Lord! If what Muhammad (pbuh) says is true, then let it rain stones, or let a severe torment descend upon us." He hardly reached his animal before Allah caused a stone to cleave his head, penetrate his body and come out of his anus, leaving him dead on the spot. It is in reference to that incident that Allah Almighty revealed the following verse:

"A man who brought a question (to the Prophet) asked for a sure penalty - which cannot be warded off by those who reject the truth - from Allah, Lord of the Ways of Ascent."[9] (Qur'an, 70:1-3)

This is how the tradition, quoted verbatim,[10] concludes. Its authenticity is accepted by many Sunni scholars as a common fact, Wassalam.

Sincerely,

Sh

----------------------

[1] We do not dispute its revelation in reference to `Ali's wilayat on Ghadir Khumm Day, and our narratives from the sources of the purified progeny are consecutive. Suffices you for reference to its narration by others besides the latter what Imam al-Wahid has quoted in his exegesis of Surat al-Ma'ida on page 150 of his book Asbabul Nuzul from two respected sources: `Atiyyah and Abu Sa`id al-Khudri. The author says: "This verse [that is, the one reading: "O Messenger! Convey that which has been revealed unto you from your Lord"] was revealed on Ghadir Khumm Day in reference to `Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)." The same is narrated by al-Hafiz Abu Na`im who interprets it in his book Nuzul al-Qur'an relying on two sources one of which is Abu Sa`id and the other is Abu Rafi`. It is also narrated by Imam Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Hamawaini al-Shafi`i in his book Al-Fawa'id from various sources ending with Abu Hurayrah. It is quoted by Imam Abu Ishaq al-Tha`labi while explaining the meaning of this verse in his Al-Tafsir al-Kabir from two respected sources. What testifies to its reference to `Ali (as) is the fact that prayers had been already established, zakat was enforced, fasting was legislated, the pilgrimage to the House was being conducted, what is permissible was clarified and so was what is forbidden, the Shari`ah was already regulated and its injunctions enforced; so, what else required Allah to place so much emphasis other than on the issue of caliphate, one which prompted Him to pressure His Prophet in a way which was almost similar to threatening? And regarding what, if not caliphate, could the Prophet (pbuh) feel presentiment of dissension if he did not convey it, something which required God's own immunity against any harm that might result from discharging it?

[2] sahihs documenting the occasion that necessitated the revelation of this verse are consecutive from the sources of the purified progeny (as). We do not doubt what the purified progeny of Muhammad (pbuh) narrates even when al-Bukhari claims that the verse was revealed on the day of `Arafat, for the members of the Prophet's house know what is revealed in their house.

[3] Sayyid Ahmed Zayni Dahlan, in a chapter on the Farewell Pilgrimage in his book Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyya [Biography of the Prophet], writes: "Ninety thousand - some say a hundred and twenty-four thousand, while others say more - accompanied him, peace be upon him and his progeny, from Medina, and this is just a rough figure of the number of people who accompanied him," to the end of his statement from which you come to know that those who went back with him were more than a hundred thousand, and they all witnessed the Ghadir hadith.

[4] We have quoted this hadith in our Letter No. 48; so, if you refer to it, you will find it verbatim numbered 15 in the said reference; the same Letter refers to and comments on it in a way worthy of the attention of researchers.

[5] He, peace be upon him, said to him then: "Why don't you stand with other companions of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and testify to what you heard of him then?" He answered: "O Commander of the Faithful! I have grown old, and I have forgotten it." `Ali (as) said: "If you are telling a lie, then may Allah strike you with a white [disease, i.e. leprosy] which your turban cannot conceal." He hardly left before his face was filled with the marks of leprosy; so, he used to say: "I have become the object of a curse invoked by the Righteous Servant." This incident is quite famous, and a testimony for its authenticity exists when Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal quotes it at the end of page 119, Vol. 1, of his Musnad, adding: "They all, except three men, rose to testify; and those three fell under the effect of his curse."

[6] Ibn al-Athir, while narrating the significant events that took place in the year 352 in his Kamil, says the following on page 181, Vol. 8, of his history book: "On the eighteenth of Thul-Hijjah of that year, Mu`izz al-Dawla ordered decorations to be installed in Baghdad, fires to be lit at the police quarters, and all merriments be displayed; so, market-places were opened at night just as is customary during `Id nights; he did all that to celebrate `Iid al-Ghadir, Ghadir Khumm. Drums were beaten; and trumpets were sounded, and it was quite a memorable day."

[7] Al-Kumait ibn Zayd has said:

On the day of the dawh, the Ghadir dawh day,

Caliphate was made manifest for him: were they to obey...

Abu Tammam, in a poetic masterpiece which he includes in his diwan, says:

On the Day of Ghadir, truth looked clear and bright;

Redolently, with no curtains nor bars to hide;

The Messenger of Allah stood there to invite

Them to come close to what is just and right,

Gesturing with his hands, introducing your wali

And mawla; yet see what happened to you and me!

He brings the news to people so eloquently,

While they come with grudge and depart grudgingly,

Yet he made the truth eloquently shine,

While they usurped even your right and mine.

You made its destiny the sharp blades of your sword:

And the grave for whoever wanted the truth to uphold...

[8] The author of Ghayat al-Maram says near the conclusion of Chapter 16, page 89, of his book: "Ibn Jarir has quoted the Ghadir hadith from ninety-five sources in a book which he dedicated to this subject, calling it Al-Wilayat, and Ibn `Uqdah has quoted it from one hundred and five sources written down in a book which he also dedicated solely for this subject-matter. Imam Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn al-Siddiq al-Magharibi has stated that both al-Thahbi and Ibn `Uqdah have dedicated a special book solely for this hadith;" so, refer to the sermon in his valuable book titled Fath al-Malik al-`Ali Bisihhati Babil `Ilm `Ali.

[9] This is quoted from al-Tha`labi by a group of Sunni dignitaries such as scholar al-Shiblinji of Egypt in a biography of `Ali in his book Nurul Absar; so, you may refer to its eleventh page if you wish.

[10] Refer to what al-Halabi has quoted of the narratives related to the Farewell Pilgrimage in his book of biography known as Al-Sira al-Halabiyya and you will find this hadith at the end of page 214 of its third volume.

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Letter 57
(Source)

I Interpreting Hadith alGhadir
II The Link

Muharram 25, 1330


1) Believing in the truthfulness of the sahabah requires interpreting hadith alGhadir, whether it is consecutively reported or not. For this reason, Sunnis have claimed that "mawla" bears various meanings all of which have been applied in the Holy Qur'an. It may mean "the deserving," as the Almighty says when He addresses the infidels: "Your resort is the Fire; it is your mawla," meaning "You deserve the punishment of the Fire." Another meaning is "the supporter," as Allah, praised be His Name, says: "It is so because Allah is the mawla of those who believe, and the infidels have no mawla." It also means "the heir," as in the statement of the Almighty: "For each We have assigned mawali [mawlas] from the inheritance of the parents and the relatives," meaning heirs. It also means "relatives," as is clearly understood from the following verse of the Dear and Mighty One: "I fear the mawali after me," meaning relatives. It also means "friend," as the verse suggests: "On that Day, no mawla will be able to do any good to his mawla." "Wali" also connotes the person who is most qualified to fare with someone else's affairs, as we may say: "Mr. so and so is the wali of the minor." It also means "the supporter" and "the loved one." Some have said: "The gist of the hadith could be `whoever I have supported, befriended, or loved;' for `Ali was as such, and this meaning agrees with the prestige enjoyed by the good ancestors, and with the imamate of the three righteous caliphs, may Allah be pleased with them.

2) It is also possible that some people regarded this hadith to refer to `Ali simply because one of `Ali's companions in Yemen noticed his uncompromising policy in executing the commandments of Allah; therefore, he spoke ill of him; for this reason, the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, did not appreciate their attitude and stood up on the Ghadir Day, praised the Imam and lauded his contributions, attracting the attention to his prestige and defending his name against those who intended to chew it. The pretext used by such a group of advocates is that in his sermon, the Prophet (pbuh) praised `Ali in particular, saying: "Whoever I have been his wali, `Ali is his wali," and his Ahl alBayt in general, saying: "I am leaving with you the Two Weighty Things: the Book of Allah and my progeny, my Ahl alBayt;" so, he simply recommended that they should cherish `Ali in particular and his kin in general. They claim that such a statement neither commits Ali to be his successor, nor does it connote imamate for him, Wassalam.

Sincerely,

S


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Letter 58
(Source)

I Hadith alGhadir Cannot be Interpreted,
II Pretext for its Interpretation is Speculative and Misleading.

Muharram 27, 1330


1) Somehow I have the feeling that your heart is not satisfied with what you yourself have stated, and your soul is not thereby pleased! You revere the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and cherish his pristine wisdom, infallibility, conclusive Prophethood, believing that he is the master of the wise, and the seal of the prophets: "He does not speak of his own inclination; it is but a revealed inspiration; he has been taught by one mighty in power (Qur'an, 53:3-5)."

Suppose a philosopher from another faith asks you about the Ghadir Day saying:

"Why did he (pbuh) stop all those thousands of companions from proceeding, confining them in midday heat in such a sun­baked plain? Why did he make sure to call back whoever advanced, and wait for whoever lagged behind? Why did he camp with them in such a desolate place where neither water nor vegetation was available? Then why did he preach to them about Allah Almighty in that place and enjoined those who were present there to convey, upon dispersing, what they had heard to those who had not, and why did he start with a selfeulogizing sermon, saying: `It looks like my Lord's Messenger [angel of death, Isra'il] is about to come to call me [to return to my Lord] and I will respond to the call; I am responsible, and so are you,' and what message was the Prophet (pbuh) enjoined to convey and which the nation was enjoined to heed? Why did he ask them: `Do not you believe that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (pbuh) is His Servant and Messenger, that His Paradise is just and His Fire is just, that death is just and the life after death is just, that the Hour is undoubtedly approaching, that Allah will bring to life all those who are lying in their graves?' and they responded in the affirmative? Why did he immediately take `Ali's hand, lift it till the white hair in his armpit became visible, saying: `O people! Allah is my mawla, and I am the mawla of the believers;' then why did he explain his statement `I am the mawla of the believers' by asking them: `Do not I have more authority over your lives than you yourselves have?' Then why did he say, having made such an explanation, `Whoever has accepted me as his mawla, this (`Ali) is his mawla; O Lord! Befriend whosoever befriends him and be the enemy of whosoever antagonizes him; support whosoever supports him and betray whosoever betrays him,' and why did he specifically choose him and pray for him in such a manner which is worthy only of just Imams and truthful successors? And why did he require them to testify by asking them: `Do I not have more authority over you than you yourselves have?' and they answered in the affirmative; then he said: `To whomsoever I have been a mawla, `Ali is his mawla,' or `To whomsoever I have been a wali, `Ali is his wali, and why did he link the Qur'an to his progeny, thus making them the examples for the wise to follow till the day of Judgment? Why so much concern from such a wise Prophet? What was the mission that necessitated all these introductions, and what was the aspired objective from such a memorable stand? What was the message which Allah Almighty ordered him to convey when He said: `O Messenger! Convey what has just been revealed unto you from your Lord, and if you do not do so, then you have not conveyed His Message (at all), and Allah will protect you from (evil) men (Qur'an, 5:67),' and what mission required so much emphasis from Allah Who demanded, in a tone so close to threatening, to be conveyed? What was the affair regarding which the Prophet feared dissension if not conveyed by him, one the announcement of which required a profound protection from Allah against the harm of the hypocrites...?"

I ask you, in the name of your grandfather, if you are asked all these questions, will you answer them by saying that Allah, the omniScient, the allPowerful, simply wanted to explain to the Muslims how `Ali had been supporting them, and how friendly he was to them? I do not think that you would give such an answer, and I do not think that you would interpret Allah's words, or the words of the master of the wise, the seal of messengers and prophets, as such. You are above thinking that he (pbuh) would exhaust his means and resources in explaining something too clear, according to reason and common sense, to require such an explanation. There is no doubt that you look at the actions and statements of the Prophet (pbuh) in a better light, one which is not derided by the discreet, nor criticized by philosophers or sages. There is no doubt that you appreciate the value of his statements and actions and render them to wisdom and infallibility.

Allah the Almighty has said: "He is a blessed Messenger endowed with strength from the One with the Throne, obeyed, able, and trustworthy; certainly your fellow is not possessed (Qur'an, 81:19-22)." You are above accusing him of clarifying what is already clear, or expounding upon what is already common knowledge, or bringing unusual introductions for such clarifications, or introductions having no bearing over nor corelation thereto. Allah and His Messenger are above that. You, may Allah support the truth through your person, know that what suits such measures, undertaken in the midday heat of that place, ones that are conducive to his actions and statements on the Ghadir Day, is nothing less than the conveying of the divine Message, and the appointment of his vicegerent. Logical proofs and rational explanations unequivocally prove that what he intended to do on that day was nothing other than the appointment of `Ali as his vicegerent and successor. This hadith, supported by proofs, is an explicit text regarding `Ali's caliphate, one which does not even require an interpretation, and there is no way to understand it otherwise. This is quite clear for anyone who is "... with a sound mind, attentive, and a witness (Qur'an, 50:37)."

2) As regarding the pretext they claim, it is nothing but a speculation and an adulteration. It is the sophistry of confusion and embellishment. The Prophet (pbuh) dispatched `Ali to Yemen twice, the first took place in 8 A.H. It was then that scandalmongers spread rumours about him, and some people complained about him to the Prophet (pbuh) upon their return to Medina. It was then that he resented their complaints,[1] and they saw the sparkle of anger on his face; yet they did not refrain from trying again. The second time took place in 10 A.H. It was then that the Prophet (pbuh) tied a knot on `Ali's standard, fixed his headwear with his own hands, and said: "Proceed, and do not be distracted;" whereupon `Ali (as) proceeded to his destination as the divinely guided leader of the rest till he discharged the responsibility entrusted to him by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny. Then he participated in the Prophet's Farewell Pilgrimage. It was then that the Prophet welcomed him very warmly and even shared with him his own offering. It was then that no scandalmonger dared to open his mouth, nor did any unfair person charge him with anything; so, how can this hadith be necessitated by the objections of those in the opposition party? Or how could it be only an answer to their charges, as some people claim?

Yet mere antagonism to `Ali is not sufficient for the Prophet to pile praises on him in the way which he has done from a pulpit of camel saddles on the Ghadir Day except, Allah forbid, that he risks his own deeds and statements, responsibilities and mission, just to please `Ali. His divine wisdom is way above that, for Allah, praised be His Name, says: "It is the saying of a glorious Messenger; it is not the speech of a poet; little do you believe; nor is it the speech of a monk; little do you remember; it is but revelation from the Lord of the Worlds." (69:40-43)

Had he desired to just show `Ali's contributions, and to rebut those who bore grudge against him, he (pbuh) would simply have said: "This is my cousin, my soninlaw, the father of my descendants, the master of my household; therefore, do not harm him," or something like this to show mere admission of status and dignity. But the way this hadith is worded gives no impression other than what we have suggested. It points out rational and deductive proofs. Let the reason be whatever it may be, the statements quite obviously bear explicit meanings which demand no inquiry into their causes.

As regarding his reference to his household in hadith alGhadir, it is only to support the same meaning which we have suggested, since he correlated them to the Glorious Book of Allah, setting them as examples for all the wise, saying: "I am leaving with you these which, as long as you adhere to, shall never let you stray: the Book of Allah, and my progeny, my household." He did not do that only so that the nation might realize that it had none to refer to, nor rely upon, after the Prophet, other than both of them. Suffices you for a testimony regarding the Imams from the Prophet's purified progeny (as) is that they are correlated to Allah's Book which no wrong can approach from front nor from back. Just as it is not possible to refer to any book which differs in its judgment from the Book of Allah, the Praised One, the Sublime, it is not possible likewise to refer to an Imam who opposes in his judgment the Imams from the purified progeny (as).

Consider his statement, peace be upon him and his progeny, "They shall never separate till they join me at the Pool;" it is a proof that the earth shall never be without an Imam from his loins who is equivalent to the Book. Anyone who scrutinizes this hadith will find it restricting the caliphate to the Imams from the purified progeny of the Prophet (pbuh). This is supported by the hadith reported by Zayd ibn Thabit and quoted by Ahmed in his Musnad at the beginning of page 122, Vol. 5. It states that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said: "I am leaving you with two successors: the Book of Allah, like a rope extending from heavens to earth, and my household, for they both shall never part from each other till they join me at the Pool." Such a statement is indeed indicative of assigning the caliphate to the Imams from the purified progeny, peace be upon them. You know that the text which emphasizes following the Prophet's progeny implies following `Ali's leadership, since `Ali, after the Prophet (pbuh), is the undisputed master, and the obeyed Imam of his household. On one hand, hadith alGhadir and others like it imply that `Ali is the Imam of the Prophet's household whose status, according to Allah and His Messenger, is equal to that of the Holy Qur'an. On the other hand, it gives credit to his own great personality because of which he became the wali of all those whose wali is none other than the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), Wassalam.

Sincerely,

Sh

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[1] We have clarified the same in our Letter No. 36; so, refer to it and do not overlook our comment in this regard.