Posted by: Fatima – 09/11/2011
Source: Alawite Islamic Library
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds... Praise befitting His Majesty. May peace and blessings be upon the trustworthy and truthful Prophet Muhammad, and upon his pure, righteous family and his chosen companions...To the esteemed and honorable brother, Sayyid Abu Iskandar,
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.On the blessed occasion of Eid al-Adha and the approaching celebration of the magnificent day of Eid al-Ghadir, I extend to you my warmest congratulations and heartfelt greetings. May Allah return these blessed days upon you and all believers across the globe with goodness, blessings, and success.
It has been narrated from the noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his purified family and chosen companions):
"Knowledge is a treasure and its keys are questions. So ask, may Allah have mercy on you, for four will be rewarded for it: the questioner, the one who answers, the one who listens, and the one who loves them."On this noble occasion, I seize the opportunity to submit the following question via your esteemed platform to the honorable and learned Sheikh Hussein Muhammad al-Mazloum (may Allah pardon him):
What are the unique characteristics of the great day of Ghadir?
What is the immense honor granted to the believers on this day through the Prophet’s sermon wherein he said: “Whosoever I am his master, Ali is his master. O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, oppose whoever opposes him, support whoever supports him, and forsake whoever forsakes him”?
Which verse(s) of the Holy Qur’an relate to the meaning of this hadith?
And has this hadith been reported on multiple occasions?May peace be upon you and all the faithful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
The Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, the Unique, the Almighty, who transcends all attributes and depictions, who is above all likeness and equal. And peace and blessings be upon the Warner and Bearer of glad tidings—he who called to the authority of Ali on the day of Ghadir—through whom the religion was perfected and the divine favor completed upon both the young and the old.
Every nation or people has its own set of celebrations and occasions that they hold dear, be they religious or social in nature, based on their cultural norms and beliefs. Yet among all such events, religious holidays hold a special place—particularly in the Islamic tradition—because they are rooted in divine revelation and pure teachings.
Festivals are not exclusive to one nation or people over another.
They are ancient and universally acknowledged traditions. However, the Islamic nation places greater emphasis on religious festivals than on popular or social events. This, in itself, is a sign that the East is the cradle of religions, the landing place of divine revelation, and the birthplace of prophetic missions. Its civilization is rooted in morality and in pure, heavenly teachings.
Eid serves to connect the present with the lessons of the past and offers spiritual strength for the future. It is a time of reflection, unity, and divine connection. Recently, we celebrated Eid al-Adha with glorification and praise to Allah. Now we stand before a momentous and dear occasion: the remembrance of the Day of Ghadir.
Eid al-Ghadir is the great historic day on which Allah completed the religion, perfected His favor upon the believers, and declared His satisfaction with Islam as the chosen religion. It is the day of the grand proclamation, the crowning of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) with the mantle of leadership and divine guardianship (walayah).
The wisdom behind religious festivals for a nation lies in drawing lessons from the past to enlighten the present and guide the future. Through the strength of faith and conviction, people find the power to liberate themselves from their own whims and destructive biases, enabling them to march together as one in the path of freedom, civilization, and peace.
Just a few days ago, we celebrated the blessed occasion of Eid al-Adha. Our voices rose in chants of takbīr and tahlīl, proclaiming gratitude to God for the immense blessing He has bestowed upon this nation. And now, we stand before a memory dear to us, precious to our hearts, and deeply rooted in our souls: the remembrance of the Day of Ghadir.
Eid al-Ghadir is the great historic day on which Allah completed the religion, perfected His favor upon the believers, and declared His satisfaction with Islam as the chosen religion. It is the day of the grand proclamation, the crowning of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) with the mantle of leadership and divine guardianship (walayah).
In the tenth year after Hijrah, during the Prophet’s Farewell Pilgrimage, the verse was revealed:
"And proclaim to the people the Hajj; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel from every distant path, that they may witness benefits for themselves." (Surah Al-Hajj: 27-28)
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure family) then dispatched callers to announce the pilgrimage, inviting the people to join. There is a difference of opinion regarding the number of those who accompanied him during that year. Some reports mention seventy thousand, others one hundred thousand, and some say even more. Regardless of the exact number, it is certain that the majority of Muslims—if not all—performed the pilgrimage that year with the Prophet.
When the Prophet (peace be upon him and his purified family) completed his pilgrimage and fulfilled its rites, he set out to return to Medina, accompanied by the vast multitude of pilgrims. As they reached Ghadir Khumm—a place near Al-Juhfa, where the roads of the people of Medina, Egypt, and Iraq diverge—on Thursday, the 18th of Zhu al-Hijjah, the Trustworthy Angel Gabriel descended upon him with a message from Allah, the Exalted:
"O Messenger! Convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people." (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 67)
Gabriel commanded him to appoint Ali (peace be upon him) as a guiding standard for the people, and to declare to them what had been revealed regarding his guardianship (walāyah) and the obligation of obedience to him upon everyone.
At that point, the foremost group of travelers was nearing Al-Juhfa, so the Prophet (peace be upon him and his purified family) ordered that those who had gone ahead be called back, and those behind be held up so they could all gather at that place. He also instructed that no one should rest under five large, closely situated trees (samur), reserving them for the gathering.
Once the people had settled, the ground beneath the trees was cleared. When the call to the noon prayer (ṣalāt al-ẓuhr) was made, the Prophet proceeded to those trees, led the people in prayer beneath them, and addressed them on that intensely hot day when a man would shield his head with a part of his cloak and place the other part under his feet because of the scorching ground.
A cloth was hung over a samurah tree to shade the Messenger of Allah from the sun. When the prayer concluded, the Prophet rose to deliver a sermon in the midst of the people, standing on the saddles of camels, raising his voice to ensure everyone could hear him. He then declared:
“All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, believe in Him, and rely on Him. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and the misdeeds of our actions. Whomever Allah guides, none can mislead; and whomever He lets go astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.
O people! The All-Knowing, the Subtle, has informed me that no prophet lives beyond half the lifespan of his predecessor. I am soon to be called (to return to my Lord), and I will answer the call. I am accountable (before Allah), and you too will be held accountable. What will you say?”
They said: “We bear witness that you have conveyed (the message), fulfilled your mission, and sincerely advised us. May Allah reward you with the best reward.”
The Prophet then said:
“Do you not bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that Paradise is true, and the Fire is true, and that death is true, and that the Hour is coming, without doubt, and that Allah will resurrect those in the graves?”They said: “Indeed, we bear witness to all of that.”
He said:
“O Allah, bear witness.”
Then he said:
“O people, do you hear?”
They replied: “Yes.”He continued:
“I am going before you to the Pond (of Kawthar), and you will follow me there. Its expanse is like the distance between Sana’a and Busra. In it are vessels of silver as numerous as the stars. So consider carefully how you will treat the two weighty things (al-thaqalayn) after me.”A caller asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what are the two weighty things?”
He replied:
“The greater weight (al-thaqal al-akbar) is the Book of Allah. One end is in the hand of Allah, and the other is in your hands. Hold fast to it, for you will never go astray if you do. The lesser weight (al-thaqal al-asghar) is my progeny, my household (‘itrah). The Subtle, the All-Knowing, has informed me that they will never separate until they return to me at the Pond. I asked my Lord this for them. So do not precede them, for you will perish, and do not abandon them, for you will perish.”Then he took the hand of Ali ibn Abi Talib, raised it until the whiteness of their armpits could be seen, and everyone recognized him. He then said:
“O people! Who is more worthy of the believers than their own selves?”
They replied: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
He said:
“Indeed, Allah is my Master, and I am the master of every believer. So, whomever I am his master (mawlā), then Ali is also his master.”
He repeated it three times.Then he said:
“O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, and oppose whoever opposes him. Love those who love him, and hate those who hate him. Support whoever supports him, and forsake whoever forsakes him. Let the truth be with him wherever he turns. Let those who are present convey this to those who are absent.”They had not yet dispersed when the following verse was revealed:
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Surat al-Mā’idah, 5:3)The Prophet then said:
“Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) for the completion of the religion, the perfection of the favor, and the pleasure of the Lord with my message and the guardianship (walāyah) of Ali after me.”Then the people began to congratulate Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, with joy and celebration.
After the event of Ghadir became widely known and the allegiance to the Commander (Imam Ali) was spread far and wide throughout the land, the news reached al-Harith ibn Nu'man al-Fihri. So he came to the Messenger of Allah riding his camel until he reached al-Abtah. He dismounted, tied his camel, and then said:
“O Muhammad, you commanded us — claiming it to be from Allah — to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah, and we accepted that. You commanded us to perform five daily prayers, and we accepted that. You commanded us to fast for a month, and we accepted that. You commanded us to perform Hajj, and we accepted that. But then, you were not content with all of this until you lifted up the arm of your cousin and gave him precedence over us, and said: ‘Whoever I am his master (mawlā), then Ali is his master.’ Is this from you or from Allah?”
The Prophet replied: “By the One besides whom there is no god, this is indeed from Allah.”
Thereupon, al-Harith ibn Nu‘man turned to go toward his mount, saying: “O Allah, if what Muhammad says is true, then rain down stones upon us from the sky, or bring upon us a painful punishment.” He had not yet reached his camel when Allah struck him with a stone from the sky that landed on the top of his head, came out from his lower body, and killed him.
Then Allah, the Almighty, revealed the verse: “A questioner asked about a punishment bound to happen, for the disbelievers—none can avert it—from Allah, Lord of the ascending ways.” (Surat al-Maʿārij, 70:1–3)
This blessed occasion (Ghadir Khumm) was, and continues to be, of great significance in the sight of Allah, His Messenger ﷺ, the Prophet’s Household (Ahl al-Bayt), and the broader Muslim community.
As for its significance in the sight of Allah Almighty, it is the day on which Allah crowned ʿAlī with the mantle of succession (khilāfah) and guardianship (walāyah). On that day, Jibrāʾīl (Gabriel) descended from Allah to congratulate the Noble Messenger on the appointment, with the Divine words: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have approved Islam for you as your religion.” (Qur’an, al-Māʾidah 5:3)
It is reported from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his purified family) said on the Day of Ghadīr: “Allah has distinguished me with prophethood, and He has distinguished my family with leadership (imāmah).”
And it is narrated from Imām al-Ṣādiq, from his forefathers, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his purified family) said:
“The Day of Ghadīr Khumm is the greatest of the holidays of my nation. It is the day on which Allah, the Exalted, commanded me to appoint my brother, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, as a guide (standard) for my nation, so that they would be rightly guided by him after me. It is the day on which Allah completed the religion, perfected the favor upon my nation, and was pleased with Islam as their religion.”
The pure Imāms, following in the footsteps of their grandfather, the Noble Messenger, gave great importance to this day and elevated its rank, showing much care and attention toward its commemoration.
It is narrated from Furāt al-Aḥnaf, from Imām al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him), who said:
"I said to him, ‘May I be your ransom, is there a holiday for Muslims greater than Eid al-Fiṭr, Eid al-Aḍḥā, Friday, or the Day of ʿArafah?’
He replied, ‘Yes, the greatest and most significant of them in the sight of Allah, and the one of highest rank, is the day when Allah perfected the religion and revealed to His Prophet Muḥammad: “This day I have perfected your religion for you.” (Qur’an, al-Māʾidah 5:3).’
I said, ‘And what day is that?’
He said, ‘The prophets of the Children of Israel, when one of them wanted to appoint a successor and designate an imam after himself, would do so on a specific day and make that day a holiday. And truly, this day is the day of designation and the day when the divine command was revealed. The religion was perfected on this day, and the favor was completed for the believers...’
Until he said: ‘So what should we do on that day?’
He replied: ‘It is a day of worship, prayer, gratitude to Allah, praise to Him, and joy for the blessing He has bestowed upon you through our walāyah (guardianship). Indeed, I love for you to fast on that day.’”
And it is well-known that before the revelation of this verse, prayer was already established, zakāh was obligatory, fasting was legislated, the pilgrimage to the House was performed, the lawful was clear, the unlawful was clear, the shariah was complete, and its rulings were stable and organized.
So what else, other than the walāyah (succession/guardianship), could the Prophet have feared causing discord among the people if he were to proclaim it?
And what else could warrant such emphatic instruction and divine insistence, accompanied by words that nearly resemble a warning?
The Prophet showed immense patience in the face of what he endured — the denial of the polytheists, their stubbornness, their mockery, and their ridicule — at the beginning of the message. So what is this particular message that required a divine promise of protection from the harm of people in order to deliver it?
All of these indicators and rational conclusions — in addition to the transmitted (narrative) evidence — confirm for us that this verse was revealed to the Messenger of Allah on the Day of Ghadīr, and its purpose was:
To declare the leadership (walāyah) of the Commander of the Faithful (‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib) in front of the large multitude following the Farewell Pilgrimage.
Imamate is classified as one of the fundamental principles of religion in our doctrine. For this reason, the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt have revered this Eid—Eid al-Ghadir—above all other Islamic celebrations, as has been supported by clear texts and divine revelation. In contrast, the remaining Islamic festivals-'Eids are associated with the five pillars, which are part of the branches of religion—a matter well-established and supported by numerous evidences.
The distinct characteristics of this Eid are many, and to understand them, the following must be stated:
- Prophethood is a divine ambassadorship, and Walaya (divinely appointed guardianship) is a binding obligation from God upon His servants. It is a divine grace upon those whom He has created and tasked with conveying His laws and the tenets of Islam. Walaya is the completion and perfection of this grace. The two—Prophethood and Imamate—are intertwined, mutually reflective, and complementary.
- The transition from Prophethood to Imamate is akin to the transition from Islam to faith (iman). Their mutual correspondence lies in the divine favor and the obligation of obedience in order to attain divine satisfaction, acceptance, and intercession. Their complementarity lies in the fact that both share the same essence: proclamation and clarification. Proclamation (tabligh) stems from Prophethood, while clarification (bayan) originates from Imamate.
- Faith in Prophethood cannot be partial or selective; rather, it necessitates full acceptance of all that issues from the Prophet in both foundational beliefs and practical rulings. One who deliberately neglects a single obligation—whether by defiance or faulty reasoning based on man-made criteria—will not have his other deeds accepted.
- The Prophet openly declared the two testimonies, detailed all religious obligations and acts of worship, guided toward noble character, and informed of the resurrection just as he informed of creation. What remained for the completion of religion was the proclamation of Walaya—God’s final command to perfect the religion—granted to the rightful bearer of guardianship. Thus came the announcement at Ghadir Khumm, the 'Alid event marked by the Muhammadan declaration, whereby the divine message reached completion and the mission found its closure. What remained was acceptance, so that the branches (furu‘) could be perfected through the roots (usul).
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Imamate is the third divinely mandated guardianship imposed upon humanity by God, clearly referenced in the Qur'an and conveyed by Gabriel from his Lord. As the Almighty states:
"Your guardian is only Allah, and His Messenger, and those who believe—those who establish prayer and give alms while bowing down." [Al-Ma'idah 5:55]
The consensus among exegetes, hadith scholars, and theologians confirms that this verse was revealed regarding ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib when he gave his ring in charity while in a state of bowing. This verse delivers a comprehensive message and clear explanation that his guardianship is a continuation of that of the Prophet, and that no one holds such guardianship after them except their infallible descendants—described as the "Lesser Weight" (al-thaqal al-asghar)—who clarify the rulings of the "Greater Weight" (the Qur’an).
- Acts of worship and prescribed obligations are not accepted without Walaya—to Allah, His Messenger, and the Commander of the Faithful. This is because the branches of religion stem from its roots and are perfected by them—a fact well recognized by theologians.
This is a vast topic, and much could be said.
The honor attained by the believers through this foundational principle is the completion of their Islam and perfection of their faith, on the condition that they uphold the pillars of Islam and fulfill the duties of faith—by emulating the infallible within the scope of their capacity and adorning themselves with his noble character. Whoever realizes and fulfills this will see their outer identity reflect their inner essence.
As for the Qur'anic verses that indicate the meaning of the Prophet’s statement, they are numerous. These include all the verses revealed in praise of ‘Ali and his infallible descendants (peace be upon them).
Foremost among them is the verse previously mentioned, which conveys the meaning of Wilāyah (divinely appointed authority) in its general form. The Prophet’s statement, “Whoever I am his Mawlā, then ‘Ali is his Mawlā,” aligns directly with the verse: Indeed, your guardian is only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe—those who establish prayer and give alms while bowing down [in prayer]. [Al-Mā’idah 5:55]
It also corresponds with Allah’s saying: You are only a warner, and for every people is a guide. [Al-Ra‘d 13:7]
According to narrations from the infallibles, the warner is the Prophet, and the guide is the Imam.
And Allah the Exalted also says: Then whoever disputes with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you—say, ‘Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves. Then let us pray earnestly and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars.’ [Āl ‘Imrān 3:61]
In this verse, “ourselves” refers to the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali. This association illustrates the meaning embedded in the Prophet’s declaration. Furthermore, all of the Prophet’s sayings—despite differing in wording and occasion—consistently emphasize the concepts of Walāyah, succession, and Imamate. This reality is evident to those endowed with insight and knowledge.
As for the question regarding the recurrence of this hadith, it must be said: The hadith in its precise formulation was narrated only on the Day of Ghadir. However, its meaning has been reiterated on many occasions—beginning from the allegiance pledged at the House (Bay‘at al-Dār) all the way to the Day of Ghadir.
I ask Allah, the Most High, to envelop us all with His grace. Truly, He is capable of all things. And all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
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