﹜﹫︣﹛ا ﹟﹝︣﹛ا ﹤ّ﹚﹛ا ﹜︧︋ - Islamic …islamicmobility.com/pdf/the_Sermon_ghadir.pdf“Certainly, I just conveyed what I have been ordered to convey as

﹜﹫﹛ا ﹟﹝﹛﹛ ا﹜﹙﹥ ا

THE SERMON OFPROPHET MUHAMMAD

AT GHADIR KHUM

Introduction & Translation by:

Vahid Majd

Naba Cultural Organizationwww.nabacultural.org

Date of Publication: 2005ISBN: 964-8323-38-0

PBUH&HF

http://www.nabacultural.org/

“Certainly, I just conveyed what Ihave been ordered to convey as anargument against everyone, behim present or absent, a directwitness or not, and already bornor not yet born. Hence, everyonewho is present should convey(this sermon) to those who areabsent, every parent shouldconvey it to his/her children, (andthey should continue to do so)until the Day of Judgement.”

— A part of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HF) lastpublic sermon delivered in Ghadir Khum

To the Most Truthful,

The Greatest Sign of Allah,

The Judge of the Day of Religion,

The Allotter of Paradise and Hell,

The Greatest News about Whom People Differ,

The Greatest Distinguisher of Truth from Falsehood,

The Master of All Deputies of the Prophets,

The Brother of the Messenger of Allah,

The Commander of the Believers,

The Leader of the Pious,

Ali Ibn Abi Talib,

Peace Be Upon Him.

1

INTRODUCTION

The Ghadir event and its significance

Seventy days before his demise, whenProphet Muhammad (PBUH&HF)1 wasreturning to Medina after his lastpilgrimage to Mecca, he reached thepond of Khum (Ghadir Khum) near Juhfa.It was the 18th of the month of Dhul-Hijjaof the year 10 AH (March 15, 632 AD). Bythis time, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) hadconveyed all of the divinecommandments to his nation except forthe formal and explicit publicannouncement of his divinely appointed

1 The acronym “PBUH&HF” refers to phrase “peace beupon him and his family.”

2

successors as the leaders, guardians, andguides for the believers for all days tocome.

By the order of Allah, the Prophet(PBUH&HF) stopped at the pond of Khum,gathered the crowd of pilgrims, anddelivered his last universal speech. Inthis sermon, he presented his lastreligious instruction which finalized thelast divine religion and made Islam theperfect religion in the sight of Allah.Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH), thefifth Imam and successor of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) said:

مث

ة

ر

بعدھا ف

زل

ین

مل مث

یة

وال

ال

تعاىل ا اهللا

زهل

ن

أ ة

ر

ف آخر

م

دین م

ل ت

مل

أ یومال

ل ز

…ن

اهللا

ا رسول ا

ق

أ

ف

3

ة

ف ا

.ب

“The last obligatory duty that Allah sentdown was al-Walaya (adherence to theguardian assigned by Allah). Then, Hesent down the verse: ‘Today, I completedyour religion…’1 once the Messenger ofAllah established it in Juhfa area.”2

This message was the most unique in theentire mission of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) dueto the revelation of Verse 67, Chapter 5 ofthe Holy Quran before his speech. In this

1 Chapter 5, Verse 3 of the Holy Quran2 al-Tafsir, Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, vol. 1, p. 162,

under the commentary of Verse 5:3; al-Tafsir, al-Ayyashi, vol. 1, p. 292, under the commentary ofVerse 5:3; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 112, Hadith 5,vol. 37, p. 138, Hadith 27.

4

revelation, Allah warned His Messengerthat failing to deliver this last messagewould nullify his entire mission. Thisunprecedented warning proves that thislast message contained the mostimportant religious commandment ofAllah for the Muslim nation.

Moreover, the contents of this lastmessage were so crucial to the faith thatthe Prophet (PBUH&HF) emphaticallyrequired all those who directly orindirectly heard the sermon of GhadirKhum to convey it to people who werenot aware of its details, and parents toconvey it to their children for allgenerations to come. Hence, this sermonaddresses all Muslim generations of theworld until the Day of Judgement. This

5

emphasis naturally implies that thecontent of this message has a vital role inthe future of the Muslims, their spiritualhealth, and their felicity in the Hereafter.

The main issue that the Prophet (PBUH&HF)

addressed in his speech in Ghadir Khumwas that Allah appointed Ali Ibn AbiTalib (PBUH) as the guardian (Wali), themaster (Mawla), the leader (Imam), andthe commander (Amir) of all believingmen and women, the deputy and theexecutor of his affairs (Wasi), and hissuccessor (Khalifa). His sayings andcommands should be preferred over theopinions of all others in every matter.Obeying him is obeying Allah, anddisobeying him is disobeying Allah.Whoever follows him (and his sayings) is

6

a believer under the guardianship ofAllah, and whoever turns away from him(or his sayings) is a disbeliever under theguardianship of Satan.

Guardianship (al-Walaya) expresses abilateral relation between the guardianand the people. Observing al-Walaya bypeople means adhering to the guardianand acknowledging his authority byheart, tongue, and action. On the otherhand, the action of al-Walaya by theguardian means offering protection fromevil, spiritual assistance, care, support,and guidance for his adherents. Adivinely appointed guardian guards hisadherents from misguidance, spiritualdestruction, wrongdoing, and sin asmuch as they adhere to him and his

7

commands. Establishing al-Walaya hasbeen the ultimate goal of religion and thefruit of the entire efforts of ProphetMuhammad (PBUH&HF) during his mission.

One who submits to Allah’srepresentative and adheres to him hasindeed acknowledged Allah’s authorityand guardianship and is a truemonotheist in obeying Allah.Acknowledging the guardianship of theleaders that Allah appointed andsubmitting to them is the greatest pillarof faith. It safeguards the followers fromthe wrath and punishment of Allah.Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH) said:

و ا و

وم الص و ة

الز و ة

ال الص

س

مخ

م

سال

اإل

بين

ي

اد

ین مل و یة

وال

وال

ربع

أ

ب اس

الن

ذ

خ

أ

ف یة

وال

ال

ب دي

ما

ک ء

8

یة

والال

یعين وا ھذه

ک

.

“Islam is established by five things:prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage, andal-Walaya (adhering to the guardiansauthorized by Allah). None (amongthem) was called for as (emphatically as)al-Walaya was called for. However,people accepted the first four andabandoned al-Walaya.”1

People who refused to submit to theleaders that Allah appointed resemblethe Satan who refused to submit to theviceregent of Allah, Adam (PBUH), andconsequently, became an outcast and

1 al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 18, Hadith 3.

9

went under the curse of Allah forever asmentioned in the Holy Quran.1 It isnarrated that Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said:

م

لث يفنينمؤامل

وموهلبق

ءال

مأ

ري يفنينمؤامل

م

یردغ

م خ

مک

ث

ل امل

ئال

يفة

ود

مو،مدآل

نملث

أ

وىب

یال

ة

مأ

ري يفنينمؤامل

الم

میردغ

.یسلبإلث

“The similitude of the believers inaccepting the guardianship of theCommander of the Believers (Ali) on theday of Ghadir Khum is that of the angelsin prostrating before Adam (i.e.,submitting to him), and the similitude ofthose who turned away from theguardianship of the Commander of the

1 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 38, Verses 73-78.

10

Believers on the day of Ghadir is that ofthe devil (Iblis).”1

In one of his speeches on the anniversaryof the day of Ghadir, Imam Ali (PBUH) said:

یة

ال

إال

دینا بل

ال اعتهو

ط سباب

أ تظم

ال و ه

ال

مر

أ من

ص ه ی اهللا

زل

ن

أ

ف ه

وال

ھل

أ

عصم و عصمه

ب ك مس الت

ب

إال

وي اجتبائه

ذ و صائه

ل

خ يف إراداته عن ه

ب ما بني

وح الد

م يف

هل

م

ض و اق

ف

الن و

یغ الز

ھل

أ

ب

ل

ف

ا ك غ و

بال

ال

ب مره

أ و

م و... عصمته ؤمنني

امل و ه ی

عني ر

ق

أ و ه

دین اهللا ل م

ف

غ

بل و م

ک

بعض

ھ

ش د

ما ق ن

و عني

تاب

امل

اهللا

لمة

ک ت مت و م

ک

بعض

رین

اب الص

سىن ...ا

“Allah does not accept the faith (of an

1 Iqbal al-A'amal, p. 465.

11

individual) except after he acknowledgesthe guardianship of whom He required.He does not arrange the means of Hisobedience (for an individual) except afterhe adheres to His ropes and the ropes ofHis authorized people. Thus, Allah sentdown to His Prophet (PBUH&HF) on the dayof the large trees1 that which explainedHis will for His sincere and chosenservants. Allah commanded him toconvey (the message) without beingconcerned about the hypocrites or thedeviants, and guaranteed him protectionagainst their evil... By that, Allah

1 This phrase refers to the day of Ghadir Khum asthere had been some large trees beside the pondat the time.

12

completed His religion, and delightedthe eyes of His Prophet (PBUH&HF), and thebelievers. Some of you witnessed thisevent and some received its news. This(appointment) concluded the beautifulword of Allah for those who observepatience… ”1

1 Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 94, p. 115, Hadith 8.

13

What does the sermon establish forAli (PBUH)?

Does successorship only refer to politicalauthority?

Some people do terrible injustice to theevent of Ghadir by portraying it as amatter of transferring political power.They unwittingly borrow the Sunniunderstanding of the term Khalifa,interpreting it as “a ruling successor”.They state that the main goal of theProphet (PBUH&HF) in Ghadir Khum was toestablish Imam Ali (PBUH) as a politicalleader after his departure.

Were it truly so, the matter would havebeen a historical matter, and it would bemeaningless to quarrel over the right of

14

Imam Ali (PBUH) to rule after passing 1400years. It is almost fourteen centuries toolate to decide whether Ali (PBUH) shouldhave been the first or the fourth rulinggovernor after the departure of theProphet (PBUH&HF). Were there a mistakeduring the upheaval after his departure,it should not be stressed, because no onecan change the past, and believing thatAli (PBUH) should have been the first rulerinstead of the fourth would have noconsequence in today’s life.

This viewpoint ultimately led some tobelieve that the differences between theShia and the Sunnis are limited to someminor historical disagreements, which donot have any bearing on their salvation inthe Hereafter, and that their beliefs are

15

the same; thus, they should abandontheir differences for the sake of theirprosperity in the life of this world.

By considering the issue of successorshipto be a matter of political rule, they haveunknowingly belittled the goals and theachievements of Allah’s Messenger andhis successors, peace be upon them, forhistorical records show that, due to a lackof sincere supporters, they were unableto implement their ideal divinegovernment. Besides, most of the ShiaImams (PBUT) never attempted toimplement their own government andused to refer those who questioned their

16

stance1 to Imam Mahdi (PBUH) who willappear at the end of time and willestablish the Kingdom of Justice on earth.

On the other hand, a brief look at thesermon of Ghadir shows that the Prophet(PBUH&HF) wanted to pass on much morethan political authority to Imam Ali (PBUH)

and the Imams after him. Anexamination of his words shows thatthey are the guardians that Allahappointed, and people mustacknowledge their authority inside theirhearts and follow them in all aspects oflife. People will benefit from them as

1 See for instance, al-Kafi, vol. 1, pp. 341-342, Hadith25, 26, and 27; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 51, p. 132,Hadith 1, and p. 109, Hadith 1.

17

their Imams and will be rewarded byAllah only if they accept them willinglyand not through political dominion.Whether or not the guardians that Allahappointed become a ruling authority, thebelievers of all generations have a duty toabide by their instructions. Therefore, itis not too late to follow their commands,accept them as guardians, submit tothem, prefer their sayings over one’s ownand other’s opinions, consider them asthe center of truth, evaluate everythingby their standard, and keep aloof fromtheir enemies who opposed theircommands.

It is also interesting to observe that theProphet (PBUH&HF) mentioned the titlesWali, Mawla, and Imam for Ali (PBUH) in his

18

sermon over 27 times, whereas he usedthe word Khalifa for him only three times.Even under the Sunni implication of theword Khalifa (successor)—which limits itto political rule—it is clear that theProphet (PBUH&HF) stressed spiritualleadership in his speech, which wouldguarantee the salvation of those whofollow the Imam, and would lead themtowards Paradise. Worldly issues nevertook priority for the Prophet (PBUH&HF) andhis successors. Imam Ali himself hassaid:

وم

ذ

ید يف زیر

خن عراق من

عیين يف ھون

أ ھذه

یا

دنل

اهللا .و

“By Allah, this world of yours is more

19

despicable in my eyes than a pig bone inthe hand of a leper.”1

Certainly, had the majority of peoplefollowed the sayings of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) concerning the divinelyappointed guide, he would havenaturally come to power. Thus, ImamAli’s exclusive qualification for politicalrule is only one of the natural outcomesof the guardianship (Walaya) that theProphet (PBUH&HF) established for him onbehalf of Allah on the day of Ghadir. Inthis manner, the spiritual authority ofImam Ali (PBUH) and his pure descendants

1 Nahj al-Balagha, Maxim 236. Also refer to Sermon 3(known as al-Shiqshiqiyya) for another similarstatement.

20

is still effective over the remainingbelievers until the Day of Judgement,irrespective of the support of themajority of people for them or theirpolitical authority.

Believing in the Imam’s virtues in one’sheart and adhering to his words indisguise (al-Taqiyya) under tyrannicalrule are not only sufficient for salvationin the Hereafter but also rewarded many-fold, because observing faith is moredifficult at times of terror and fear.According to the traditions, worshipduring the days of tyrannicalgovernment is more rewarding for thebelievers than worship during the time ofthe just government, though this factshould not prevent the believers from

21

praying to Allah for the manifestation ofthe Kingdom of Justice on earth by Imamal-Mahdi (PBUH).1

The rights and virtues of Imam Ali andother Imams

The sermon of Ghadir Khum confirmsthe following rights and virtues of ImamAli (PBUH) and the Imams after him:

1-Allah has decreed absolute authorityfor them over the believers, and thus,just like the Prophet (PBUH&HF), all theircommands must be obeyed

1 cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 333, Hadith 2, also Hadith 1;Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 127, Hadith 20, also p.145, Hadith 67. Another related tradition can befound at: al-Ikhtisas, p. 20, Hadith; Bihar al-Anwar,vol. 52, p. 144, Hadith 62.

22

unconditionally.2-Like the Prophet (PBUH&HF), they have

priority over people, and they havemore rights over the believers thanwhat they have over their own souls.They should be preferred over others(in position, sayings, ideas,commands, etc.) for Allah haspreferred them.

3-Allah has made them the leaders ofthe believers and the medium ofdivine guidance after the Prophet(PBUH&HF). They guide people towardsthe pleasure of Allah, keep themfrom His disobedience and Hiswrath, and lead them to Paradise.

4-Allah has made them the guardiansof the faithful, who protect their close

23

adherents from evil andmisguidance.

5-They are the “Straight Path” of Allah,whom people are ordered to follow.

6-They have all the knowledge of theProphet (PBUH&HF). Allah has placedthe knowledge of everything inthem. They are the inheritors of allbranches of knowledge. Particularly,they possess the completeknowledge of religion. They areauthorized to expound the religionand explain its commandments andprohibitions.

7-Allah has authorized them tointerpret the Holy Quran and toexplain its meaning after the Prophet(PBUH&HF). No one knows its

24

interpretations, its hidden warnings,and its mysteries except throughthem. They guide people to the truthof the Quran and call them to it.

8-They are the executors of the will ofthe Prophet (PBUH&HF) and the deputiesof his affairs (Wasi). Imam Ali (PBUH)

was the greatest in virtue and rankamong the deputies of all theprophets (most of whom wereprophets themselves) just as theProphet (PBUH&HF) was the greatestamong all prophets (PBUT).

9-Imam Ali (PBUH) is the most virtuousamongst the creation of Allah so longas creation exists.

10-Imam Ali (PBUH) was foremost inaccepting Islam and worshipping

25

Allah.11-Imam Ali (PBUH) fought against the

enemies of Allah by His commandand was the greatest helper ofreligion.

12-Imam Ali (PBUH) was the greatest aidand defender of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).He fought on his behalf and offeredhis life as a sacrifice for him. Hisrelation to the Prophet (PBUH&HF) wasthat of Aaron to Moses (PBUT).

13-Imam Ali (PBUH) was the dearest andthe closest to the Prophet (PBUH&HF). Heis from the Prophet (PBUH&HF), and theProphet (PBUH&HF) is from him. TheProphet (PBUH&HF) called him hisbrother.

14-The title of “the Commander of the

26

Believers” exclusively belongs tohim.

15-Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF) arepleased with him. All verses of theHoly Quran that express Allah’ssatisfaction or praise in their idealsense have been revealed about him.

16-The divine light, the divine guidance,and the divine leadership have beenplaced in Imam Ali (PBUH) and theImams from his descendants up toImam Mahdi (PBUH), the last divinelyappointed Imam. The earth willnever lack an Imam until the Day ofJudgement.

17-Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams of hisdescendents are the trustees of Allah,His appointed judges, the vessels of

27

divine knowledge1, the greatest

1 The “divine knowledge” refers to all the heavenlyknowledge created by Allah, and placed in Hisbest creation. It is called divine just because Allahissued and authorized it, and because it is not ascience generated by a human. It is called Hisknowledge since it is His creation and isattributed to Him. However, this should not beconfused with His “Eternal Knowledge”. Itshould be made clear that any knowledge that ahuman being can possess, grasp, or comprehendis a creation, and has no similarity whatsoeverwith Allah’s Eternal Knowledge (i.e., HisEssence), which is not created. The knowledgethat a human or even an Imam possesses is not apart of Allah’s Eternal Knowledge, otherwise itwould imply His Essence has parts. Anyimagination or perception of Allah's EternalKnowledge by us is a creation of our mind andcannot be attributed to Allah. With regard to theEssence of Allah, we are not allowed to theorizeor converse because we have no way tounderstand Him, and by “His EternalKnowledge”, we only mean, “He is not ignorant”.←

28

proofs of Allah among His creation,and His exhaustive arguments

We should recognize that His Essence (Dhat) isfree from any type of knowledge that we know(i.e., any generated knowledge even if it ismultiplied by infinity in terms of quality andquantity) just as we recognize that there isnothing that He is unaware of. Nothing is likeHim. Maintaining a difference on the quality orthe quantity between His knowledge and theconcept of knowledge that is known to us is notenough to avoid resemblance, and we need todeny the resemblance in the concept ofknowledge between the Creator and the creation.There is neither concept, nor quality for HisEssence. Allah is the creator of perfections andqualities, and He is not limited by the extension ofqualities and concepts that we imagine. Allahknows, but not like how His creation knows.Hence, our understanding of His EternalKnowledge (i.e., His Essence) is only limited todenying any opposite in Him. In other words, weshould regard Him free from all defects such asignorance.

29

against them.18-Imam Ali (PBUH) and the pure

members of his progeny constituteone of the two weighty symbolsbesides the Holy Quran. If peopleadhere to both, they will be nevermisled. Each one of the two guides tothe other and agrees with it.

19-Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams of hisprogeny are the most learned aboutthe religion. The lawful and unlawfulthings are only those that the book ofAllah, the Messenger, and theImams, have declared so,respectively.

20- The last Imam of his descendants,the Mahdi (PBUH), shall establish theglobal kingdom of justice. He will

30

revive Allah’s religion, and willovercome all religions and ideas. Hewill annihilate falsehood, will purifythe earth from the enemies of Allah,will avenge the blood of all thefriends of Allah, and will re-establishthe rights of Allah, the Prophet(PBUH&HF), and his family.

His followers, his enemies, and their fate

In the sermon of Ghadir Khum, theProphet (PBUH&HF) describes the followersand the enemies of Imam Ali (PBUH) andthe Imams after him, and informs themof their destinies:

1-Those who acknowledge theauthority of Imam Ali (PBUH) are thetriumphant Party of Allah and the

31

true believers who will achievefelicity and a great reward.

2-Whoever doubts any of the Imamshas doubted them all, and his abodeis the everlasting Hellfire. Whoeverdoubts the sayings of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) in this sermon concerningthem has doubted all of what Allahhas revealed to the Prophet (PBUH&HF)

throughout his entire mission. Such aperson is accursed and under thewrath of Allah.

3-If anyone chooses a religion otherthan submission to the guardianshipof Imam Ali (PBUH), Allah will neveraccept it from him, nor will Heaccept his deeds, and he will beamong the losers on the Day of

32

Judgement.4-Allah loves whoever loves Ali (PBUH).

He keeps up His support, protection,guidance, forgiveness, and mercy foranyone who keeps attached to Ali(PBUH), listens to him, and remainsunder his guardianship.

5-Anyone who turns away from ImamAli (PBUH), he has rejected Allah’sguardianship and has gone under theguardianship of Satan. Such a personhas attained the curse of Allah andHis wrath.

6-As long as someone denies Ali’sauthority, Allah will never turn tohim nor will He ever forgive him. Ifhe dies like that, he will remain inHell forever. This is a decisive decree

33

by Allah that will never change.7-The friends of Imam Ali (PBUH) are

those who believe in hisguardianship and never doubt theirbelief. They detest those who opposeAllah and His Messenger even if theyare their closest kin.

8-The enemies of Imam Ali (PBUH) arethose who turn away from hisguardianship, doubt the virtues thatAllah has bestowed upon him, arejealous of him, abandon support forhim, reject his sayings, disagree withhis actions, oppose his commands, orhave friendship with those whooppose him.

9-His enemies are the wretched, themisguided, the arrogant, the brothers

34

of Satan, and the rejecters of faith.Their deeds are all in vain. Theirlasting punishment will not belessened, and they will never bepardoned.

10-Those who usurped the rights of thefamily of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) are theleaders who invite people to Hell.Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF) areclear of them and their actions. They,their supporters, and their followerswill be in the lowest pit of theHellfire.

The Ghadir event leaves no excuse

During the Sermon, the Prophet (PBUH&HF)

stressed that his speech completesAllah’s argument against everyone untilthe Day of Judgement. After the

35

departure of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), othermembers of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)1 emphasizedthis fact as well. Lady Fatima (PBUH), theProphet’s daughter, said:

اهللا لعا جمف

دعبدحأل

یردغ

نم مخ

وة

عال

.رذ

“Allah did not leave any argument orany excuse for anyone after the event of

1 Ahl al-Bait means People of the House. However,the Ahl al-Bait of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) as specificallydefined by him and believed by the Shia, refersonly to the divinely selected individuals of hishouse. They are his daughter (Lady Fatima (PBUH))as well as twelve divinely appointed leaders(Imams) after him. The twelve Imams include theProphet’s son in law and cousin, Ali (PBUH), Ali’stwo sons, al-Hasan and al-Husain (PBUT), as well asnine descendants of al-Husain (PBUH).

36

Ghadir Khum.”1

Similarly, when Imam Ali (PBUH)

addressed the immigrants and thehelpers in the Prophet’s Mosque (afterthey had pledged fealty to Abu Bakr), hereminded them of his exclusive right forthe leadership of the community andtheir covenant with the Messenger ofAllah (PBUH&HF) concerning him. Some ofthe helpers said to Imam Ali, “O AbulHasan! Had the helpers heard yourarguments before giving their pledge ofallegiance to Abu Bakr, none would havedisputed your rule.” In response to them,Imam Ali (PBUH) said:

1 Dala’il al-Imama, p. 38. See also, al-Khisal, vol. 1, p.173; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 30, p. 124.

37

واریه

أ

ی ال ص م

اهللا

رسول دع

أ ت

ن

ک

أ ء

ع یا ھؤال

ال

ق

ف

ا

ازعن

ین و همو ل

حدا

أ ت

ما خف اهللا و انه

ط

سل يف ازع

ن

أ رج

خ

أ و

ت

ل

ل ما اس ل

و فیه ت ب

ال ھل

أ

اهللا

رسول ن

أ علمت

ال و موه

حدأل م

خ دیر

غ م ك

ص

اال

مق

ائل

لق

ال و

ة

.

“Did you want me to leave the shroudedbody of the Messenger of Allah withoutburial and come out to quarrel for hissovereignty? By Allah! I could notbelieve anyone would yearn for it,dispute with us Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) in it, andmake lawful to do what you did (inusurping our rights). I do not see that theMessenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) left any placefor any controversial talks, any plea, orany argument for anyone (by his speech)

38

on the day of Ghadir Khum.”1

The above testimonies, among others,show that the speech of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) at Ghadir Khum in defining theposition of Imam Ali (PBUH) is clear,evident, and definitive, and it exhaustsarguments brought by anyone. Thus, itcan be presented as a comprehensiveproof to everyone.

1 al-Ihtijaj, vol. 1, p. 74; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 28, p.185.

39

Our obligations towards the sermonand the event

The necessity of submitting to theProphet’s sayings

One of the important differences thatdistinguishes Islam from all the earlydivine religions is that it states that it isthe final religion of Allah. It offers theultimate divine instructions for people interms of beliefs and practices, and all itscommandments and prohibitions areeffective until the Day of Judgement.Believers of all generations are requiredto submit to the sayings of the Messengerof Allah (PBUH&HF) to achieve felicity. Allahstates in the Holy Quran:

مرا

أ ه

رسول و ی اهللا

ض

إذا ق ة

ال مؤمن و

ملؤمن ن ما نو

أ

40

ل

ض د

ق

ف هرسول و اهللا یعص من و

مر

أ من

ة ري

ا م

هل ون

ی

نا مب

الال

.ض

“It is not permissible for a believer, manor woman, to exercise choice in a matterfor which Allah and His Messengerissued a command. Whoever disobeysAllah and His Messenger, he has surelystrayed off (the path), a manifeststraying.”1

افرونال

ولئك

أ

ف اهللا

زل

ن

مبا أ م

مل من .و

“Whoever does not judge according towhat Allah has sent down is a

1 Chapter 33, Verse 36 of the Holy Quran.

41

disbeliever.”1

یا وا اهللا

ا و رسوله و اهللا

یدي

موا بني د

وا ال

آمن ذینا ال

أ

علمي مسیع اهللا .إن

“O You who believe! Do not precedeAllah and His Messenger; and bewatchful of (your duties toward) Allah.Verily, Allah hears and knows allthings.”2

ال مث

بی ر

ف موك

حىت ون

ال یؤمن

ك رب ال و

ف

دوا يف

ل موا

ل

و یت

ض

ا ق مم

حرجا سھم

.أ

“But no, by your Lord, they have nottruly believed until they make you judge

1 Chapter 5, Verse 44 of the Holy Quran.2 Chapter 49, Verse 1 of the Holy Quran.

42

in all disputes between them, find intheir souls no resistance against yourdecision, and submit (to you) withcomplete conviction.”1

مر األ ويل

أ و

سول طیعوا الر

أ و طیعوا اهللا

وا أ

آمن ذین

ا ال

یا أ

يف تنازعمت إن

ف م

يمن

ش

مت

ن

ک إن سول الر و اهللا

إىل وه رد

ف ء

خر

اآل

یومال و

اهللا

ب ون

.تؤمن

“O You who believe! Obey Allah andobey the Messenger and those who aregiven authority from among you; and ifyou had a dispute in a matter, return it toAllah and His Messenger if you believe


43

in Allah and the Last Day.”1

عوين

ب ات

ف اهللا ون ب

مت

ن

ک إن ل

مق

ل فر

یغ و اهللا م

ب

ب

رحمي ور

ف

غ اهللا و

ب

.ذل

إن

ف

سول الر و طیعوا اهللا

أ ل

إنق

وا ف

افرینال ب

ال .اهللا

“Say, ‘If you truly love Allah, follow me;Allah will love you and will forgive youyour sins; and Allah is oft-forgiving andthe most merciful.’ Say, ‘Obey Allah andHis Messenger.’ But if they turn back,Allah loves not those who reject faith.” 2

Therefore, it is necessary for a believer tofollow all the sayings of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) which have reached us in the

1 Chapter 4, Verse 59 of the Holy Quran.2 Chapter 3, Verses 31-32 of the Quran.

44

form of traditions. Opposing thetraditions of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) meansopposing Allah and disbelieving theabove-mentioned verses of the HolyQuran. Weakening and disregarding thesayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) that havebeen handed down to us means believingthat the Quranic verses, which require usto follow his sayings, are useless in ourtime.

Particularly, for such an important issueas the message of Ghadir Khum, rejectingit means believing that Allah and HisProphet (PBUH&HF) have failed to conveythe message that, according to the Quran,if not conveyed, would be as if nothing of

45

His religion was conveyed,1 and religionwould remain deficient andunsatisfactory in the sight of Allah.2

It is, therefore, our duty to acquire andlearn this final message of the Prophet(PBUH&HF), to comply with what it entails,and to follow its directions.

Learning, acknowledging, and protectingthe text of the sermon

The sermon of Ghadir Khum constitutesthe last instructions of the last prophet ofAllah in his last days. Hence, it is ofprime importance for every believer tostudy the text of the sermon with care,

1 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 67.2 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 3.

46

reflect on it, and acknowledge all itsimplications in one’s heart.

In the sermon of Ghadir, the Prophet(PBUH&HF) has emphasized that all his finalcommandments and prohibitions areeffective forever and should never bealtered by people’s desires, needs, ideas,opinions, or tendencies in any era. He(PBUH&HF) considered it a duty of everybeliever to learn and comprehend theinstructions of the sermon as it washanded down to them, and to protectthem from any alteration or change forthe use of the current and futuregenerations.

47

Acting upon the instructions of thesermon and observing the covenant

After understanding and acknowledgingthe message of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in theheart, one must put it in practice inhis/her life. Calling people toward thetruth by self-practice is the mostbeautiful and the most effective methodof propagating the truth, which protectsthe message on a practical level andkeeps it alive in the community.

The covenant taken by the Prophet(PBUH&HF) from all people who eventuallyhear the sermon includes the followingverbal declarations:

1-We heard and understood the divinemessage concerning the authority

48

and the rights of Ali (PBUH) and theImams of his offspring.

2-We pledge our fealty to them by ourhearts, our souls, our tongues, andour hands.

3-We are satisfied with the messageand submit to it.

4-We will never deny it, nor will webreak the covenant.

5-We will never doubt it.6-We will obey it by our actions.7-We will live and die with this belief.8-We will never change nor replace its

instructions.9-We will convey it to our children,

family, and friends, near or far.10- We take Allah as witness to this

covenant, and His Prophet (PBUH&HF),

49

Allah’s Angels, His forces, and Hisservants, and anyone who obeyed it.

According to the saying of the Prophet(PBUH&HF), this covenant is taken by theorder of Allah, and anyone who pledgeshis allegiance to him, Imam Ali, and thepure Imams of his progeny according tothe terms of the covenant has indeedpledged his allegiance to Allah, themighty and the majestic. This fact is alsoverified by the Holy Quran.1

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) statedthat those who precede others inacknowledging their covenant withImam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him

1 cf. Chapter 48, Verse 10 of the Holy Quran.

50

and truly believe in their guardianshipare those who succeed in attaining thegardens of bliss.

Transmitting the sermon through modernways

As the Prophet (PBUH&HF) ordered, everyMuslim who receives his message shouldtransmit it to other members of hiscommunity, especially the youth andchildren.

Transmitting the sermon is the greatestmanifestation of enjoining what is right(Amr bil ma’ruf)1. The Prophet (PBUH&HF)

1 The word al-Ma’ruf means what is recognized. Itrefers to the deeds that Allah has recognized asgood. On the other hand, the word al-Munkar←

51

mentioned that the most importantexample of enjoining the right isconveying what he said in this sermon totruth-seeking individuals who have notheard its details, urging them to follow itas an order from Allah and His Prophet(PBUH&HF), and advising them againstviolating it.

Introducing the position and virtues ofImam Ali (PBUH) to the people is the bestpossible deed, because it makes knownto people the authentic source of inquiryfor all righteous deeds. The Prophet(PBUH&HF) stated in the sermon that without

means what is rejected. It refers to what Allah didnot recognize as righteous deeds, and thus,people should avoid them.

52

recognizing Imam Ali (PBUH), there isneither any value nor any effect inenjoining other righteous deeds.

Therefore, it is the duty of all believingmen and women to inform otherMuslims, who are prepared to hear thetruth, about the content of this sermonwithout screening it according topersonal opinion.

What follow are some suggestions tomake the text as well as the meanings ofthis sermon popular in our community:

1-Holding frequent special meetingsfor reciting the Arabic text of thesermon, its translation, and itsexplanation. Seeking nearness toAllah by reminding about the

53

Prophet’s statements on the day ofGhadir, and making such spiritualgatherings as the medium of one’srequests before Allah.

2-Reciting a part of the sermon, even asmall amount, in any generalgathering, and reminding aboutone’s obligation towards it.

3-Holding classes of memorizing thetext of the sermon for the youth,organizing competitions, quizzes,and offering prizes for learning thecontents of the sermon.

4-Presenting the books containing thefull text of the Prophet’s (PBUH&HF)

sermon at Ghadir Khum as gifts tothe family and friends.

5-Making decorative objects, goods,

54

and greeting cards, etc., on which thekey phrases of the sermon arewritten or carved.

6-Developing extracurricular programsin schools for teaching the text of thesermon to the students.

7-Translating the sermon into differentlanguages and publishing them inpapers and on the Internet.

Keeping alive the event and observing itsanniversary

There are many traditions on theimportance of observing the anniversaryof the event of Ghadir Khum. To be brief,only three traditions are partially quotedbelow. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF)

said:

55

اهللا

مرين

ذي أال یوم

ال ھو تي و م

أ عیاد

أ ل

ض

ف

أ م

خ دیر

غ م

تي مأل

ما

عل

الب

ط

يب

أ

بن

خي

أ

صب

فیه ه ذ

تعاىل

تد و ین الد فیه اهللا مل

ذي أال یوم

ال ھو بعدي و من ه

ب ون

دینا م

سال

اإل م هل رضي و

عمة

الن تي فیه م

أ

مت

.أ

“The day of Ghadir Khum is the greatestreligious festival (Eid) of my nation. Itwas the day that Allah, exalted is Hisrememberance, commanded me toappoint my brother, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, asthe guiding banner for my nation, bywhom they will be rightly guided afterme. It was the day in which Allahfinalized religion and fulfilled Hisblessings on my nation and was pleased

56

that Islam be their faith.”1

Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said to one of hiscompanions:

یا

ن الد عمر صیام

یعدل م

خ دیر

غ

م رب...صیام

ک األ

اهللا عید ھو و

عرف و

یوما ال

ھذ يف د تعی و

إال

ط

ق

یا

جل و عز اهللا

ما بعث و

عھدال م ماء الس يف ه امس و عھودحرمته

... امل اهللا ن

تری أ

ك

عل

ل

اهللا و

ال ه

من

حرمة م

عظ

أ

ما ق

ل

خ جل و !عز

اهللا و

اهللا!ال و

!ال

“Fasting on the day of Ghadir isequivalent to fasting throughout theentire age of the world… It is the greatestfestival of Allah. Allah has not sent anyprophet but that he celebrated this day as

1 al-Amali, al-Saduq, p. 125, Hadith 8, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 94, p. 110, Hadith 2.

57

Eid and was aware of its sanctity. It isknown in the heavens as ‘The Day of theFamous Covenant’… You might thinkthat Allah, the mighty and the majestic,has created a day more sacred than that.No, by Allah! No, by Allah! No, byAllah!”1

Imam Ridha (PBUH) said:

ماء الس يف دیر

غال م إن

ال

ع ق یه

ب

أ عن

يب

أ

ين

ث ا ع حد

ض الر

ال

ق

رض األ يف ه

من ھر

ش

... أ

یوم

ا ال

ھذ ل

ض

ف اس

الن عرف و

ل

اهللا و

مر ر

عش

م ل

ک يف

ة

ئ

ال

امل صا

ل ته

قیق

.ات

“Certainly, the day of Ghadir is morefamous in the heavens than in the

1 Tahdhib al-Ahkam, vol. 3, p. 143, Hadith 1; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 95, p. 302, Hadith 2.

58

earth… and by Allah, had people trulyknown the superiority of this day, theangels would have been shaking handswith them ten times a day.”1

Thanking Allah for this greatest blessing

Being grateful to the benefactor for hisfavors is a matter of rational necessity.The wiser the servant, the more gratitudehe expresses in words and actions to hismaster. Allah states in the Holy Quran:

ن

أ

مة

ا مان

قنا ل

آ د

قل رو

ک

ا

إمن

ف ر

ک

من و

هللا ر

ک

اش

محید

ين

غ اهللا إن

ف ر

ف

ک من و سه

ف

.لن

“We indeed bestowed wisdom upon

1 Tahdhib al-Ahkam, vol. 6, p. 24, Hadith 9, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 94, p. 118, Hadith 9.

59

Luqman: ‘Be grateful to Allah.’ Certainly,whoever is grateful does so to the profitof his own soul, but if any is ungrateful,verily Allah is free of all wants and isabundantly praised.”1

In addition, the greater the favor, themore appreciation that is due. Divineguardianship (al-Walaya) is the greatestfavor that Allah has bestowed upon Hiscreation. The more gratitude thatsomeone expresses to Allah by adheringto it, the more benefit he receives from it.On the other hand, the more someonerejects Allah’s mercy, the more he isentitled to His curse, which lies in the


60

absence of His mercy and protection.Allah states:

عذايب إن رمت

ف

ک ئن

ل و م

زیدن

أل

رمت

ک

ش ئندیدل

ش

.ل

“If you are grateful, I will increase your(benefits from My favor); but if you showingratitude, truly My torment is intenseindeed.”1

On the anniversary of the event ofGhadir Khum, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH)

praised and thanked Allah, saying:

ك

ران

ف

غ مد ا

ك

ل

ف

ك

ن

مب

ا داعیك

جبن

أ ا و

عن

ط

أ ا و

عن مس ھم

ا

رسوله

ب و هل

ریك

ش

ال

وح

اهللا

ا ب

آمن صري

امل

یكإل ا و ور د م


61

ا و

ن

موال ة

مواال يف

سول ا الر

بعن ات و اهللا ا داعي

جبن

أ ا و

ن

ق صد

الب

ط

يب

أ

بن

ؤمنني

امل

مري

أ ؤمنني

امل

خي موىل

أ و اهللا عبد

ة

ا و

رب

ک األ

یق د الص و هرسوله

دین و ه ی

ه

ب د ؤی

امل ه

بر

و اهللا

یب

غ عیبة و مه

لعل

ازنا

خ و

اهللا

لدین

ما

عل ني

ب

امل ق ا

ن

إن ھم

ا ه بر يف اھ

ش و قه

ل

خ

اهللا مني

أ و اهللا سر

ا موضع

ا نا ذ

ل فر

اغ

ا ف ا ر

آمن

ف

رب

وا ب

آمن ن

أ ميان

ینادي لإل

عنا منادیا مس

آتنا ما وعدتنا ا و ر برار

األ نا مع

ف

ئاتنا و ا سی

عن ر

ف

ک و

ك

إن قیامةال م زنا

ال و

ورسلك

ك

ن

ا مب

ا یا ر

إن

ف یعاد

امل

لف

ال

ا موىل

ن

ق صد و اه

ن

ق صد و

سول ا الر

بعن ات و

ا داعیك

جبن

أ

فك

طل

ا مع

رن

احش ا و

ینل

ا ما

نول

ف وت

اغ

الط و بت

ا

ا ب

رن

ف

ک و ؤمنني

امل

مونأ

مسل م

هل و ون

موقن ون

مؤمن

ا

إن

ا ف

تن ...ئم

“O Allah! We listened, obeyed, andanswered the caller from You due toYour favor. Thus, praise belongs to You.

62

We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, andtowards Your (reward or punishment) isthe eventual turn.1 We believed in Allah,who is Unique and has no partner,believed in His Messenger, Muhammad,answered the caller of Allah andfollowed the Messenger in adhering toour master, the commander and theguardian of the believers, Ali Ibn AliTalib. He is the servant of Allah, thebrother of His Prophet, the most truthful,His exhaustive argument against Hiscreation, the supporter of His Prophet,and His true and clear religion. He is aflag of the religion of Allah, the treasurerof His (issued) knowledge, the chest of

1 cf., Chapter 2, Verse 285 of the Holy Quran.

63

what is hidden by Allah, the place of Hissecrets, and the trustee of Allah and Hiswitness over His creation.

O Allah! We have heard the call of onecalling (us) to faith, ‘Believe in YourLord,’ thus we have believed. Our Lord!Forgive us our sins, blot out from us ourevil deeds, and take our souls in thecompany of the righteous. Our Lord!Grant us what You promised to usthrough Your messengers, and disgraceus not on the Day of Judgement, for Younever break Your promise.1

Surely it was by Your favor and Yourgrace that we acknowledged the Prophet

1 Chapter 3, Verses 193-194 of the Holy Quran.

64

and the Commander of the Believers(Ali), and disbelieved in al-Jibt and al-Taghut.1 Thus, keep us attached to whatwe have adhered to. Resurrect us withour Imams, for we believe in them, haveconfidence in their (authorities andvirtues), and are submissive before them…”2

1 These two terms refer to the idols that are obeyedagainst Allah, which, in reality, implies they areworshipped instead of Him. According to thetraditions, they refer to the two foremost enemiesof the family of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). Both termshave also been used in Chapter 4, Verses 51 of theQuran. However, the latter term, al-Taghut, hasbeen used in seven more places in the HolyQuran. See for instance: Chapter 2, Verses 256-257, and Chapter 4, Verses 60 and 76.

2 Iqbal al-A'amal, p. 473, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 95, p.299, Hadith #1.

65

Some statistics about the text of thesermon

Here are some statistical facts about thesermon:

- The Prophet (PBUH&HF) explicitlymentioned the name of Imam Ali (PBUH)

in his sermon about forty times besidesmany more instances that he (PBUH&HF)

referred to him by pronoun.- He (PBUH&HF) repeatedly used the

following titles for Imam Ali (PBUH) inthis sermon:

- Wali and Mawla (guardian) fifteentimes.

- Imam (leader) twelve times.- Amir (commander) seven times.- Wasi (executor of the will and deputy

of the affairs) seven times.

66

- Akh (brother) four times.- Khalifa (successor) three times.- Hadi (guide) three times.

- The Prophet explicitly mentioned theword A’imma (Imams), referring to theeleven Imams after Imam Ali (PBUH), ninetimes in his sermon.

- The sermon also refers to over onehundred verses of the Holy Quranconcerning Imam Ali (PBUH) and hisauthority, his followers, and theirenemies.

- The number of sentences categorizedby some important subjects of thesermon is as follows:- Over fifty sentences on the Walaya of

Imam Ali (PBUH).- Twenty sentences about his virtues,

67

yet stressing that it is impossible toenumerate all his virtues in thesermon.

- Twenty-five sentences about thefollowers (Shia) of Imam Ali (PBUH)

and their enemies.- Ten sentences on the Walaya of the

Imams (PBUT) after him.- Twenty sentences specifically about

Imam Mahdi (PBUH), the last divinelyappointed Imam who will establishthe divine government on earth atthe end of time.

- Twelve sentences about theimportance of the Quran, andintroducing Imam Ali (PBUH) and hischildren as its exclusive authorizedinterpreters.

68

- Ten sentences on urging people topledge their fealty to Imam Ali (PBUH)

and the Imams after him from hisoffspring.

69

An overview of the sermon

The text of the Sermon can be dividedinto the following ten major parts:

Part 1: The opening of the sermon isdedicated to praising Allah andregarding Him pure from anyresemblance with His creation. Itincludes great lessons on the Unity ofthe Essence of Allah. In addition, itcontains important informationconcerning His names, attributes,and actions.

Part 2: This part of the speech informsthe listeners of the reasons behinddelivering this sermon. It includesthe revelations that came down tothe Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) justbefore the event, and the divine

70

order concerning what he mustconvey to the people. It also explainsthe reason that the Prophet (PBUH&HF)

has delayed the speech until hereached that place.

Part 3: The Prophet (PBUH&HF) officiallydeclares Allah’s decree regarding theappointment of Imam Ali (PBUH) andthe pure Imams after him. He thenenumerates some of the virtues ofImam Ali (PBUH), his rights, and theduties of people regarding him.

Part 4: The Prophet (PBUH&HF) announcesthat Allah has completed His religionthrough the leadership of Imam Ali(PBUH) and reminds people more abouthis exclusive virtues.

Part 5: The Prophet (PBUH&HF) recites some

71

verses of the Holy Quran concerningthe hypocrites, and states what theyintend to do after him. He advisespeople against violating Allah’scommands and emphasizes thatwhat will happen after him is but atest for people, which willdistinguish the believers from thedisbelievers.

Part 6: The Prophet (PBUH&HF) gives adetailed description of the followersand the enemies of Ahl al-Bait (PBUH),and informs people of the finaldestiny of each, giving references tomany verses of the Holy Quran.

Part 7: To give hope to the believersdespite all the future misconduct ofthe enemies of Allah, the Prophet

72

(PBUH&HF) informs people that justiceand faith will finally prevail, and therighteous will inherit the earth. He(PBUH&HF) dedicates this part of hisspeech to describe Imam al-Mahdi(PBUH) and to confirm his advent as apromise from Allah and His decisivedecree.

Part 8: Reciting some verses of the HolyQuran, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) informspeople that pledging allegiance toImam Ali (PBUH) is, in fact, identical topledging allegiance to Allah, themighty and the majestic.

Part 9: The Prophet (PBUH&HF) emphasizesthat the divine commandmentsincluding the obligatory andprohibited actions will never change

73

in future, and that Imam Ali (PBUH)

and other Imams of his offspring arefully aware of all finalcommandments and their limits.They are the expounders of thereligion and the divinely appointedjudges for any question pertaining toreligion.

Part 10: The Prophet (PBUH&HF) asks peopleto recite the sentences of thecovenant with him. He takes theirverbal oath of allegiance to Imam Ali(PBUH) and other Imams of his family.He also asks people who can reachhim to confirm their oath by shakinghands with him, Ali, al-Hasan, andal-Husain, peace be upon them.

74

Documentation of the sermon

Different pieces of the sermon of theProphet (PBUH&HF) at the pond of Khum arefound separately in many books narratedthrough numerous Shia and Sunniauthorities. However, the most completetext of the sermon that has reached us,which covers most aforementionedpieces, is found in a number of books oftraditions; the most distinguished ofthose which have been preserved to thisdate, is al-Ihtijaj, compiled by Ahmad IbnAli al-Tabarsi, an outstanding Shiascholar who lived in the 5th century AH.

Since various parts of this speech havebeen reported in numerous earlier booksof traditions, the most comprehensivetext available in al-Ihtijaj, is classified as

75

parallel or frequent (Mutawatir). Thus, itshould be relied upon irrespective of itschain of narrators.

Al-Tabarsi has often omitted the chain ofthe narrators of the traditions in his book,because as he stressed, he only narratedtraditions that were famous among theShia traditionists before him. However,due to the importance of the Sermon ofGhadir, al-Tabarsi has quoted the chainof the narrators for this tradition in al-Ihtijaj, which constitutes the followingsound authorities traced back to ImamMuhammad al-Baqir (PBUH), the fifthdivinely appointed Imam of guidanceafter the Prophet (PBUH&HF):

دي بن أيب حرب حدثين السید العامل العابد أ جعفر

76

سیين املرعشي سن ا رضي اهللا عنه قال أخربنا الش أ ا

سن الطوسي رضي اهللا مد بن ا بن الش السعید أيب جعفر

عنه قال أخربين الش السعید الوالد أ جعفر قدس اهللا روحه

مد ھارون بن مو التلعکربي قال أخربين جخاعة عن أيب

مد بن مهام قال أخربنا السوري قال قال أخربنا أ

ن من عباد اهللا مد العلوي من ولد األفطس و أخربنا أ

مد بن ا مد بن مو اهلمداين قال حد ا ني قال حد الصا

ا سیف بن عمرية و صا بن عقبة جخیعا خالد الطیالسي قال حد

رمي عن أيب جعفر مد ا عن قیس بن مسعان عن علقمة بن

.مد بن ع

The detailed sermon, with few minordifferences in wording, has beenreported in the following books as well:

1- al-Yaqin, Sayyid Ibn Tawus (d. 664

77

AH), pp. 343-361, narrated from Imamal-Baqir (PBUH) with the following chainof narrators:

مد ا ا أمحد بن ر حد مد بن أيب ب لطربي قال أخربين

مد سن بن أ بن عبد الرمحن قال حدثين ا

ا مد بن مو اهلمداين قال حد ا الدینوري قال حد

ا سیف بن عمرية عن مد بن خالد الطیالسي قال حد

رمي عن مد ا عقبة عن قیس بن مسعان عن علقمة بن

مد بن ع .أيب جعفر

2- Rawdhat al-Wa’idhin, Muhammad Ibnal-Hasan al-Fattal al-Nishaburi (d.508), part 1, pp. 89-99, narrated fromImam al-Baqir (PBUH), with the chain ofnarrators omitted by the author due toits popularity in the scholastic circles.

78

3- Iqbal al-A’mal, Sayyid Ibn Tawus (d.664 AH), pp. 454-457, narrated fromHudhaifa Ibn Yaman, through theSunni authorities with the followingchain of narrators:

الفو الشیعة ا اعمل أن ما نذ يف ھذا الفصل ما رواه أ

املعتمد عل يف النقل فم ذلك ما رواه ع مصنف کتاب

اق ة ظاھرة با الص املسمی بالنشر و الطي و جعله ا

ة إىل امللك شاه مازندران رسمت العدو و الويل و محل به ن

و :ن رجاهلم فصلبن ملا حضره بالري فقال ف رواه ع

مد بن املھلب أخربنا الشریف أ القاسم عن أمحد بن

ا مد بن بن القاسم الشعراين عن أبیه حد بن

اري عن أيب مرمي عن قیس بن حنان سلمة بن الفضل األ

نعنعن عطیة السعدي ة بن ال .حذ

79

4- al-Tahsin, Sayyid Ibn Tawus (d. 664AH), p. 584, narrated from Zaid IbnArqam, through the Sunni authoritieswith the following chain of narrators:

مد بن عبد اهللا الشیباين قال أخربنا أ جعفر أ املفضل

مد بن جریر الطربي و ھارون بن عیىس بن السکني

ا یز زاز قال حد ا محید بن الربیع ا ید بن البلدي قاال حد

ا الولید بن صا ح بن مبشر قال حد ا ھارون قال حد

.عن ابن امرأة زید بن أرقم و عن زید بن أرقم

Unless otherwise specified in theendnotes and shown by brackets andmarks in the text, the presented Arabictext of the sermon and its Englishtranslation are according to the originaltext of al-Ihtijaj, Ahmad Ibn Ali al-Tabarsi, vol. 1, pp. 56-66, narrated from

80

Imam al-Baqir (PBUH). The phrases withinthe brackets are either the extra phrasesthat only appear in the other booksnamed above, or preferred lexicallyamong different phrases with similarmeanings given in the above-mentioneddocuments.

81

﹜﹫ؤ﹞ـ﹟ ا﹜ـ﹛ ا ا﹜ـ

م

خ دیر

غ م آله) و یه

عل ی اهللا

(صل اهللا رسول

طبة

خ

THE SERMON OF THE MESSENGER OF

ALLAH (PBUH&HF) ON THE DAY OF

GHADIR KHUM

Imam al-Baqir (PBUH) said:

دین

امل ص من اهللا

رسول

ال

ريق

غ ومه

ق

رائع

الش یع جخ

غ

بل د

ق و ة

ه امس جل اهللا إن د م یا ه

ل

ال

ق

ع ف ئیل جرب تاه

أ

ف یة

وال

ال و

ا

ر

ال یائي و

أ من

یا

بض

ق

أ مل

إين

ك

ل

ول

و م

ال الس

ك

رئ

سوال

من

یك

عل ي

د

ق تي و

ید

تأ و

دیين مال

إک بعد

رسلي إال من

ة

ر

ف و

ا ة

ر

ف

ومك

ھما ق

غ

تبل ن

أ تاج

ا مم تان

ر

ف

لك

ذ

مل

إين

ف بعدك من ة

ف

ال

ا و یة

وال

نال

ل و ة

رضي من

أ

ل

خ

أ

ا ومك

ق

غ

تبل ن

أ مرك

یأ ه

اؤ جل اهللا إن

ف

بدا

لیھا أ

خ

أ

و

و

و راف

ط األ و ر

ا

ھل

أ من

یال

سب یهإل اع

استط

من ل

ک

معك

82

عراب واأل

ز و

صال من

م

ما عل ل

مث ھم

من مھم

تعل و

ما

یع جخ من یه

عل ف

وق

ذي أ

ال ال

مث

لك

ذ من ھم

قف

و م صیا

اهللا ادي رسول

ادی من

ن

ف

رائع

الش من

غ

إنبل

ال

أ

اس

الن ص يف

من م

مک

ذي علال ل

مث

لك

ذ من م

مک

یعل ن

أ و

ا یرید

اهللا

رسول

م

ف

وق

ذي أال

ل

مث

لك

ذ من م

قف و م

دین

رائع

ش

ه

ري

غ من یه

.عل

اهللا

رسول رج

روا ما

ظ

لین یه

وا إل

صغ

أ و اس

الن معه رج

خ ص و

ھل

أ ص من

اهللا رسول مع من

غ

بل و

ه

ل

عوا مث

یصن

ف ع

ن

و

أ ان إ

ف

ل

أ سبعني عراب

األ و راف

ط

األ

ھل

أ و ة

دین

یزیدونامل

بیعة

عل

ذ

خ

أ ذینال

فا

ل

أ بعني ع الس

مو اب

أ عدد

و

رسول

ذ

خ

أ

لك

ذ

ک و امري الس و ل

وا ال

ذ

ا وا و

ث

ن

ع ف ھارون

ة

ف

ال

ا

ع ب لعلي

بیعة

ص ال

اهللا

مو اب أ عدد

و

و

ل

مبث

ال

مث و ة

ن

ة

سن امري الس و ل

وا ال

ذ

ا و

بیعة

وا ال

ث

ن

ف

ة

دین

امل و

ة

مک ما بني

یة

ب

ل الت ت

ل

.ا

83

جرب تاه

أ وقف

امل

ص ب اهللا

رسول

ف

ا وق م

ل

یا ف

ال

ق

ف

تعاىل

اهللا

عن ئیل

ك

جل

ا أ

دن د

ق ه

إن

كل

ول

و م

ال الس

ك

رئ

جل و عز اهللا إن د م

اعھد

ف یص

ه

عن

ال و ه

من بد

ما ال

دمك

ا مستق

ن

أ و

تك مد و

ق و عھدك

وم

عل مرياث و

عملال من دك

ما عن

إىل اعمد و

تك وصی م د

آیات من دك

ما عن

یع جخ و ت ا الت و

ح

ال الس و

بلك

ق من یاء

األ

ت

بعدك من

تك

لیف

خ و

ك وصی

مھا إىل

سل

ف یاء

األ

ة

بالغي ال

و ه

اق

میث و

عھ د جد و

ما

عل

اس

للن قمه

أ

ف

الب

ط

يب

أ

بن

قي

ل

خ

ذي وا

اقي ال

میث بیعتي و من

عل ت

ذ

خ

ما أ

ذ و بیعته

تي عاھدتعھدي ال و ه

ب

موىل و

موال ي و ولی یة

وال من

إل

یاء

األ من

یا

بض

ق

أ مل

إين

ف

الب

ط

يب

أ

بن

ة

مؤمن و

مؤمن ل

ک

مع ولیائي و

أ یة

ال نعمتي

ام

إمت و

دیين مال

إک بعد

عدائي وإال

أ اداة

ي ولی

باع ات

قي ب

ل

خ

نعمتي ام

إمت و

دیين حیدي و مال

ک

لك

ذ

م...

اعترونق

مط ي و ی

د م اعة

ط

ب ه

اعترونق

دط م

اعة

ط مع ه

اعين

ط

أ د

ق

ف اعه

ط

أ اعتي من

ط

ب

ما

عل ته

جعل عصاين د

ق

ف عصاه من و

84

من و

فرا

ن

ره

ن

أ من و

مؤمنا ن

ه

عرف قي من

ل

خ بني و

بیين

قیين

ل من و

ة

ن

ا ل

دخ ه

ال

قیين

ل من و

ر

مش ن

بیعته رك

ش

أ

ع

دب جد و

بیعةال

عل

ذ

خ و

ما

عل

علیا د میا قم

أ

ف ار

الن ل

دخ داوته

إ

ك

ض

اب

ق

إين

ف یه

عل ذي وا

ال م

اقي هل

میث وعھدي و يل

دمك

.مستق

ومه

ص ق اهللا

رسول شي

وا و

ق ر

ف

ن

أ اق

ق

الش و اق

ف

الن ھل

أ و

سھم

أ یه

ي عل

و

ط

ملا تن و

عداو من ملا عرف ة جاھلی

یرجعوا إىل

عال ه رب

ل

أ

ن

أ ئیل جرب

ل

سأ و اء

ض

بغال و عداوة

ال ع من لعلي

صمة

اهللا من

اس

الن من عصمة

ال

ع ب ئیل جرب ه

یأ ن

أ ر

تظ

ان و

اس

الن من

ع يف ئیل جرب تاه

أ

ف یف

ا د

م غ

بل ن

أ

إىل

لك

ذ ر

خ

أ

ف ه امس جل

عھ یعھد ن

أ

ب مره

أ

ف یف

ا د

تهم

یأ مل و

اس

للن

ما

عل

علیا مي

و

بني

ممي

غ

ال اع

غ

بل

حىت راد

ذي أال

ب جل و عز

اهللا من عصمةال

ب

اهللا

قبل من فیه تاه

ذي أ

ال

ب مره

أ

ف ئیل جرب تاه

أ

ف ة

دین

امل و

ة

تهمک

یأ

مل و

ال و ين ذ

ی ن

ومي أ

ق

ىش

خ

أ

إين ئیل یا جرب

ال

ق

ف عصمة

ال

ب

85

ة

ث

ال

ث

ب ة

ف ا بل

ق م

خ دیر

غ

غ

ا بل م

ل

ف رحل

ف

يف ويل

وا ق

بل

ساعات

س

مخ

ئیل جرب تاه

أ میال

وأ جر الز

ب ھار

الن من ت

مض

ك

رئ جل و عز اهللا إن د م

یا

ال

ق

ف

اس

الن من عصمةال و تھار

االن

يف

ك رب من

یك

إل

زل

ن

ما أ

غ

بل

سول ا الر

یا أ

كل

ول

و م

ال الس

إن او و تهرسال ت

غ

ما بل

ف عل

مل

اس

الن من

یعصمك .هللا

من س

ب و

م م د

من یرد ن

أ مره

أ

ف ة

ف منا

ا ر

ق ھم

وائل

أ ن

و

عل

علیا لیقمي ان

امل

لك

ذ يف

ع ر

خ

تأ

زل

ن

ما أ ھم

غ

ل و

اس

للن

ما

مر

أ

ف

اس

الن من عصمه د

ق جل و عز اهللا ن

أ ه رب

خ

أ ع و

يف اهللا

اس

الن ادي يف

ین

ادیا

من

عصمة

ال ما جاءت د

ص عن

اهللا

رسول

ی و

جامعة ة

ال الص

ی ب ت و

ع ر

خ

تأ من س

ب و

م م د

من رد

عن ئیل جرب

لك

ذ

ب مره

أ دیر

غ

ال د

م

ب

جن

إىل

ریق

الط ني

مي عن

ن

ص أ اهللا

رسول مر

أ

ف مات

سل

وضع

امل يف و ه امس عز

ما اهللا م

اجع رت

ف

اس

الن

رف

لیش

رب

ن

امل ھیئة

ک ار

أ ه

ل صب

ین و تھن

رسول ام

ق

ف ون

یزال

ال ان

امل

لك

ذ يف

واخر

أ س

احتب و اس

الن

86

اهللا د مح مث ار

األ

ك

تل

وق

ص ف

الاهللا

ق

ف یه

عل ىن

ث

أ ...و

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) intendedto leave Medina to perform pilgrimagehaving already conveyed all thecommandments to his community exceptfor the pilgrimage and the guardianship(of the nation) (al-Walaya).

Thus, Gabriel (PBUH) came to him saying,“O Muhammad! Surely, Allah, majestic isHis name, offers peace to you, and tellsyou, ‘Verily, I have not taken the soul ofany of my prophets or messengers exceptafter completing My religion andaffirming My proof.1 Of the

1 “The proof of Allah” (Hujjat Allah) is one whomAllah has placed among His creation as His most←

87

commandments, two obligatory dutiesstill remain which you need to convey toyour nation: namely, (the details of) theduty of performing pilgrimage, and theduty of (people in) acknowledging theguardianship (of the believers) andfollowing your successor after you.Certainly, I have never left nor shall Iever leave My earth empty of a proof.’

Therefore, Allah, majestic is His praise,commands you to perform pilgrimagealong with everyone who is capable ofattending from the dwellers of the citiesand suburbs as well as the Bedouins.Teach them the pilgrimage as you taught

evident sign in his time, who completes Hisarguments against people by His authority.

88

them the prayers, the purification tax,and fasting. Make them aware of its(details) as you made them aware ofother religious obligations.”

Thus, the announcer of the Messenger ofAllah (PBUH&HF) informed people that he(PBUH&HF) intended to go on pilgrimageand to teach them this religiousobligation. (Because of hisannouncement,) the number of peoplefrom the inhabitants of Medina and itssuburbs as well as (other) Arabs whowent on pilgrimage along with theMessenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) was in excessof 70,000 —this is equivalent to thenumber of people from whom Moses(PBUH) took pledge of allegiance for Aaron(PBUH), but they later chose the calf (for

89

worship) and the Samiri.1 Likewise, theMessenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) took thepledge of allegiance from this number ofpeople for Ali (PBUH), but they later broketheir pledge and chose the calf and theSamiri of their time (as their leaders),following exactly the custom of theirpredecessors — Repeating the words ofcompliance with the call of Allah (al-Talbiya), the Prophet (PBUH&HF) traveledfrom Mecca to Medina and performedthe rituals of pilgrimage.

When he was in the stopping place (al-

1 Sameri was a hypocrite who deceived the folk ofProphet Moses (PBUH) during his leave, and madethem worship a gold calf instead of Allah. cf. theHoly Quran, Chapter 20, Verses 83-97.

90

Mina), the Angel Gabriel brought him amessage from Allah, the most High,saying, “O Muhammad! Your Lord, themighty and the majestic, greets you andstates, ‘Indeed, your inevitable time (ofdeparture) has approached; thus, fulfillyour obligation; make your will earlier;entrust what is with you of knowledge,the heritage of the early prophets interms of knowledge and signs, theweapon, and the chest1 to the executor ofyour will and your successor, who is Myfar reaching proof over My creation andMy exhaustive argument against them,Ali Ibn Abi Talib (PBUH).

1 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 2, Verse 248.

91

Raise him as a guiding flag for people,remind and renew people’s covenant andpledge about adhering to the authorizedrepresentative1 of Mine and the master ofevery believing man and woman, Ali IbnAbi Talib (PBUH). Verily, I have never takenthe soul of any of the prophets exceptafter perfecting My religion, and

1 The term “Wali-Allah” is translated as “authorizedrepresentative” or “authorized friend”throughout the text. It refers to an individual whois authorized by Allah over people, who exercisesauthority on behalf of Allah and according to Hiscommand, and is the guardian of the believers.Thus, obeying him means obeying Allah anddisobeying him means disobeying Allah.Naturally, this lofty position only befits those whoare free of mistake by Allah’s protection, and areabsolutely obedient to Allah. See later explanationthe term “divine protection” in the footnotes.

92

completing My bounty by means ofrequiring adherence to My authorizedfriends and enmity against My enemies.

As such, the pinnacle of monotheism,faith in My religion, and completion ofMy blessings over My creation is(achieved only) through following Ali,whose obedience is joint to the obedienceof Muhammad (PBUH&HF), My Prophet, aswell as My obedience. Anyone whoobeys him has indeed obeyed Me, andanyone who disobeys him has indeeddisobeyed Me. I have placed him as a(distinguishing) flag amongst Mycreation so that whoever recognizes himis a believer, whoever denies him is adisbeliever, and whoever associatesanyone in pledge with him is a polytheist

93

(in obedience of Allah). One who meetsMe (on the Day of Judgement) havingaccepted him as his guardian shall enterParadise, and one who meets me havingenmity of him shall enter the Fire. Hence,O Muhammad, raise him as the banner(of truth), remind and renew people’scovenant and pledge that you havealready taken (informally in severaloccasions), for I shall soon take yoursoul.’”

Because what he (PBUH&HF) knew of theinner enmity and hatred of thehypocrites and the dissenters against Ali(PBUH), the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF)

was concerned about them lest (uponconveying this message) they disperse(people) and return them to the days of

94

ignorance. Thus, he requested AngelGabriel to ask his Lord for protectionfrom the evil deign of people, and waitedto receive this protection for deliveringthe message.

Similarly, when the Prophet (PBUH&HF)

reached the Khif mosque as well as thetime the Prophet (PBUH&HF) reached Kuraaal-Ghamim after leaving Mecca forMedina, Gabriel came to him bringingthe same order without givingprotection. The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said, “OGabriel, I am afraid that my people willreject me and will not accept my sayingconcerning Ali (PBUH).”

Once they reached the pond of Khum,three miles before Juhfa, it was five hours

95

past sunrise. At that moment, Gabrieldescended upon him again with anadmonition and a guarantee ofprotection from the evil of people,saying, “O Muhammad! Surely, Allah,the mighty and the majestic, conveysgreetings to you and states, ‘OMessenger! Deliver what has been sentdown to you from your Lord—regardingAli (PBUH)—and if you do not, you havenot conveyed His message at all, andAllah shall protect you from (evil)people.’”1

By that time, the front end of the caravanhad already reached Juhfa. Thereupon,


96

the Prophet (PBUH&HF) sent for all peoplewho were ahead to return, and waiteduntil those who were behind reached thepond. Then he (PBUH&HF) called for groupprayer.

There were some trees in that place. TheMessenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) ordered (hiscompanions) to clean up the place underthe trees and gather the rocks and putthem in one place in the form of a pulpitto overlook the crowd. Then, theMessenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) stood overthose rocks, and gave the followingsermon:

97

Part 1: Praising Allah and regarding Himpure

﹞ه ﹡﹥ و ا﹜︐﹫ ﹜﹥: 1︗ء

ذيال

هللا مد ا

ح

يف

،عال

Praise belongs to Allah Who is exaltedabove (all the creation) in His Oneness,1

ده ر

ا يف

دن ،و

and is near (to His creation) in Hisloneliness.2

1 While He is matchless and thus cannot becompared with His creation by the term “beingabove”, He is exalted.

2 While nothing is beside Him, He is close toeveryone.

98

ط

سل يف جل ،انهو

Sublime is His authority,

نهر

أ يف م

عظ ،و

and great are the pillars1 of His (names).

ي

ش ل

ب

حاط

أ و

ما

عل انه،ء

مک يف ھو ،و

His knowledge encompasses everythingwhile He is lofty in status.2

1 According to the traditions, Allah has createdtwelve pillars out of His three major names. Thesepillars are, in turn, the foundations of 120 namesof Allah. cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 112, Hadith 1.

2 This means that Allah does not need to move intothe places of the objects to encompass them inknowledge. It can be proven by reason that Allahhas no place, for He is the creator of place. Hedoes not need His creation, and He was eternallyexistent before any of His creation. Imam al-Ridha←

99

ق

ل

یعا جخ ھر

ق درتهو

ھانه .و

He subdues all the creation through Hispower and evidence.

مح

یزل مل

،یدا

یزال

ال

مودا

،

He has always been praiseworthy andshall always be praised.

(PBUH) said, “… Certainly, Allah formed the quality,and thus He is without quality. He positioned theplace, and thus He is without place.” (al-Tawhid,p. 125, Hadith 3; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 4, p. 143,Hadith 13). Therefore, the word “Makan”, in thesermon, refers to “Makanah” or “Manzilah”, whichmeans lofty position in terms of importance andmagnificence, and not physical place. Implyingthe same meaning, one may possibly return thepronoun in the second sentence to “everything”instead of Allah. Then, the phrase is translated as:“His knowledge encompasses everything whileeverything is in its own place.”

100

]،

الیزول

یدا

و

[He is the glorified Whose glory has noend.

وو

مبدئا

،معیدا

He begins and repeats (the creation),1

یعود یهإل مر

أ ل

ک ■.]و

and to Him all affairs are returned.]■2

تبسمو

امل

،ارئ

He is the maker of what has beenelevated (i.e., heavens),

1 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 30, Verse 11.2 For the explanation of the marks after the

brackets, see the beginning of the endnotes.

101

ات دحو

داحي امل ،و

the expander of what has been spreadout (i.e., the earth),

ار جب و و ماواتاألرضني .الس

and the dominator of the planets and theheavens.

وح سب وس د

،ق

وح الر و ة

ئ

ال

امل .رب

He is holy and exalted above allpurifications, the Lord of the angels and

the spirit.

ه

برأ من

یع جخ

ل

ض

.متف

He grants to all that He created.

أ من

یع جخ

ل و

متط

أ

.ه

He prolongs His grace to all that Heoriginated.

102

عني ل

ک

ظ

تراه،ی

ال عیونال .و

He sees all eyes, and eyes do not seeHim.

اة

ن

و أ

ذ حلمي

مي

.

He is generous, forbearing, and patient.

ي

ش ل

ک وسع د

تهق رمح ،ء

He made His mercy encompasseverything,1

عمته

عل من .و

and He favored them by His grace.

امه

تق

ان

ب ل

ی ،ال

He does not hasten His revenge,


103

وا

ق ا اس

مب

إل ادر ال هو

اب

عذ .من

nor does He take the initiative on what(He knows) they deserve of His

punishment.

رائر الس ھم

ف د

،ق

He comprehends the secrets,

مائر

الض عمل .و

and knows what the hearts conceal.

ات

ون

ن

امل یه

عل

ف

مل ،و

Hidden things are not concealed fromHim,

ات فی

یها

عل تبھت

اش

ال .و

nor do they make Him doubtful.

104

ي

ش ل

ب

ة

حاط

اإل ه

ي،ءل

ش ل

ک

بة

ل

غ

ال ،ءو

He encompasses (in knowledge) anddominates everything,

ي

ش ل

ک يف

ة و

قال ي،ءو

ش ل

ک

درة

ق

ال .ءو

and has strength and power overeverything.

و هیسل

ل

يمث

ھو،ءش يو

الش شئ

يمن

ش

ال حني .ءء

Nothing is like Him1, and He is theestablisher of “the thing” when it was

nothing.

دائم

ين

قسط♦و][غال

ب ائم

،ق

He is everlasting [and free of need]♦, whoacts justly;


105

مي

عزیزاال ھو

إال .ال إله

there is no god but He, the mighty, thewise.1

بصار األ ه

تدرک ن

أ عن بصار،جل

األ یدرك ھو ھو،و و

ري

ب

ا طیف

.ا

He is exalted beyond being grasped byvisions, while He grasps all visions, andHe is subtle, well aware (of all things).2

1 cf. Chapter 3, Verse 18 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Chapter 6, Verse 103 of the Holy Quran. The

word "visions" mentioned in this verse is notlimited to seeing by eyes. It covers all types ofvision and perception as it is used in a plural formin the verse. Under the commentary of this verse,Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said: “Verily, thinking orimagination of the mind is greater than the visionof the eyes. Thus, (the verse means) minds can not←

106

ة

معاین من ه

وصف حد

أ ق

ی و،ال سر من ھو

یف

ک حد

أ د

ال و

نیة

سه،عال جل و عز

ا دل

مب

إال

None can reach His description by seeingHim, nor can anyone find out how He is,secretly or openly, and (He is not known)except by what Allah, the mighty and the

majestic, has made as the signs ofHimself.1

reach Him, and He reaches to all minds.” (al-Kafi,vol. 1, p. 98, Hadith #10; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 4, p.39, Hadith #16).

1 The recognition of Allah for us is only throughHis signs, not by grasping His Essence. Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said, “Anything that is known by itself(i.e., by the comprehension of its essence) is acreated thing.” Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) also said,“Allah is recognized by the signs and is proven bythe indications.” Furthermore, Imam al-Baqir (PBUH)

said, “Allah is not recognized by analogy←

107

ه

ن

أ

ب ھد

ش

أ ذياهللاودسهال

ق ھر الد

،مأل

I testify that He is Allah, Whose holinessoverspreads all ages,

ذال رهو

بد

األ

ىش

،ي یغ

Whose light overwhelms perpetuity1,

مره

أ

ذ

ف

ذي ینال و

مشري اورة

مش

ال

،ب

Who enforces His command without

(between the creations), nor is He perceived bysenses, nor does He resemble people. He isintroduced by signs and is recognized by marks.”See: al-Tawhid, p. 35, Hadith 2, p. 47, Hadith 9, andp. 108, Hadith 5, respectively.

1 It refers to what Allah sustains in the Hereafterforever. This cannot be compared to His Eternity,as He has no similarity whatsoever with Hiscreation, including His light, which is the light ofthe Prophet (PBUH&HF) and His family (Ahl al-Bait(PBUT)).

108

consulting an advisor.

دیر

يف

ریك

ش معه

ال و

ري

تدب يف اوت

ال .و

There is no partner with Him in (His)planning, nor is there any discrepancy in

(His) management.

ب

ما أ ر التصو

مث

ري

غ

،دع

He shaped whatever He originatedwithout a preexisting model,

ل

ت

ال و حد

أ من ة

معون

ال

ب ق

ل

ما خ ق

ل

خ احتیالو

ال و .ف

and created whatever He created withoutgetting assistance from anyone,

burdening Himself, or having any needto find out a solution.

ت

ان

ھا ف

أ

ت،أ

بان

ھا ف

برأ .و

He originated it (in His will), thus it came

109

into being, and He formed it (in Hisintention), thus it became distinct.1

ذيال اهللا ھو

ھوف

إال ه

إل

،ال

So, He is Allah, the One that there is nogod but He,

نیعة الص سن عةا

ن الص تقن

.امل

Who is proficient in skill, and beautiful inaction.

ور

ذي الال

عدل

مور،ال

األ یه

إل ذي ترجع

ال م

األ و

He is the just Who never oppresses, andthe most generous to Whom all affairs

1 For the explanation of the will and the intention ofAllah towards His creation, see al-Tawhid, p. 334,Hadith 9; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 5, p. 102, Hadith 27.

110

are referred.1

ه

ن

أ ھد

ش

أ [و ذي■]اهللايال

ش ل

ک ع

اض

ل متهء

ل،عظ

ک

ل

ذ و

ي

تهش لعز ،ء

I further testify that He is [Allah]■ thatbefore His magnificence everything islowly, before His might everything is

humble,

ي

ش ل

ک استسمل درتهو

لق ي،ء

ش ل

ک ع

ض

خ تهو ی هل .ء

before His power everything surrenders,and before His awe everything yields.

ك

مال األ

كملك

ال

ف

األ

ك

ل

مف ،و

He is the king of all domains, the turnerof the heavenly bodies in their orbits,


111

مر

قال و

مس

الش ر

م ر،و ل

یک مسم

جل

ي أل

the dominator of the sun and the moon,each of which pursues its course to an

appointed time.

یل

الل

ھار

الن ر و

ی و ھار

الن

یل

الل ر و

به، ی

ل

یط

ثا حث

He makes night overtake day, and dayovertake night, (each one) seeking the

other rapidly1.

عنید ار جب ل

ک اصم

مرید،ق ان

یط

ش ل

ک

لك .و

He is the destroyer of every stubborntyrant, and the annihilator of every

rebellious Satan.

1 cf. verses 39:5 and 7:54 of the Holy Quran.

112

ند

ال و ضد معه ن

ی .مل

Neither has there been any opposingpower beside Him, nor any peer.

صمد حد

د،أل

مل و یلد حد،مل

أ

وا

ف

ک ه

ل ن

ی

مل .و

He is Unique and impenetrable.1 Henever begets nor is He begotten, andnone can ever be a match for Him.2

وا هماجد،حدإل رب یمضي،و

ف اء

ضي،

یق

ف یرید ،و

یعمل و

ي ی

،ف

He is the only God, the glorious Lord,

1 Allah is impenetrable (al-Samad) meaning thatthere is no way to comprehend His Essence. Onthe meaning of al-Samad, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said,“It means the One that there is no entry in Him.”(Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 82, p. 53).

2 cf. Chapter 112 of the Holy Quran.

113

Who wills, and thus carries out, Whointends, and thus decrees, Who knows,

and thus takes into account.

ي

ی و یت

مي يو،و

و

ك

و

ين

یغ و قر

و[، یدين و

صي

یعط،♦] و ع

ن مي .یو

He causes death and gives life. Heimpoverishes and enriches.1 He makes(men) laugh and makes (them) weep.2

[He brings near and drives away.]♦ Hedenies and grants.

مد ها

ول

ك

ل

امل ه

،ل

ھو و ري

ا

ی

يب

ش ل

دیرک

ق .ء

For Him is sovereignty, so is praise. InHis hand is all goodness, and He is

1 cf. Chapter 39, Verse 52 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Chapter 53, Verses 43-44 of the Holy Quran.

114

powerful to do everything.1

ھار

الن يف یل

الل

ا، يف ھار

الن

و

یل

عزیز،للال ھو

إال ال إله

ار

ف

غ.ال

He lets night enter the day, and day enternight;2 there is no god but He, the

mighty, the oft-forgiving.

عاء الد یب

اء،

عط

ال

زل

،و

اس

ي األ

،

ا رب وو ة

ن

اس

.الن

He is the responder to supplication,open-handed in granting, the enumerator

of breaths, and the Lord of the Jinn andthe humans.

1 cf. Chapter 64, Verse 1, and Chapter 3, Verse 26 ofthe Holy Quran.


115

ي

ش یه

عل کل

ستصرخنيو،ءال

امل

صراخ ره

،ال

ال و

ني امل اح

إ مه

،یرب

Neither does anything bring difficulty forHim, nor does the cry of those who

appeal for help annoy Him, nor does theinsistence of those who insist exhaust

Him or force Him to assent.

ني ا ص عاصمق،ال

وف

امل نيو

مف

،

He (is Who) protected the righteous, andgave success to the prosperous.

ؤمنني

امل

موىل ني،و

عاملال رب ،و

He is the guardian of the faithful, and theLord of the worlds,

ره

ک

ن

أ ق

ل

خ من ل

ک من ق ذي اس

ال

م

[و ل

حالک

Who deserves that all His creations thank

116

Him and praise Him [in any situation. مح

رهوأ

ک

ش

اء■]أ ر

الض و اء ر الس

اء،

خ الر و

الش و

I (therefore) praise Him and thank Him]■

in joy and sorrow, and in hardship andcomfort.

رسله و ه

تب

ک و ته

ئ

ال

مب و ه

ب ومن

أ

I believe in Him, His angels, His books,and His messengers.

طیع

أ و مره

أ ع مس

اه،أ

ما یرض ل

ک

إىل بادر

أ اه،و

ض

ملا ق ستسمل

أ ،و

اعته

ط يف

بة

و،رغ

خ وبتهو

عق من

،فا

I listen to His command, obey Him,proceed towards whatever pleases Him,and submit to what He decreed, longing

for His obedience and fearing His

117

punishment,1

ذيال اهللا ه

ن

رهأل

مک یؤمن

جوره،ال اف

ال .و

for He is Allah against Whose schemesno one should feel secure, nor should

anyone be in fear of injustice from Him.

1 This phrase, among many other pieces ofevidence from the Quran and the traditions,proves that, despite some unfounded claims, eventhe best human beings were obeying Allah whilefearful of His punishment, though their majorgoal in worship was to thank Allah for Hisblessings. See also Verses 76:7, 76:10, 6:15, 7:205,10:15, 13:21, 14:14, 24:37, and 32:16 of the HolyQuran concerning the fear of Allah’s best servantsfrom His punishment.

118

Part 2: Preparation for delivering animportant commandment from Allah

ا﹜︐﹞﹫ ﹖﹑غ أ﹝ إ﹜﹩ ﹨م: 2︗ء ال

سي ب

ه

ل قر

ةأ ،عبودی

أ ھو

ةش ی

ب الر

ب ه

ل .د

I confess before Him that submissivenessbefits my soul, and I bear witness that

Lordship befits Him.

ه

من

يب ل

ف عل

ف

أ

ال ن

أ من

را

حذ وحی إيل

ي ما أ د

ؤ

أ و

ارعة

،ق

I convey what He revealed to me, lestshould I not do it, He may make lawful

that a calamity befalls me;

ته

حیل مت

عظ إن و حد

أ

عھا عين

یدف

تهو[ال

ل

خ ت

ه،■]صفإل

ال

ھو

إال

that which no one can turn away from

119

me even if he has great schemes [andsincere friendship]■, (for) there is no god

but He.

إيل

زل

ن

ما أ

غ

بل

أ

مل إن

ين

أ

مين

عل

أ د

ق ه

نيف[أل

ما ♦]حق

ف

تهرسال ت

غ

،بل

He has informed me that if I do notconvey what He has revealed to me

[about Ali’s right]♦, (it is as if) I have notconveyed His message at all.

عصمة

ال

تعاىل و تبارك يل

م

ض د

ق [و

اس

الن ،♦]من اهللا ھو و

رمي

ال ايف

.ال

Certainly, He, the most holy, the mosthigh, has guaranteed for me protection[from the (evil of) people]♦, and He is

Allah, Who is sufficient and bountiful.

120

وحی إيل

أ

: ف

حمي الر

ن مح الر

اهللا

م ،

زل

ن

ما أ

غ

بل

سول ا الر

یا أ

ك رب من

یكيف-إل

ةيفیعين

ف

ال

يلعلا

يب

أ

بن

ط

و-الب

تهرسال ت

غ

ما بل

ف عل

مل ،إن

اس

الن من

یعصمك اهللا .و

Thus, He revealed to me (this verse): “Inthe name of Allah, the compassionate,

the merciful. O Messenger! Deliver whathas been sent down to you from your

Lord—regarding Ali Ibn Abi Talib andhis leadership—and if you do not, youhave not conveyed His message at all,and Allah shall protect you from (evil)

people.”1

زل

ن

ما أ

تبلیغ يف رت ص

، ما ق

اس

الن تعمعاشر اىلاهللا

ا ،إيل

ن

أ و


121

سبب م

ل

زولمبني

یةن

اآل .ھذه

O people! I have never been neglectful ofconveying what Allah, the exalted, sentdown to me, and I shall now explain toyou the reason behind the revelation of

this verse.

ئ جرب إن

ريب

م

ال الس

عن مرين

یأ

ثا

ال

ث

مرارا إيل

ھبط ھو-یل و

م

ال سود- الس

أ و بیض

أ ل

ک عمل

أ

ف ھد

ش

ا امل

ھذ يف وم

ق

أ ن

،أ

Verily, Gabriel came down to me threetimes giving the order of my Lord, Whois the security (of the believers)1, that Ishould stand in this scene and inform

everyone, white and black, that:

1 cf. al-Tafsir, Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, vol. 2, p360, under the commentary of Chapter 59, Verse23 of the Holy Quran.

122

خيأ

أ

الب

ط

يب

أ بن

تين

لیف

خ ي و وصی [و

ت م

و♦ي]أ

بعدي من مام

،اإل

Ali Ibn Abi Talib is my brother, mydeputy and the executor of (my affairs)(Wasi), my successor [over my nation]♦

(Khalifa), and the leader (Imam) after me,

بعدي

يب

ن

ال ه

ن

أ

إال

مو من ھارون ل مين ه

ل

ذي .ال

whose position to me is like that ofAaron to Moses except that there shall be

no prophet after me,

رسوله و اهللا بعد م

ولی ھو .و

and that he is your guardian (Wali) afterAllah and His messenger.

ه

کتاب من

آیة

لك

ذ

ب تعاىل و تبارك اهللا

زل

ن

أ د

ق :و

Indeed, Allah, the most holy, the most

123

high, had (already) sent down to me averse from His book about this, saying,

و

الة الص یمون

ذینوا ال

آمن ذین

ال و ه

رسول و اهللا م

ا ولی

إمن

راکعون

و

ة الز ن

.یؤ

“Only your guardian is Allah and Hismessenger and those of the believers

who establish the prayers and pay thecharity while they bow down.”1

1 Chapter 5, Verse 55 of the Holy Quran. Notice thatin this verse, Allah does not use the plural form ofguardian (Wali), and He states that only yourWali is Allah, Prophet Muhammad, and ImamAli. This implies that, at least for us, the Walaya ofImam Ali (PBUH) is the same as (rather defined as)the Walaya of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF), whichin turn, is defined as the Walaya of Allah. Hence,when Allah states in Chapter 32, Verse 4 of theHoly Quran that there is no Wali other than Him←

124

الب

ط

يب

أ بن

ذي[وھو♦]ال و

ة

الز

آيت و

ة

ال الص ام

ق

أ

و،راکع عز اهللا حالیرید ل

ک يف .جل

Ali Ibn Abi Talib [was the one who]♦ keptalive prayers and paid charity while

bowing down in ruku’. He intends (the

(min dun Allah), this does not exclude whom Heassigned as Wali. Alternatively, we can say thatthere is no Wali other than those whose authorityis from Allah (min Allah). In this connection,Imam Ali (PBUH), said, “... Allah made them (i.e. Ahlal-Bait) His authorized representatives, anddefined their Walaya as His Walaya and theirparty as His party and said, ‘As to those who turnto the Walaya of Allah, His Messenger, and thebelievers,- it is the party of Allah that mostcertainly triumphs.’ (5:56) He also said, ‘Onlyyour guardian (Wali) is Allah, His Messenger, andthe believers who establish prayers and givecharity while they are bowing.’ (5:55).” (al-Tafsir,al-Nu'mani, as quoted in Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 66, p.80, and vol. 90, p. 55).

125

pleasure of) Allah, the mighty and themajestic, in all situations.

تعفي ن

أ ئیل جرب ت

ل

سأ الم]ا[يلو ♦لس

لك

ذ

تبلیغ عن

م

یاس-إل

ا الن

- أ

I asked Gabriel to plead to Allah, [(Whois) the security (of the believers),]♦ to

excuse me from conveying it to you, Opeople,

ق ت

امل ة

ل مي

افق،نيلعل

ن

امل ة

ک مثنيإو،نيو

اآل ال

،دغ

تل

خ و

م

سال

اإل

ب ستھزءین

،امل

due to my knowledge on the fewness ofthe pious, the numerousness of thehypocrites,1 the corruption and the

1 The Holy Quran confirms that the majority ofpeople are disbelievers (cf. 13:1, 16:83, 17:89, 26:8,←

126

treachery of the sinful, and the trickery ofthose who ridicule Islam,

ه

کتاب يف اهللا ھم

وصف ذینيفال یس

ما ل

سنل

أ

ب ون

ول

أ

ب

و

ل

عظمي،ق اهللا د

عن ھو و

نا ھی ه

سبون

.و

those whom Allah described in His bookas: “They say with their tongues what is

not in their hearts,”1 taking it lightly,while it is a grave matter in the sight of

Allah,2

ة مر ري

غ يل

ا

ذ

أ ة ک ،و

نا

ذ

أ وين مس

،حىت

لك

ذ

ک

ين

زعموا أ و

30:8), wicked (6:116, 5:49, 5:100), ungrateful (2:243,7:10, 23:78, 27:73, 34:13), and consequently, willabide in Hell (7:179).

1 Chapter 48, Verse 11 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Chapter 24, Verse 15 of the Holy Quran.

127

یه

عل بايل

إق و اي إی زمته

مال ة ،ل

and due to their annoying me on manyoccasions, so much so that they called me

(all) “ear”, claiming I am so because ofAli’s frequent attendance in my presence

and my attention to him,

لك

ذ يف جل و عز اهللا

زل

ن

أ

:حىت

until Allah, the mighty and the majestic,sent down (the following verse) in this

regard:

يب

الن ون

یؤذ ذینال

نوم

ذ

أ ھو ونول

.و

“And of them are some who annoy theProphet and say: He is an ear (for

accepting what he hears, particularlyfrom Ali).

128

ن

ذ

أ ل

ن(ق

ذ

أ ه

ن

أ یزعمون ذینال

م)

ل

ري

،خ

اهللا

ب یؤمن

مؤمننيو

میؤمن

وا من

آمن ذین

ة رمح ون،و

یؤذ ذینال و

لمي

أ عذاب م هل

اهللا

.رسول

Say: One whom you call ‘ear’ is best foryou; He believes in Allah, safeguards thebelievers, and is a mercy for those of youwho believe. And for those who harm the

messenger of Allah, there shall be apainful torment.”1

یت سمل م ا

مس

أ

ب

لك

ذ

ب ائلني

قال ي مس

أ ن

أ شئت و

ل ومئ،و

أ ن

أ و

ت

ومأ أل

عیا

أ

ب

ت،إل

لدل

ل

عل

دل

أ ن

أ .و

Had I wished to name those who havecalled me so, to point out towards them,


129

or to lead to them by their signs, I wouldhave done so.

يف اهللا و

ين

ل و

مور

متأ ر

ت د

.ق

Yet, by Allah, I have indeed dealt withtheir affairs magnanimously.

مين ی اهللا

یرض

ال

لك

ذ ل

ک و

إيل اهللا

زل

ن

ما أ

غ

بل

أ ن

أ

يف[إال

.♦]حق

Nevertheless, Allah is not satisfied withme until I convey what He has sent down

to me [regarding the right of Ali.]♦”

ص

تال :مث

سول ا الر

،یا أ

ك رب من

یكإل

زل

ن

ما أ

غ

-بل

-يف

تهرسال ت

غ

ما بل

ف عل

مل إن ،و

الن من

یعصمك اهللا و

.اس

Then, the Prophet (PBUH) recited (again thefollowing verse):

“O Messenger! Deliver what has been

130

sent down to you from your Lord—withregard to Ali—and if you do not, you

will not have conveyed His message atall, and Allah shall protect you from

(evil) people.”1


131

Part 3: Open declaration of the leadershipof Ali Ibn Abi Talib (PBUH) and the Imams

after him

و ا﹔﹞﹤ ) ع(︵﹜ أ﹩ إ︻﹑ن إ﹝﹝﹤ ︻﹙﹩ ﹟ : 3︗ء ﹝﹟ ︺ه ︗ا

و

ولیا م

ل به د

ق اهللا ن

، أ

اس

الن موا معاشر

اعل

ف

،إماما

O people! Know that Allah has assignedhim (i.e., Ali) as a guardian and a leader

for you,

اعته

ط

ة

ض رت

ارمف

األ و ھاجرین

امل

عني،

اب الت

و

إحسان

،ب

whose obedience is obligatory for theimmigrants, the helpers, and those who

follow (them) in goodness,

اضر بادي وا

ال

،و

عريب

ال و مي

األ

و،و ر

وا

132

وك

مل

،امل

and for everyone, whether nomad or cityresident, Arab or non-Arab, free or slave,

ال و

غري الص و

ري

سود،ب

األ و بیض

األ

ل،و

ک

و

د .موح

young or old, white or black, and forevery monotheist.

مه

ح ه،ماضول

ق مره،جائز

أ

افذ

،ن

His (i.e., Ali’s) decree is to be carried out,his saying is sanctioned (as law), and his

command is effective.

ه

فال

خ من عون

عه،مل

تب من همؤمن،مرحوم

ق صد .من

Cursed is whoever opposes him, blessedwith mercy is whoever follows him,

faithful is whoever acknowledges his

133

(virtues and rights).

ر

ف

غ د

ق

وف هل هاهللا

ل اع

ط

أ و ه

من ع مس .ملن

Indeed, Allah has covered him and thosewho listen to him and obey him with

mercy and forgiveness.

ھد

ش

ا امل

ھذ يف ومه

ق

أ

ام

مق آخر ه

، إن

اس

الن ،معاشر

O people! This is the last stand I make inthis gathering;

رب مرادوا أل

ا طیعوا و

أ عوا و امس

.ف

Thus, listen, obey, and submit to thecommand of your Lord,

موال ھو جل و عز اهللا إن

ف

،

[مثم♦ه]رسول

ولی د م ائم

ق

ال

مامل

ل اطب

،

for Allah, the mighty and the majestic, isyour master, then [His Messenger]♦,

134

Muhammad, who is now addressingyou, is your master.

م ولی

بعدي من مث

رب اهللا مر

أ

ب

إمام ،و

Then, after me, Ali is your master andyour leader by the command of Allah,

your Lord.

مث

م

إىل ول ي من

ر

ذ يف

مامة

هاإلرسول و اهللا ون

ق

.تل

Then, leadership shall be in my progeny,within his offspring, until the Day you

meet Allah and His Messenger.

اهللا ه

حل

ما أ

إال

ل

حال

و[ال هرسول و

[♦،

Nothing is lawful except what Allahdeclared so (in His book), [as well as HisMessenger, and them (i.e., the Imams)]♦,

135

اهللا مه ما حر

إال حرام

ال ه[ورسول وو

[♦.

and nothing is unlawful except Allahdeclared so (in His book), [as well as His

Messenger, and them]♦,

رامو وا

ل

ال

ا

ين

ف عر جل و عز ،اهللا

(for) Allah, the mighty and the majestic,has informed me of the permissible and

the forbidden things,

ريب

مين

ا عل

مب یت

ض

ف

ا أ

ن

أ یهوإل حرامه و له

حال و ه

کتاب .من

and I have made known to him (i.e., Ali)what my Lord has taught me of His

Book, the permissible, and the forbiddenthings.

ال معاشر

عمل ، ما من

اس

يفن اهللا حصاه

أ د

ق و

،إال

O people! There is no knowledge exceptthat Allah has kept its account in (the

136

heart of) me,

قني ت

امل

إمام يف حصیته

أ د

ق

ف مت

عل

عمل ل

ک .و

and I have recorded the details of all theknowledge that I was taught, in (theheart of) the leader of the pious, (Ali

(PBUH)).

ني

ب

امل مام

اإل ھو و

علیا مته

عل د

ق و

إال

عمل ما من ذ[وهيال

ذ

یيفاهللا سورة ل

ک حصیس: و

أ يفء مبنيناه

♦]إمام

Certainly, there is no knowledge exceptthat I have taught it to Ali, and he is theevident Imam [whom Allah mentions inthe Chapter of Yasin: “... And We havekept the detailed account of everything

137

in an evident Imam.”1]♦

همعاش

وا عن

تضل

، ال

اس

الن ه،ر

فروا من

تن

ال وا ،و

ف

تن ال و

ه وال .من

O people! Do not stray from him, norshould you flee from him, nor shouldyou refuse his guardianship and his

authority,

ا

دي إىل ذي

ال ھو

هف

ب یعمل و ھی ،ق

ین و باطل

ال یزھق و

ئم

ال

ومة

ل

اهللا يف ه

ذ

خ

تأ

ال و ه

عن

for he is the one who guides to truth andacts upon it, and crushes falsehood andproscribes it, accepting no blame, in the

path of Allah, from any blamer.


138

رسوله و اهللا

ب آمن من

ل و

أ ه

سه،إن

ف

اهللا

دی رسول

ذي فال .و

He is the first to believe in Allah and inHis Messenger; and he is the one who

offered his life as a sacrifice for theMessenger of Allah.

مرته[

أ

يفعن ینام ن

أ يلاهللا

فادیا عل

ف

عی، ف

سهم

ف

[♦.

[ I commanded him, on behalf of Allah,to sleep in my bed, and he did it to

sacrifice himself for me.1]♦

1 This refers to the night of migration of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) from Mecca to Medina, when the pagansrushed to kill the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in his bedovernight, but they found Imam Ali (PBUH) sleepingin place of him.

139

اهللا رسول مع ن

ذي

ال رو مع اهللا یعبد حد

أ

ال منهسولو

ه ري

غ جال .الر

He was with the Messenger of Allahwhen no one among men worshipped

Allah in the company of His Messengerother than him.

،

اس

الن معاشر اهللا ه

ل

ض

ف د

ق

ف وه

ل

ض

،ف اهللا به د

ق

ف وه

بل

اق ،و

O people! Prefer him (over all others), forAllah has indeed preferred him, and turn

to him, for Allah has indeed appointedhim (as your guide).

اهللا من إمام ه

، إن

اس

الن ر،معاشر

ن

أ حد

أ

اهللا وب ن

ل و

نل و ه

هوالل فر

،یغ

O people! He is an Imam authorized byAllah, and Allah shall never turn toanyone (in mercy) who denies his

140

authority, nor shall He ever forgive him;

فیه مره

أ

فال

خ ن

مب

لك

ذ عل

ن

أ

اهللا

،ح

یعذ ن

أ بهو

را

ن

ابا

عذ

اآل بد

ھورابأ الد دھر و ،د

this is a decisive decree by Allah that Heshall do so to anyone who opposes Hiscommand about him, and shall torment

him with the most painful torment,which lasts forever and ever.

روا أ

احذ

وف

الف

تصهن

اسف

ودھا الن

وق

ارا

وا ن

تل عد

أ

ارة

وا

افرین

.

Hence, beware lest you oppose him, andthus, arrive at a fire whose fuel is people

and stones, prepared for the

141

disbelievers.1

اس

ا الن ،أ

اهللا و

ويب ني ی

الن من ونل و

األ ر

رسلني

.امل

O people! By Allah, all early prophetsand messengers have given the glad

tiding of my advent.

رسلني

امل و یاء

األ امت

ا خ

ن

أ من،و وقني

ل

امل

یع جخ

ة

وا

رضنيأ األ و ماوات الس

.ھل

I am the seal of the prophets and themessengers, and the proof (of Allah) overall the creatures, of the inhabitants of the

heavens and the earths.

وىل األ ة اھلی

را

ف

ک فر

ھو

ف

لك

ذ يف

ك

ش

م

.ف

He who doubts this, is indeed a


142

disbeliever, with the disbelief of the earlyera of ignorance.

ي

ش يف

ك

ش من او

ھذ ويل

ق من م،ء ل

ک يف

ك

ش د

ق

،ف إىل

زل

ن

ا أ

And he who doubts anything of what Ihave said this (day), has doubted all that

has been revealed to me.

يفو[

ك

ش ئومن األ من يفاحد

ك

ش د

ق

ف ة م

م ل

، ♦]ال

فوالش اك

ا يفین

.ارالن

[And anyone who doubts any of theImams, has doubted them all]♦, and

anyone who doubts us, shall be in theFire.

عز اهللا

، حباين

اس

الن وومعاشر ه

من

ا

من ة

ضیل

ف

ال ذه

جل

إيل ه

من

،إحسانا

O people! Allah, the mighty and the

143

majestic, has bestowed this virtue uponme out of His kindness and His grace.

ال ھوو

إال ه

اھرین،إل الد دھر و دین

ب

اآل بد

أ

مين مد

هاو،ل

حال ل

ک

.

And there is no god but He. My praise isfor Him forever and ever, and in all

circumstances.

وا علیا

ل

ض

، ف

اس

الن معاشر

ف

أ ه

إن

بعديف

اس

الن ل

وض

ذ من

ی

مأ

زل

ن

قا أ

ل

يا

و

زق الر .اهللا

O people! Prefer Ali (over all others), forhe is the best of the people, men or

women, after me so long as Allah sendsdown His sustenance and (and so long

as) the creation exists.

رد من وب

ض

مغ وب

ض

مغ عون

مل عون

مل مل ا و

ھذ ويل

ق

144

ه

افق

Under curse and again under curse,under wrath and again under wrath, ishe who rejects this saying of mine and

does not does not agree with it.

ال

:إأ

ول

و

لك

ذ

ب

تعاىل اهللا

عن ين رب

خ ئیل جرب ن

Certainly, Gabriel has informed me ofthis from Allah, the most high, Who also

said:

هول

مل و

عادی علیا من

يب

ض

غ تي و

عنل یه

عل

.ف

“Anyone who bears enmity against Aliand refuses his authority, for him shall be

My curse and My wrath.”

145

د

لغ مت د

ما ق س

ر

ظ

تن

ل

وه،ف

الف

ن

أ وا اهللا

ا بعدو دم

ق

تزل

ف

ا بو

ون،ث

مبا تعمل ري

ب

خ اهللا .إن

Thus, every soul should look to what hehas sent forth for the morrow. Be

watchful of (your duty towards) Allahlest you should oppose Him and (your)foot should slip after its stability. Verily,Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that

you do. 1

اس

الن معاشر

ذي ذ

ال

اهللا ب

جن ه

، إنه

کتاب ،يف

O people! He (i.e., Ali) is “the side ofAllah”2 that is mentioned in Allah’s

1 cf. Verses 59:18 and 16:94 of the Holy Quran.2 Side is used to express extreme nearness. One’s

side is the closest thing to an individual. Imam Ali(PBUH) is called the “side” of Allah because he got←

146

Book.

ق

تف

عال

س: اىل

ول

ن

یا حسريتأ

ت

ط ر

ما ف

ب

جن يف

.اهللا

He, the exalted, says, “Lest a soul should(then) say: ‘Ah! Woe onto me that Iabused and neglected (my duties

towards) the side of Allah.’”1

“close” to Him through obedience so much so thathe became the criterion of nearness to Allah andHis recognition. In this manner, nearness to ImamAli (PBUH) indicates nearness to Allah, neglecting hisright indicates neglecting Allah's right, forsakinghim indicates forsaking Allah, and recognizinghim in one's heart indicates recognizing Allah.


147

رآن

قروا ال ، تدب

اس

الن ھموا آیاتهمعاشر

اف ،و

روا إىل

ظ

ان و

ه

ا

عوا متش

ب

ال و ماته

.

O people! Reflect on the Quran andcomprehend its verses. Look into its clearverses and do not follow its ambiguous

parts,1

1 Allah states in Chapter 3, Verse 7 of the HolyQuran: “It is Him Who has sent down to you theBook, within which are some clear verses that arethe foundation of the Book, and other verses thatare ambiguous. But, those in whose hearts isperversity follow the part thereof that isambiguous, seeking enticement and attraction (ofpeople towards their own views), and searchingfor its hidden meaning. But, no one knows itsinterpretation except Allah and those who arefirmly grounded in knowledge…” According tothe traditions, “those who are firmly grounded inknowledge” refers exclusively to the Prophet(PBUH&HF) and his family (Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)). cf. al-Kafi,←

148

ذي ال

إال سريه

م

ل

ال و زواجره م

ل

ني نل

اهللا و

ف

إيل

مصع و ی

ب

ا آخذ

ن

أ

عض

ب ائل

ش ر[و یدو

ب ،♦]يافعه

for by Allah, none shall be able to explainto you its warnings and its mysteries,1

vol. 1, p. 213, Hadiths 1, 2, and 3, Kitab Sulaim IbnQais al-Hilali, p. 771, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 33, p.155, also vol. 23, p. 198, Hadith 31, p. 201, Hadith40, and p. 202, Hadith 46. Moreover, the Prophet(PBUH&HF) has confirmed this exclusive right for theImams (PBUT) in the next sentence of the sermon byswearing in the name of Allah.

1 The word Zawajir has a number of meanings. Thefirst meaning that applies here is “warnings”. TheHoly Quran has hidden warnings that only anImam (PBUH) can show them to people, and peoplecannot personally derive those divine prohibitionsfrom the apparent meaning of the Quranic verses.The second meaning is “deterrents”, which refersto the difficult points in the Quran that deterindividuals from understanding their meanings.Only a divinely guided Imam can explain these←

149

nor shall anyone clarify its interpretation,other than the one that I have grasped his

hand, brought up beside myself, [andlifted his arm,]♦

ه

موال

ا

ھذ

ف ه

موال ت

ن

ک من ن

أ م

معلمک و

the one about whom I inform you thatwhomever I am his master, this Ali is his

master;

الب

ط

يب

أ بن

ھو يو وصی خي و

،أاهللا من ته

مواال وو عز

ا

زهل

ن

أ .جل

and he is Ali Ibn Abi Talib, my brother,the executor of my (will), whose

appointment as (your) guardian andleader has been sent down to me from

complex issues and mysteries.

150

Allah, the mighty and the majestic.

،

اس

الن تار[معاشر

إين

ني

ل

ق

الث م

فی ن،كما ل

مت

ذ

خ

أ إن

وا

،§]تضل

O people! [Indeed, I am leaving amongstyou two weighty and precious things

that if you adhere to both, you will nevergo astray.]§

ديول من ني

ب ی

الط و

علیا إن

ق

الث

ر

صغ

األ ل،ل

ق

الث رآن

ق

ال و

رب

ک ،األ

Verily, Ali and the pure ones among myoffspring are the lesser weight, and the

Quran is the greater weight.

واحد ل

ک ھما[و

ه♦]منل موافق و ه

صاحب عن ئ

ب

ا ،من

ق

رت

نل

وضحىت

ا .یردا

Each one [of the two]♦ informs about the

151

other and agrees with it. They shall neverpart until they return to me at the Pool

(of al-Kawthar on the Day of Judgement).

قه

ل

خ يف اهللا اء

من

أ

إ

ال

هأ

ماؤ

ح رضهو

أ .يف

Behold! They (i.e., the Ahl al-Bait (PBUT))are the trustees of Allah amongst His

creation, and His people of wisdom onHis earth.”

عه

رف

ف

عض

ی

ب رب

ض ومث

ال

:ق

Thereafter, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH&HF)

took the upper arm of Imam Ali (PBUH) byhis hand, raised it, and said:

]

اا

م؟ ق

سک

ا من

وىل ب

ا اس، من

ه.الن

و رسول هللا

الوا: ا

[“O people! Who has more priority overyou than yourself?” People said: “Allah

and His messenger.”

152

:

قال

ف

نال مأ

موال ت

ن

هک

ھذا

ف

هه،موال

واال من وال ھم

وا

عاداه من روعاد وا ره

ه.منل

ذ

خ من

ل

ذ

*]اخ

Then, he (PBUH&HF) said: “Behold!Whosoever I am his master, this Ali is hismaster. O Allah! Stay firm in supportingthose who stay firm in following him, behostile to those who are hostile to him,help those who help him, and forsake

those who forsake him.]*

،

اس

الن يمعاشر وصی خي و

أ

ا

تي ھذ

لیف

خ مي و

واعي عل و

أ

یه

اعي إل الد و جل و عز

اهللا کتاب

سري

تي و .م

O people! This Ali is my brother, theexecutor of my (affairs), the container ofmy knowledge, my successor over mynation, and over the interpretation the

Book of Allah, the mighty and the

153

majestic, and the true inviter to its(implications).

و اعته

ط

وايل

امل و عدائهأل ارب

احمل و اه

ا یرض

مب عامل

ال و

معصیته اھي عن

.الن

He is the one who acts according to whatpleases Him, fights His enemies, causesto adhere to His obedience, and advises

against His disobedience.

اهللا رسول

ة

لیف

خ ه

اتلإن

ق ادي و

اهل مام

اإل و ؤمنني

امل مري

أ و

اسطني

قال و ثني ا

ارقنيالن

امل .و

Surely, He is the successor of theMessenger of Allah, the commander of

the believers, the guiding Imam, and thekiller of the oath breakers, the

transgressors, and the apostates.

154

ول

ق

أ

اهللا مر

أ

دي،بل

ول

ق

ال

ل د ،ما

I speak by the authority of Allah. Theword with me shall not be changed.1

ول

ق

أ

ريب مر

أ

:ب

I say with the command of Allah:

ه

واال من وال ھم

ا

O Allah! Be the guardian of him whoadheres to him.

عاداه من عاد و

Be the enemy of him who bears enmityagainst him.


155

من عنال رهو

ن

أ

Curse him who rejects him.

ه

حق د من

ب

ض

اغ .و

Be wrathful towards him who denies hisright.

یت د

أ د

ق و

ال

ت،أ

غ

بل د

ق و

ال

عت،أ مس

أ د

ق و

ال

د،أ

ق و

ال

أ

ت و

،أ

Indeed, I have now fulfilled (my duty).Indeed, I have now conveyed (the

Message). Indeed, I have now made(you) hear (it). Indeed, I have now

clarified (it).

ال

ق جل و عز اهللا إن و

ال

جلأ و عز اهللا

عن ت

ل

ا ق

ن

أ .و

Indeed, Allah, the mighty and themajestic, so said, and so did I on His

156

behalf.

ا

خي ھذ

أ ري

غ ؤمنني

امل مري

أ یسل ه

إن

ال

ؤمنني،أ

امل

إمرة ل

ال و

ه

ري

غ حد.بعدي أل

Indeed, there is no commander for thefaithful save this brother of mine, and itis not permissible to call anyone other

than him with the title of “theCommander of the Believers” after my

departure.1

1 In the traditions, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and Imams(PBUT) have stressed that Amir al-Mu’minin is theexclusive title of Imam Ali (PBUH), and it is not at allpermissible to call other Imams (PBUT) with this titleeven though they were commanding thebelievers. Moreover, the traditions specify twomeanings for this title. The first meaning of Amiris “the commander”, which comes from the root←

157

Amara ( م

یأمر-رأ ). The word Imra (إمرة) that the

Prophet (PBUH&HF) used in the above phrase of thesermon also comes from this root, and has thesame meaning. Refer also to another narrationfrom the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37,p. 294, Hadith 9 for the meaning of Amir in thissense. The second meaning of Amir given in thetraditions is “the supplier” or “the supplies”,which comes from the root Mira ( ري-مري

مي ). The

word Amir al-Mu’minin in this sense is interpretedas “the supplier of divine knowledge for thebelievers.” The Prophet (PBUH&HF) has entrustedImam Ali (PBUH) with the divine knowledge. Then,all other creations, from the first to the last,receive their share of divine knowledge throughthe light of Imam Ali (PBUH). It has been narratedthat Imam Ridha (PBUH) was asked, “Why is Ali (PBUH)

called Amir al-Mu’minin?” He (PBUH) answered,“Because he provides them (i.e., the believers)with knowledge. Haven’t you heard (a word withthe same root) in the Book of Allah, ‘and we providefor our family (namiru ahlanaa)’ (12:65)?” (al-Kafi,vol. 1, p. 412, Hadith 3). For more tradition in this←

158

Part 4: Announcing the perfection ofreligion due to Ali’s appointment andreminding the People of his virtues

ـ﹟ : 4︗ء و ذ﹋ ) ع(﹠ ︻﹙﹩ إ︻﹑ن إ﹋﹞ل ا﹜﹤﹚︱﹁︰︺

تزل

ن

أ

ك

إن ھم

يف[ا

یة

اآل

د

عن

ك ولی

ذ یني و

لك

ك

ب

هل :إیاه

یوما ال

□]ذ

O Allah! (I testify that) You did senddown [this verse regarding Ali, Your

authorized representative, at the time ofthe explanation of his authority and

appointment today:]□

regard, see Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 294, Hadith8, p. 295, Hadith 11, and p. 334.

159

دا م

ل ت

مل

أ یوم

مل

نعمتوین م

ی

عل مت

مت

ويأ

دینا سالم

اإل م

ل .رضیت

“This day, I perfected your religion foryou, completed My favor upon you, and

was satisfied that Islam be yourreligion.”1

تو

ل

:ق

یبتغ من هو

من بل

ن

ل

ف

دینا

سالم

اإل ري

يف،غ ھو و

اسرین

منا خرة

.اآل

You (also) said, “If anyone desires areligion other than Islam (submission toWalaya of Ali), never shall it be acceptedfrom him, and in the Hereafter, he shall


160

be one of the losers.”1

ت

غ

بل د

ق

ين

أ ھدك

ش

أ

إين ھم

.ا

O Allah! I implore You to witness that Ihave conveyed (Your message).

ا أ

، إمن

اس

الن معاشر اهللا مل

إمامته

ب م

دین جل و ،عز

O people! Allah, the mighty and themajestic, has indeed perfected your

religion through his (i.e., Ali’s)leadership.

ن

مب و ه

ب مت

یأ

ملم

ديف

ول من امه

مق وم

ه

ب

صل من

م

إىل

1 Chapter 3, Verse 85 of the Holy Quran. On thecommentary of this verse, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH)

said, “It means: he who does not submit to ourWalaya.” (al-Manaqib, vol. 4, p. 283; Bihar al-Anwar,vol. 23, p. 358, Hadith #12).

161

قیامةجلال و عز

اهللا

عرضال ،و

Thus, whoever does not follow hisexample and the example of those of mychildren from his loins who will take hisposition until the Day of Judgement—

when deeds are presented before Allah,the mighty and the majestic—

ولئك

أ

ذینف

مال

عماهل

أ ت

ط

خالدونحب

ار

الن يف .و

they are the ones whose deeds becomevain and fruitless, and they shall be in

Hellfire forever.1

عذابال

ع

ف

ف

رال

ظ

ین

ال .ونو

“Their torment shall not be lightened,


162

nor shall it be postponed.” 1

ا

، ھذ

اس

الن معاشر

يب م

حق

أ و يل

ر

وأ إيل

رب

ق

أ و

عز

.أ

O people! This is Ali, who has been mygreatest aid, the most worthy of you

before me, the closest in relation with me,and the dearest to me amongst you (all).

راضیان ه

ا عن

ن

أ و جل و عز اهللا .و

Both Allah, the mighty and the majestic,and I are pleased with him.

یو

رض

آیة تزل

[ما ن

ال رآنيف

فیه♦]ق

،إال

No verse [in the Quran]♦ has been sentdown expressing (Allah’s) pleasure


163

except that (in its absolute sense) it isabout him,

ذینال اهللا ب

اط

ما خ هو

ب

بدأ

وا إال

،آمن

nor has Allah addressed with honor“those who believe” but that He meant

him first,

مدح

آیة ت

زل

ن

ال فیهو

إال رآن

ق

ال ،يف

nor has any verse of praise been revealedin the Quran but that it is in his honor,

ة

ن

ا

ب اهللا ھد

ش

ال يتو

أ ھل يف

إال ان

اإل

ها يفل

زهل

ن

أ

ال و

هسواه ري

ا غ

مدح

ال .و

nor did Allah testify Paradise in (thechapter starting with) “Has not passed

164

over man a long period of time”1 but forhim, nor did He reveal it for other than

1 Referring to Chapter 76, Verses 7-22 of the HolyQuran: “They perform (their) vows, and they feara Day whose evil shall be widespread. They feed,for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, andthe captive, (saying), ‘We feed you for the sake ofAllah alone; no reward do we desire from you,nor thanks. We fear a Day of severity and distress.But, Allah has kept away from them the evil ofthat Day, and has offered them radiance and(blissful) Joy. And for what they observedpatience, He has rewarded them with a Gardenand (garments of) silk …”

مستطريا ه ر

ش ن

ما ون

اف

و ر

ذ

الن

ب ون

ف ،

عام

الط عمون

یط و

سريا

أ و

و

مسکینا ه م، حب

من رید

ال ن اهللا لوجه م

عمک

ط

ا ن

إمن

ورا

ک

ال ش و ،جزاء

ریرا

مط

ق

عبوسا

ما ا ر من اف

ا

، إن اهللا

وقا

ف

سرورا و

رة

ض

ن

ا

ق

ل و

یوم

ال

ذلك ر

وو، ش

ة

وا جن مبا صرب

جزا

...حریرا

165

him, nor did He mean to praise by it savehim.

،

اس

الن معاشراهللا

دین اصر

ن ھو

اهللا رسول عن

ادل

ا .و

O people! He is the patron of the religionof Allah, and the one who argues on

behalf of the Messenger of Allah.

قي

الن قي الت ھو ادو اهل ھديو

.ي امل

He is the pious, the pure, the guide, andthe rightly guided.

يب

ن ري

خ م ی

وصي ري

خ م وصی وصیاءو

األ ري

خ وه

و

Your prophet is the best prophet, theexecutor (of my will) over you is the bestexecutor and deputy, and his sons are the

best deputies.

166

،

اس

الن همعاشر

ب

صل من

يب

ن ل

ک

ة ی ر

،ذ

ب

صل ي من ر

ذ .و

O people! The progeny of every prophetwas from his own loins whereas my

progeny is from the loins of Ali.

سدم ا

ب ة

ن

منا آدم رج

خ

أ إبلیس ، إن

اس

الن ،عاشر

O people! Surely, Iblis (the greater Satan)caused Adam to be dismissed from the

garden through envy.

م

عمال

أ

بط ف سدوه

ال

ف

دام

ق

أ

تزل .و

Thus, do not envy him or your deedsshall be nullified and your feet shall slip,

ھو و

واح یئة

رض األ

إىل

ط

ھب

أ آدم إن

وف عز

اهللا

وة

صف،جل

Verily, Adam was sent down to earthonly because of one mistake, while he

167

was the elite of Allah, the mighty and themajestic.

ب

یف

ک و

مت

ن

أ مت

ن

أ و

اهللا عداء

أ م

من .و

How, then, will be your condition, andyou are what you really are, and among

you are the enemies of Allah?

علی غض ال ه

إن

ال

قيأ

ش

إال

،ا

ال يايلو إال

،علیا

ال و

لص

مؤمن

إال ه

ب .یؤمن

Indeed, none hates Ali but a wretchedperson, none keeps himself attached toAli but a pious person, and none has

faith in his (virtues) but a sincerebeliever.

و

يف

اهللا عصروال

سورة ت

زل

:ن

And in the honor of Ali, by Allah, wasthe Chapter of al-Asr (Ch. 103) revealed:

168

حمي الر

محن الر

اهللا

م سر،

في خ

ل ان

اإل إن عصر

ال ،و

“In the name of Allah, thecompassionate, the merciful. By the Time

(of rising)!1 Most surely man is in loss,

ات ا وا الص

عمل وا و

آمن ذینال

ق،إال

ا

اصوا ب

اصوا و

و

رب الص

.ب

except those who believe, do righteousdeeds, and enjoin on each other the truth,

and enjoin on each other patience andconstancy.” 2

1 The time in this verse, as Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH)

commented, refers to the time of rising of Imamal-Mahdi (PBUH). cf. Kamal al-Din, p. 656, Hadith 1.

2 Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) interpreted these verses asfollows: “Most surely man is in loss, except those whobelieve in the guardianship (Walaya) of the←

169

أ د

، ق

اس

الن تيستمعاشر

رسال م

ت

غ

بل و اهللا ھدت

.ش

O people! I have sought Allah to be mywitness and have conveyed my

communication to you,

سول الر

ما و

نيإال

ب

امل

بالغ.ال

“and the messenger is only obligated to

Commander of the Believers (PBUH), do righteousdeeds, i.e., perform the religious duties, and enjoinon each other the truth, i.e., al-Walaya (accepting theleadership and guardianship of Ali (PBUH)), andenjoin on each other patience and constancy, i.e., urgetheir progeny and their next generation to it andto observe patience in that path.” (Bihar al-Anwar,vol. 24, p. 215, Hadith 4).

في خ

ل ان

اإل وا إن

عمل ع و ؤمنني

امل

مري

أ یة

ال

وا

آمن ذین

ال

إال سر

اصوا

و یة

والال

ب ي

أ ق

ا

اصوا ب

و رائض

ف

وا ال د

أ ي

أ ات ا الص

بعد وا من

ف

ل

خ من و رار

وا ذ وص ي

أ

رب الص

یھاب

عل

رب الص

ب .ا و

170

convey clearly.”1

،

اس

الن اتهمعاشر حق وا اهللا

،ا

مت

ن

أ و

إال وتن ال مت و

.مسلمون

O people! “Be cautious of (your dutiestowards) Allah, the caution that He

deserves, and do not die except in thestate of submission.”2

1 Chapter 24, Verse 54 of the Holy Quran.2 Chapter 3, Verse 102 of the Holy Quran. Since one

does not know his time of death, this verseimplies that one should always be in the state ofsubmission.

171

Part 5: Referring to the aims of thehypocrites

ا﹖رة إ﹜﹪ ﹝﹆ ا﹜﹞﹠﹁﹆﹫﹟: 5︗ء

معه

زل

ن

ذي أال ور

الن و رسوله و

اهللا

وا ب

، آمن

اس

الن ،معاشر

O people! Believe in Allah and HisMessenger and the light that was sent

down with him,1

ھا د

ف

وجوھا مس

ط

ن ن

أ

بل

ق دبارھامن

وأ

ا أ

عنما ل

ک

ع

ل

ن

بت الس اب

.أ

“before We alter faces then turn them on

1 cf. Chapter 64, Verse 8, and Chapter 7, Verse 157of the Holy Quran. The light mentioned in theseverses has been interpreted as the 12 Imams (PBUT).cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 194, Hadiths 1-4. The Prophet(PBUH&HF) also emphasizes this in the sermon shortlylater.

172

their backs or curse them as We cursedthe Sabbath breakers.”1

]

ايب

أ من

وما

ق

إال یة

اآل ذه

ما عىن مباهللا مسا

أ

ب ھم

عرف

أ

، و

ا

وأ

ع

ح

ف الص

ب مرت

أ د

♦.]ق

[By Allah! No one is intended by this(latter) verse except a certain group ofmy companions whom I know by their

names and their lineage, yet, I have beenordered to ignore them.2]♦

1 Chapter 4, Verse 47 of the Holy Quran.2 The Prophet (PBUH&HF) was not supposed to penalize

people based on what he knew of their futureactions. He only warned them, informed them ofthe consequences of such actions, and advisedpeople against the wrongdoers, in general. Afterall, this world is the place of trial, in whicheveryone may choose between the path of Allah←

173

وك

مسل يف جل و عز اهللا من ور

، الن

اس

الن ،معاشر

يف ،مث

مث امل

ائم

ق

ال

إىل ه

من

سل

الن ليف

ب و اهللا ق

ذ

خ

ذي یأال ھدي

ا

نل ھو .حق

O people! The light (created) by Allah,the mighty and the majestic, has been

placed in me, then in Ali, and then in hisselect descendants up to al-Qa’im al-

Mahdi 1, who shall re-establish the rightof Allah as well as all our rights,

and all other divergent paths, and thus provewhat he deserves of reward and punishment inthe Hereafter.

1 al-Qai’m means one who shall stand (to establishthe kingdom of Allah on earth). al-Mahdi meansthe rightly guided. These are the titles of thetwelfth divinely appointed Imam, who is aliveand waiting for the command of Allah.

174

و عاندین

امل و رین ص

ق

امل

ة

ا

ن

جعل د

ق جل و عز اهللا نأل

یع جخ من ني

اصب

غ

ال و ني امل

الظ و مثني

اآل و ائنني

وا الفني

امل

عامل.نيال

because Allah, the mighty and themajestic, has made us (His) exhaustive

argument against the neglectful, thestubborn, the dissenters, the treacherous,

the sinful, the unjust, and the usurpersfrom all worlds.

،

اس

الن معاشر

ين

أ

ذر

ن

أاهللا

بلي،رسول

ق من ت

ل

خ د

ق

سل ،الر

O people! I warn you that I am theMessenger of Allah. There have beenmessengers before me who came and

passed away.

175

ت

تل

ق و

أ مت إن

ف

أ

بمت

ل

ا

عقاب

؟أ

Then, should I die or be killed, will youturn back on your heels?

لب

ق

ین من عقبیهو

یئا

ش اهللا ر

ن

ل

،ف زي اهللا

س و

ین ا

رین[الش

■.]الصاب

And whoever turns back on his heelsshall not harm Allah in the least, andAllah shall soon reward the grateful

[who observe patience.]■1

ر

ک

الش و

رب الص

ب وصوف

امل ھو

علیا إن و

ال

دي ،أول بع من

مث

ه

ب

صل .من

Behold! Ali is surely the one describedwith patience and gratitude, so are after


176

him my offspring from his loins.

،

اس

الن ممعاشر

ی

عل

ط ی

ف

م

إسال اهللا

وا

ن

مت

ال

عن من عذاب

ب م

یصیب

رصادف

امل

بل ه

.إن

O people! Do not think that you aredoing a favor to Allah by accepting Islamlest His wrath should descend upon you,

and lest He should afflict you with Hispunishment; surely He is ever-watching.1

،

اس

الن ونمعاشر

سی ه

ارإن

الن

إىل یدعون

ة ئم

بعدي أ ،من

صرون

ال ین قیامةال م .و

O people! There shall soon be leadersafter me who shall invite (people) to theFire, and on the Day of Judgement they


177

shall not be helped.1

،

اس

الن معاشر م ان ا بر

ن

أ و اهللا .إن

O people! Indeed, Allah and I are bothclear of them.

،

اس

الن یاعھممعاشر

ش

أ و تباعھم

أ و

ار أ و

ركإ الد يف

ار

الن من

ل

سف یناأل

رب

ت

وی امل

مث ئس

ب

ل .و

O people! They, their supporters, theirfollowers, and their adherents shall be in

the lowest depths of the Fire; and evil,indeed, is the abode of the arrogant.2

ة

یف ال اب

أ

إ

ال

ته،أ

یف

يف

حد

أ ر

ظ

ین

ل

.ف

Know that these are, indeed, the People

1 cf. Chapter 28, Verse 41 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. verses 4:145 and 39:72 of the Holy Quran.

178

of the Sheet;1 so, let each one of you lookinto his own sheet (of deeds)!”

)

ذ

ف

ال

ةق

یف ال مر

أ

م

شرذمة

إال

اس

الن

).ھب

(Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH), herestates that except for a small band (whothemselves were the People of the Sheet)

most people did not comprehend theissue of sheet).

1 By “the sheet”, the Prophet was referring to “thefirst cursed covenant sheet” that five leading menamongst the hypocrites secretly wrote and signedbeside the Ka’ba during the Prophet’s farewellpilgrimage. They took an oath among themselvesthat they must never let the family of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) come into power after his departure. cf.Kitab Sulaim Ibn Qais al-Hilali, pp. 597, 650, and820.

179

،

اس

الن معاشر

ة

وراث و

دعھا إمامة

أ

قیامةإينال

م

إىل

عقيب .يف

O people! I leave the authority after meas Imamate (leadership) inherited in myoffspring until the Day of Judgement.

تبل

ب مرت

ما أ ت

غ

بل د

ق و

ائب

غ و حاضر ل

ک

ة

،یغه

و

ھد

ش ن مم حد

أ ل

ھدک

مل و

د،أل

مل و

أ .ولد

Certainly, I just conveyed what I havebeen ordered to convey as an argument

against everyone, be him present orabsent, a direct witness or not, and

already born or not yet born.

ائب

غال اضر

ا

غ

یبل

ل

دفول

ال والد

ال قیامةو

ال

م

.إىل

Hence, everyone who is present shouldconvey (this sermon) to those who are

absent, every parent should convey it tohis/her children, (and they should

180

continue to do so) until the Day ofJudgement.

ا

و

عل

س و

ا

مل

تصابا

اغ ني.و

اصب

غال اهللا عن

ل

ال

وأ

ني

تصب

غ

.امل

But, (I have been informed that) somepeople shall replace this (divinely-assigned leadership) with kingdom

through usurpation. May Allah curse theusurpers and dispossessors,

رغ

ف

دھا سن

عن النو

ق

الث ه ی

أ م

.ل

And then, “We will soon settle youraffairs, O the two weights.” 1

1 Chapter 55, Verse 31 of the Holy Quran.According to the traditions, the “two weights” inthis verse refers to the Quran and Ahl al-Bait (PBUT).←

181

ماو

ی

عل منیرسل

واظ

اسش

و تصراننار

ال تن

.ف

And (also), “on you O the two (greatestenemies) shall be launched a flame of fire

and a (flash of) molten brass, thus youshall never prevail.” 1

ن

ی مل جل و عز اهللا ، إن

اس

الن رلمعاشر

یذ

مت

ن

ما أ

یه

،عل

O people! Without doubt, Allah, themighty and the majestic, does not leave

you in the state you are now,

ب ی

الط من

ث

ب

یزا

مي

،حىت

یب

غ

ال

لع

لیط اهللا ن ما .و

until He separates the evil from the good

cf., al-Tafsir, Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, vol. 2, p.345, Ta’wil al-Ayat al-Dhahira, p. 616.


182

ones. Nor does He make you acquaintedwith (the knowledge of) the unseen.1

ریة

ق ما من ه

، إن

اس

الن ھامعاشر

ذ

ت

ھا ب

ل اهللا و

.إال

O people! There shall be no (wrongful)community but that Allah shall perish it

due to the rejection (of truth) by itspeople.

ری

قال

لك

لك

ذ

ک و

تعاىل اهللا ما ذ

ک

ظاملة ھي .و

Such is what Allah, the exalted,mentioned (in His book) as to how He

destroys the wrongful societies.2

1 cf. Chapter 3, Verse 179 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Verses 11:102, 18:59, 22:45, 22:48, and 28:59 of

the Holy Quran.

183

ا إمام

ھذ و

وع

دق

اهللا و اهللا مواعید ھو و م

ولی و

This is your leader and your guardian,and these are Allah’s promises. Verily,

Allah fulfills His promise.

لني و األ

أ م

بل

قل

ض د

، ق

اس

الن ،معاشر اهللا و

دل

ق

خرین

اآل

لك ھو و لني و األ

ك

ھل

.أ

O people! Most of the early generationsbefore you have strayed, and surely,

Allah destroyed them. He shall be theOne who destroys the later generations

too.

قال لك:اىلعتاهللا

مل

لنيأ و خرین؟األ

اآل عھم

تب

ن

.مث

ذلك

ک

رمني

ا

ب عل

ني.

ب

ذ

مک

مئذ .ویل

Allah, the exalted, states: “Did We notdestroy the former generations? So shall

We follow the same for later

184

(generations). Such is how We treat theguilty. Woe on that Day to the rejecters

(of truth)!”1

اهللا ، إن

اس

الن اينمعاشر

و مرين

أ د

یته،ق

و

علیا مرت

أ د

ق و

مره

أ

ھ،ب

والن مر األ

عمل

ف

دیهي.ل

O people! Allah gave me thecommandments and the prohibitions,and I gave them to Ali by the order of

Allah. Hence, the knowledge of allcommandments and prohibitions are

with him.

1 Chapter 77, Verses 16-19 of the Holy Quran.

185

موا

ل مره

عوا أل امس

تدوا،ف

طیعوه

أ دوا،و

ترش ه

ھی

تھوا لن

ان ،و

صريوا مرادهو

یله،إىل

سب عن بل الس

ب

ق ر

تتف

ال .و

Thus, listen to his orders so that youremain safe, obey him so that you are

guided, and leave what he prohibits sothat you become mature. Conform to

what he wants, and do not let differentpaths separate you from his path.1

1 cf., Chapter 6, Verse 153 of the Quran.

186

Part 6: Adherents of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)

and their enemies

و أ︻ا﹛) ع(أو﹜﹫ء أ﹨﹏ ا﹜﹫ : 6︗ء

باعه ات

ب

مر

ذي أال ستقمي

امل

اهللا

ا صراط

ن

، أ

اس

الن .معاشر

O people! I am the Straight Path of Allahwhom He commanded you to follow,1

بعدي من

ه،مث

ب

صل دي من

ول

همث

ب و ق ا

ب دون

ة ئم

أ

ون.یعدل

and such after me also is Ali, and then myoffspring from his loins, the Imams who

guide with truth and turn (people) to it.”2

1 cf. Chapter 6, Verse 153 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Chapter 7, Verse 181 of the Holy Quran.

187

ص

رأ

ق :مث

ال

ق آخرھا و

إىل ني

عامل

ال رب

هللا مد :ا

Then, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) recited theentire Quranic chapter of the opening (al-

Fatiha) and said:

تزل

ن

ف و ت

زل

ن عم،يف م

هل تو ص

خ

ا إی و .ت

“This (chapter) was revealed in my honorand in theirs (i.e., the Imams’) generally

and specifically.

ذیال

اهللا ولیاء

أ

ئكول

ننأ

ز

ال و

عل وف

.ال خ

They are the authorized friends of Allah,for whom there shall be no fear, nor shall

they grieve.1


188

البون

غال

اهللا حزب ال إن

.أ

Behold! Truly, it is the party of Allah thatshall prevail.1

عداء

أ إن

ال

یاطنيأ

الش وان

إخ و عادون

ال اق

ق

الش ھل

أ

إىلال ھم

حي بعض ذین

رورا

غ ول

ق

ال رف

زخ .بعض

Lo! It is their enemies who are thedissenters, the transgressors, and thebrethren of Satans, who inspire one

another with embellished vain discoursesby way of deception.2

و

أ إن

ال

هأ

کتاب يف اهللا

ذ ذینال ون

ؤمن

امل

جل،لیاء و عز

ال

ق

:ف

Lo! It is their close adherents who are thetrue believers, whom Allah, the mighty


189

and the majestic, mentions in His Booksaying:

یؤمن

وما

ق د

وال اهللا حاد من ون اد خر

اآل

یوم

ال و

اهللا

ب ون

ولئك

أ

عشري و

أ

وا

إخ و

أ

اء أ و

أ

ا آباء

و

ل و ه

رسول

ميا

اإل

و

ل

ق يف تب

یةنک

اآل آخر

.إىل

“You will not find any group of peoplewho (truly) believe in Allah and in the

Last Day, yet they love those whoopposed Allah and His messenger, even

though they were their own fathers, sons,brothers, or kinsfolk; Those (who meet

this criterion) are the ones in whosehearts He has written faith ...”1


190

ال

ق

ف جل و عز اهللا ھم

وصف ذین

ال

ولیاء

أ إن

ال

:أ

Lo! Their close adherents are thosewhom Allah, the mighty and the

majestic, describes as the following:

سوا

ب

یل مل وا و

آمن ذین

ال

مل

ظ

ب

إميا

ولئك

تدونأ و من

األ م

.هل

“Those who believe and do not covertheir faith with injustice1, are the ones forwhom is the security (from Hellfire), and

they are the rightly guided.”2

1 According to the traditions, injustice in faith, in itsworst form, is the recognition of the leadership ofthe enemies of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT). Committing othersins in general is the lesser degree of this form ofinjustice. cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 413, Hadith 3; al-Tafsir, al-Ayyashi, vol. 1, p. 366, Hadith 49; Biharal-Anwar, vol. 28, p. 16.


191

م[ ولیا

أ ال إن

أ

وا ومل

آمن ذیناال ♦]یرتا

[Indeed, their close adherents are thosewho believed and then have not

entertained doubt (in their faith).1]♦

آمنني

ة

ن

ونا

ل

یدخ ذینال

ولیاء

أ إن

ال

،أ

ا

ق

تتل و

طبمت ن

أ

سلمي الت

ب

ة

ئ

ال

وھا خالدینامل

ل

ادخ

.ف

Lo! Their close adherents shall enterParadise in peace and security, and theangels shall receive them with greetings

saying, “Well have you done! Hence,enter into it to dwell therein forever!”2

ولیاء

أ إن

ال

ذیأ

ال

ة

ن

ونا

ل

یدخ جل و عز اهللا

ال

ق ن


192

ف( حساب)یھایرزقون

ري

غ

.ب

Indeed, their close adherents are thoseabout whom Allah, the mighty and themajestic, said, they shall enter Paradise(where they shall receive sustenance)

without having to account for anything.1

ذینال

عداء

أ إن

ال

.أ

سعريا ون

ل

Lo! Their enemies are ones who shallarrive at Hell.

ذینال

عداء

أ إن

ال

أ

ھیقا

ش

ھ

معون ا

هل و ور

ھي و

.زفري

Indeed, their enemies are the ones whoshall hear the (terrible) drawing in of its


193

breath as it blazes forth, and therein shallbe the heaving of sighs and sobs.1

ال

مأ

عدا

أ إن

قال ذینفال :اهللا

تھا

خ

أ ت

عن

ل

ة م

أ ت

ل

ما دخ

ل

.ک

Behold! Their enemies are those aboutwhom Allah states: “Whenever a nation

enters it, it shall curse its peer.”2

ذینال

عداء

أ إن

ال

:أ جل و عز اهللا

ال

ق

Lo! Their enemies are those whom Allah,the mighty and the majestic, describes as:

ذیر

ن م

ت

یأ مل

تھا أ

زن

خ م

هل

سأ وج

فیھا ف قيل

ما أ

ل

؟ک

“Every time a group is cast therein, itskeepers shall ask them, ‘Did no warner

1 cf. Chapter 67, Verse 7 and Chapter 11, Verse 106of the Holy Quran.


194

come to you?’

وا بلیذیرقال

جاءنا ن د

من،ق اهللا

ل ز

نا ما ن

ل

ق ا و

ذ

يف

إن،ءش

يف

إال مت

ن

بريأ

ک الل

.ض

They shall say, ‘Yes indeed. A warnercame to us, but we rejected (him) and

said, Allah has not revealed anything;1

you are but in a great error.’

ا يف

ن

ما ک عقل

ن و

أ مع ا

ن

ک و

وا ل

قال و

أ

عري الس اب

.

They shall also say, ‘Had we listened or

1 This verse refers to the fact that rejecting theguardianship of Imam Ali is equivalent todenying all of what has been revealed to theProphet (PBUH&HF), as confirmed earlier in thesermon. In other words, saying, “Allah has notappointed Ali as the guardian and Imam” isequivalent to saying, “Allah has not revealedanything.”

195

used our wisdom, we would not have beenamong the inmates of the blazing fire.’

ھم

ب

ن

ذ

وا ب

ف اعرت

عري،ف الس اب

أل

قا

.ف

They shall then confess their sins; but farfrom mercy shall be the inmates of the

burning fire.”1

ذینال

ولیاء

أ إن

ال

أ

یب

غ

ال

ب

ر ون

ش

ري

ب

ک جر

أ و

فرة

مغ م

.هل

In contrast, their close adherents are,indeed, ones who fear their Lord in secret;

for them is forgiveness and a great reward.2

بري

ال جر

واأل و

عري الس

ما بني ان ت

، ش

اس

الن .معاشر

O people! What a great difference it isbetween the burning fire and the great

1 Chapter 67, Verses 8-11 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Chapter 67, Verse 12 of the Holy Quran.

196

reward!

ه

عنل و اهللا ه م

ذ ا من

ن عدو

مد،ف ا من

ن ولی هو حب

أ و اهللا .حه

O people! Our enemy is whom Allahcensures and curses, whereas our

adherent friend is the one whom Allahpraises and loves.

،

اس

الن ھادمعاشر

و ذر

من

إين و

ال

.أ

O people! Behold! I am a warner and Aliis a guide.1

،

اس

الن يمعاشر وصی

و

يب

ن

.إين

O people! I am a prophet and Ali is theexecutor of my (will).


197

Part 7: Mentioning Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH)

)ع(ذ﹋ ا﹖﹝م ا﹜﹞ى : 7︗ء

ا

من ة ئم األ

امت

خ إن

ال

أ امل ائم

ق

.ھديال

Know that the seal of the leaders fromamong us shall be the Qa’im, the Mahdi.

ین الد

اھر

الظ ه

إن

ال

.أ

He shall, most certainly, prevail over (all)religious (methods of life).

ني امل

الظ من تقم

ن

امل ه

إن

ال

.أ

He shall definitely be the avenger againstthe oppressors.

ا ھاد و ون ا

ا

ف ه

إن

ال

.أ

He shall surely be the conqueror of thestrongholds and their demolisher.

198

رك

الش

ھل

أ من ة

یل

ب

ق ل

ک اتل

ق ه

إن

ال

.أ

He shall be, indeed, the destroyer ofevery polytheistic group.

ار

ث ل

ب درك

امل ه

إن

ال

جلأ و عز

اهللا ولیاء.أل

He shall be the attainer of vengeance forthe blood of all representatives of Allah,

the mighty and the majestic.

الن ه

إن

ال

أاهللا

لدین .اصر

He shall be the supporter of the religionof Allah.

عمیق ر

من اف ر

غال ه

إن

ال

.أ

He shall bring out (people’s share) from(his) deep ocean (of knowledge and

divine resources).

199

ه

إن

ال

أ

ذي ل

ک م ل

ض

لهف

ض

ھله،

ذي جھل ل

ک .و

He shall mark each man of distinction byhis distinction and every man of

ignorance by his ignorance.

اهللا

ة خري ه

إن

ال

تارهأ

اهللا .و

Behold! He is the elite of Allah, and Allahis his chooser.

عمل ل

ک

وارث ه

إن

ال

،أ

یط احمل [و

ھم

ف ل

■.]ب

He shall be the heir of every knowledge,and the one who shall encompass [every

perception]■.

عن

رب امل ه

إن

ال

وأ عز ه إميان،جلرب مر

أ

ب ه ب

ن

امل .هو

He shall advise and inform on behalf ofhis Lord, the mighty and the majestic,

and shall remind about the matterspertaining to His faith.

200

دید الس شید الر ه

إن

ال

یه،أإل ض و

ف

امل ه

إن

ال

.أ

He shall be the right-minded and unerring,to whom authority shall be vested.

ه

ب ر

د

ق ه

إن

ال

یدیهأ بني

ف

سل ،من

Behold! All former (prophets) have giventhe glad tidings of him.

ة

باقي

ال ه

إن

ال

أ

بع

ة

ال ،و

Know that he shall be the remainingproof (of Allah), after whom there shall

be no (new) proof.1

1 This phrase implies that there will be no Imamafter the twelfth Imam (PBUH). On the other hand, inthe well-established belief of al-Raj’a, it isconfirmed beyond doubt that the 11 martyredImams (PBUT) will return after the rule of Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH). However, considering the fact that←

201

معه

إال حق

ال ،و

عن

إال ر

ال .و

There shall be no truth except with him,nor shall there be any light (of guidance)

except at his disposal.

الب

غ

ال ه

إن

ال

هأیه،ل

عل صور

من

ال .و

None, indeed, shall overcome him, andnone shall be supported against him.

رضه

أ يف اهللا ويل ه

إن و

ال

قه،أ

ل

خ يف مه

ح يف،و ه

مین

أ و

نیته

عال و ه .سر

He shall be the authorized representativeof Allah on His earth, His judge over His

creation, and His trustee in His secretsand in what He made evident.

they are not new Imams or proofs, but theprevious proofs who will return after Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH), resolves this apparent conflict.

202

Part 8: Exhorting people to give theirpledge

ا﹜︒ـ ︻﹙﹪ ا﹜﹠س ﹔﹝ ا﹜﹫︺﹤: 8︗ء

،

اس

الن ھممعاشر

ف

أ و م

ل ت

ن د

مق

م،ت

ھمک

ا

ھذ و

.بعدي

O people! I have, indeed, explained foryou and made you comprehend (Allah’scommandments), and it is this Ali that

shall make you comprehend (every issue)after me.

إين و

ال

بتيأ

ط

خ اء

ض

ا د

بیعتهعن

تي

ق

مصاف

إىل

دعو

أ

ه

ب رار

ق

اإل بعدي،و ته

ق

مصاف .مث

Notice that at the end of my sermon, Ishall call upon you to shake hands withme as the oath of allegiance to him andthe recognition of his authority, and to

203

shake hands with him afterwards.

ال

وأ اهللا بایعت د

ق

،إين

بایعين د

ق

،و

I have, indeed, sworn allegiance to Allah,and Ali has sworn allegiance to me,

هل بیعة

ال

ب

ا آخذ

ن

أ جلو و عز

اهللا

:عن

and, on behalf of Allah, the mighty andthe majestic, I require you to swear the

oath of allegiance to him, (for Allah says):

ید

أ

وق

ف اهللا ید اهللا ایعون ا

إمن

ك

ایعون ذین

ال ،إن

“Verily those who pledge allegiance to you,they indeed pledge allegiance to Allah; the

hand of Allah1 is over their hands.

1 “The hand of Allah” refers to Prophet (PBUH&HF) andImam Ali (PBUH). Those who shook hands with the←

204

Prophet (PBUH&HF) and Imam Ali (PBUH), it was as ifthey shook hands with Allah. The hand of Allahrefers to the created power and mercy. Allahshows His power through them. Likewise, Allahwilled that His mercy should reach His creationonly through them. It is narrated that Imam Ali(PBUH) stated: “Any verse in the Book of Allah inwhich one of the words ‘eye’, ‘face’, ‘hand’, or‘side’ is mentioned (for Allah), it refers to the Wali(the divinely appointed authority).” (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 25, p. 173). The proof (al-Hujja) ofAllah is His “hand” of mercy over His creation,His “eyes” as witness over His creations, and His“face” as the means of recognition, identification,remembrance, and turning to Allah. Allah is farremoved from having organs, as He is the creatorof the face, eye, and hand. Whatever is other thanAllah falls into the category of His creation andAllah does not need any of His creation. He isAlmighty, Ever Hearing and Seeing withoutmeans. Yet, He has created means for Hisservants, only through whom one can seeknearness of Allah. For the description of “side”,see an earlier footnote.

205

ا

إمن

ف

ث

نم

ف

ث

سهین

،

Thus, anyone who violates his oath hasindeed violated his (own) soul,

وىف

أ من سیؤو

ف اهللا یه

عل عظمبا عاھد

جرا

أ .ه

and anyone who fulfills the covenant hehas made with Allah, He shall soon grant

him a great reward.”1


206

Part 9: Finality of the religious laws andthe role of the Imams

ـ﹠﹫ـ﹥ و دور ا﹔﹞ـ﹤ ﹁﹫: 9︗ء ︑﹞﹫ـ﹤ ا﹒﹊م ا﹜

الن ،معاشر

و الصاس

عمرة

ال و

ا إن

واف ورامل

ة

اهللا عائر

ش ،من

O people! The greater and the lesserpilgrimages, and (the mounts of) al-Safaaand al-Marwa are among the emblems of

Allah;

اعتمر و

أ ت بال

م

ال جناف

ماف ف و

یط ن

أ یه

عل .ح

Thus, whoever goes to visit the House inthe season or at other times, he is not

wrong if he repeatedly walks betweenthe two (mounts of al-Safa and al-

207

Marwa).1

ت بوا ال

،

اس

الن ھلمعاشر

أ ما ورده

واف

ن

استغ

إال ت و[

روا

،♦]أ

إال ه

وا عن

ف

ل

ال رواو

تق

.اف

O people! Do make pilgrimage to theHouse, for no members of a family went

there except that they became free ofneed [and received glad tidings!]♦ Nonefailed to go there except that they were

impoverished.

من

ف

ما سل هل اهللا ر

ف

غ

إال مؤمن وقف

امل

ب

ف

، ما وق

اس

الن معاشر

لك

ذ ته

وق

إىل ه

ب

ن

،ذ

ت

ض

ا ا

إذ

هؤاستهتف

عمل یه

عل

.نف

O people! No believer stands at thestanding place (of the Arafat desert)


208

except that Allah forgives all his past sinsuntil then. Thus, once his pilgrimage is

over, (recording) his actions is resumed.

ة

ف

ل

ا

ق

و ن

معا اج

، ا

اس

الن ،معاشر

O people! The pilgrims shall be assisted,and their expenses shall be reimbursed,

سنني احمل جر

أ یع

ال اهللا .و

and Allah shall not waste the reward ofthose who do well.1

ه

ق

ف الت و

ین الد مال

ب ت ب

وا ال

،

اس

الن ،معاشر

O people! Perform pilgrimage to theHouse having perfected faith (with

Walaya of Ali) and deep understanding


209

(of religion),

اھد

ش

امل

وا عن

صرف

تن

ال و

ع

ال

إق و توبة

ب

.إال

and do not leave the sacred visitingplaces except after repenting and

desisting (from all sins).

،

اس

الن معاشر

ة ا الز

آ و

الة قیموا الص

وأ عز اهللا

مر

ما أ

ک،جل

O people! Establish the prayers and paythe charity as Allah, the mighty and the

majestic, commanded you.

عإف

ال

ط مدن األ م

ی

ل

یمت

و

أ رمت ص

ق

وف م

ولی علي

ف

م

ل

،مبني

But, if time lapses and you fall short orforget, then Ali shall direct you and shall

explain for you.

210

جل و عز اهللا به ذي

بعدي ال م

مني[ ل

قه.أ

ل

وخ مىن ه

إن

ه،

ا من

ن

♦]أ

He is the one whom Allah, the mightyand the majestic, appointed for you afterme [as the trustee of His creation. He is

from me and I am from him.]♦

منھو

ف

ل

من مباو م

ون

رب

ىت ی ر

ذ

و ه

عن لون

أ ون

ن یب

مون

تعل

ما ال م

.ل

He and those who will succeed him frommy progeny shall inform you of anythingyou ask about, and shall clarify what you

do not know.

رام وا

ل

ال

ا إن

ال

حصأ

أ ن

أ من آمریھماأ

ھما ف

ف عر

أ و

ام

مق يف

رام

ا

ی عن

أ و ل

ال ا

،واحدب

Certainly, the lawful and unlawful things

211

are more than that I could enumerate,specify their limits, and urge to or advise

against them each in this place.

أ

مف

من

بیعةال

ذ

آخ ن

أ ما جئتمرت بول

م

ل

ة

ق

ف الص و

األ و ؤمنني

امل

مري

أ

يف جل و عز اهللا

عن ه

وصیاءب بع من

ه

من و

مين

ذین،ال

Therefore, I was commanded to take anoath of allegiance and a covenant fromyou in accepting what I brought you

from Allah, the mighty and the majestic,regarding Ali, the Commander of the

Believers, and the executors (of myaffairs) after him who are from me and

from him,

،

اس

الن یهومعاشر

عل م

ت

لدل ل

حال ل

مک

یت

حرام ل

ک و

212

ه

.عن

O people! (By this appointment) I havedirected you to every lawful deed andprohibited you from every unlawful

deed.

ل بد

أ مل و

لك

ذ عن رجع

أ

مل

إين

.ف

And I shall never take (my word) back,nor shall I replace it.

وه

ظ

اح و

لك

وا ذ اذ

ف

ال

وهأ

ل تبد

ال و ه

اصوا ب

وهو ري

تغ

ال .و

Hence, remember and safeguard it,advise each other to it, and never

substitute nor alter it.

و

ال

أ

ول

قال د جد

أ

مروا :إين

أ و

ة ا الز

آ و

الة قیموا الص

أ

ف

ال

أ

عروف

امل

رب

ن

امل

وا عن

ا .و

I repeat the saying: Establish the prayers,

213

pay the charity, enjoin the good deeds,and forbid the evil deeds.

إن و

ال

ويلأ

ق

تھوا إىل

تن ن

أ عروف

امل

ب مر األ س

منرأ وه

غ

تبل و

ر بولهومل

مروه

تهتأ

ف

ال

عن ھوه

تن ه،و

إن

عزف

اهللا من مر

أجل و

مين .و

Behold! The greatest case of enjoiningrighteous deeds is comprehending mysaying, conveying it to whoever is notpresent, urging him to accept it, and

advising him against violating it, for it isan order from Allah, the mighty and the

majestic, and from me.

عروف

مب مر

أ

ال و

ال رو

من عن ي

معصوم

إمام مع

.إال

There is no (value or effect for) enjoining(other) recognized deeds and forbidding

the detested deeds except with (the

214

recognition of) an infallible leader1.

1 The term “infallible leaders” refers to the divinelyappointed leaders whom Allah protected fromsins. This term, however, should not imply thatthey are unable to commit a sin; rather it meansthey voluntarily seek Allah’s protection, andconsequently Allah provides them with His shieldand protection which strictly hold them back fromsin. According to the Holy Quran and thetraditions, whoever truly seeks Allah’s protection,Allah shall protect him. For instance, Allah, themighty and the majestic, states: “And whoeverseeks protection from (یعتصم) Allah, he will be,indeed, guided to a straight way.” (3:101) He alsostates:“As for those who believe in Allah and seekprotection from (اعتصموا) Him, He shall soon enterthem to mercy and grace from Himself, and shallguide them to him (who is) a straight way.”(4:175) Also, “Surely the watchful are in a secureposition.” (44:51) Moreover, “And whoever iscareful of (his duty to) Allah, He will make forhim an outlet, and will give him from whence hethinks not. And whoever trusts in Allah, He is←

215

م

ف یعر رآن

ق، ال

اس

الن معاشر

أ

ول بع من

ة ئم

األ و،ن

ه

من و

مين

أ م

ت

ف ،عر

O people! The Quran informs you thatthe Imams after him (i.e., Ali) are his

descendants, and I have alreadyinformed you that they are of me and of

him,

ا

ول

حیث يفهللا جل و ه:عز

هکتاب

عقب يف

باقیة

لمة

ھا ک

جعل ،و

for Allah, the mighty and the majestic,says in His Book, “And He made that a

Word enduring in his posterity,”1

sufficient for him; surely Allah attains Hispurpose; Allah indeed has appointed a measurefor everything.” (65:2-3)

1 Chapter 43, Verse 28 of the Holy Quran. The“Word” in this verse has been interpreted as←

216

وا

تضل نل ت

ل

ق ماو

مت

ک س

مت .ما إن

and I said: “You will never go astray solong as you adhere to both (the Quran

and my family).”

وی

ق وی الت

ق ، الت

اس

الن ،معاشر

اعة روا الس

احذ عزو اهللا

ال

ما ق

کجل :و

O people! (Observe) piety! (Observe)piety! And be wary of the Hour1 as Allah,

leader (Imam) as well as leadership (Imamate). cf.Kamal al-Din, p. 323, Hadith 8, p. 358, Hadith 57;al-Tafsir, Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, vol. 1, p. 313;vol. 2, p. 274. See the Hadith that is quoted later inthe footnotes concerning this verse.

1 The apparent meaning of the word “hour”mentioned in the Quran is the “hour ofresurrection” where as its hidden meaning is “thehour of rising of Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH)” asinterpreted by the Imams (PBUT). cf. Bihar al-Anwar,←

217

the mighty and the majestic, says,

ي

ش اعة الس

ةزل

زل عظميإن .ء

“Surely the convulsion of the Hour shallbe a tremendous thing.”1

مات

وا امل عادو[اذ

وازین♦]امل

امل و ساب

وا

بني

اسبة احمل و

ابی

عقال و واب

الث و ني

عامل

ال رب .دي

Remember death, [resurrection,]♦

reckoning, the scales (of justice)2, and thecall to account within the hands3 of theLord of the worlds, and the reward and

vol. 51, p. 49, Hadith 14 (on the commentary ofVerse 54:1), and p. 63, Hadith 64 (on Verse 19:75).

1 Chapter 22, Verse 1 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Chapter 21, Verse 47 of the Holy Quran.3 See the previous explanation of the “hand of

Allah” in the footnotes.

218

punishment.

ثیف

أ ة

سن ا

ب جاء

یھام

عل ،ب

Thus, whoever comes (to the Day ofJudgement) with a righteous deed, shall

be rewarded for it,

ئة ی الس

ب جاء من بو

ان

ن

يفا ه

ل یس

ل

.ف

and whoever comes with an (unforgiven)sin, shall not have any share in the

gardens.1

1 cf. Chapter 27, Verses 89-90 of the Holy Quran.

219

Part 10: Pronouncing the covenant andtaking the oath of allegiance

بیان العھد و أخذ البیعة: 10جزء

،

اس

الن واحدمعاشر

ف

ب وين

افق

ن

أ من أ م

إن

واحد ت

وق ،يف

O people! There are too many of you toshake my hand at the same time,

دو

جلق و عز اهللا

مرين

رارأ

ق

اإل م

ت

سنل

أ من

ذ

آخ ن

ا أ

مب

عق

مري

أ لعلي ؤمنني، ودت

وامل

مين ة ئم

األ من

بع جاء ملن

ه

م،من

مت

عل

ما أ

ر

ذ ن

ه.أ

ب

صل ي من

and Allah, the mighty and the majestic,commanded me to take verbal

recognition from you regarding what Ifinalized (on behalf of Allah) about Ali,the Commander of the Believers, and

220

about the Imams from me and him whoshall succeed him, based on what I

informed you that my offspring are fromhis loins.

ع جخ

أ

وا ب

ول

ق

:ف

Therefore, pronounce this in one voice:

ا

مطیعونإن ادونسامعون

ق

من ون

راض

ك رب ا و ر عن ت

غ

ملا بل

مر

أ ؤيف

امل

مري

ةمننيأ ئم

األ من ه

ب

صل من

ول مر

أ .و

“We heard, obeyed, are satisfied, and aresubmitted to what you have conveyed to

us from our Lord and your Lord withregard to the authority of Ali, the

Commander of the Believers, and theauthority of the Imams from his loins.

ا

و

ل

لك

ذ

بایعك

ان

یدین

أ ا و

ن

سنل

أ ا و

سن

أ ،و

We pledge allegiance to you in this

221

regard with our hearts, our souls, ourtongues, and our hands.

یا و لك

ذ

وت

بعمن

ن و

،ث

According to this, shall we live, shall wedie, and shall we be resurrected.

و

ك

ال و

ل بد

ن

ال و ري

غ

ن

د[ال رتاب♦]وال

ن

ال رجعو

ن

ال و

عھدالعن

اق

یث

امل ض

ق

ن

ن

ال .و

We shall not alter, nor shall wesubstitute, nor shall we entertain doubt,

[nor shall we deny,]♦ nor shall wedistrust, nor shall we withdraw from thecovenant, nor shall we breach the pact.

222

]اهللا عظ

تنا

يفوعظ

مري

أ

ؤمنني

ذواملال ة ئم

تاأل

ذ ین

م ر

ذ منن

وك

سن

، ا

بع ول

سني

ا اهللا به من و

بعدمها.

[(O Messenger!) You advised us onbehalf of Allah regarding Ali, the

Commander of the Believers, and theImams after him that you mentioned to

be of your offspring from hisdescendants (who are): al-Hasan, al-Husain, and whomever Allah shall

appoint after them.

و عھدال

ف

ا وامل و

ل

ق ا، من

من

وذ

خ

مأ م

هل

یثاق

سن

واأ

ن

سنل

ا وأ

مائرن

ا وض

یدین

ا.أ

The covenant and the pledge are takenfrom us, from our hearts, our souls, our

tongues, our minds, and our hands.

223

ی

ھا ب

درک

أ من

إال رو

ق

أ د

ق

ا ف

لسانه،

وب

تغال

و

بدال

ذالك

ي ب

ال

سنا حوال

أ من .♦]یری اهللا

Anyone (of us) who can reach him shallshake his hand, otherwise he shall affirmthe covenant by his tongue. We shall notseek any substitute for it, nor shall Allahsee in our souls any diversion from it.]♦1

1 We have mentioned the part within the bracketsfrom al-Yaqin due to the greater fluency of itsnarration. The original text of this part accordingto the narration in al-Ihtijaj is as follows: “We obeyAllah, and obey you and Ali, the Commander of theBelievers, and his descendants, whom as youmentioned, are from your offspring from his loins afteral-Hasan (PBUH) and al-Husain (PBUH).”—I have alreadyinformed you of the position of al-Hasan and al-Husain to me, and their status before Allah.Verily, they are the chiefs of the youth of Paradise.Indeed, they both are Imams after their father, Ali,←

224

and I am their father prior to him—Thus say: “Weobey Allah, and obey you, Ali, al-Hasan, al-Husain,and the Imams that you mentioned, based on thecovenant and the pledge that are taken from us for theCommander of the Believers, from our hearts, oursouls, our tongues, and through handshaking for himwho can reach his hand to them both (the Prophet(PBUH&HF) and Imam Ali (PBUH)), or else through affirmingby tongue. We shall not seek any substitute for it, norshall we ever let our souls deviate from it.”

اهللا طیع

ن ذینوال

ة ئم

األ

ول و ؤمنني

امل مري

أ

علیا و

طیعك

ن و

د

ق ذینال

سني

ا و

سن

ا بعد ه

ب

صل من

ك

ر

ذ من

ذ

تھمازل

من دي و

ھما عن

ل

و

ما مين

ا

مک م

ت

ف یتعر د

أ د

ق

ف

ريب من

یھما

ب

أ بعد مامان

ما اإل

إ و ة

ن

ا

ھل

أ باب

دا ش ما سی

إ

م. ف

یإل

لك

ذ

ه.بل

ا ق مه

ا أ

ن

أ ، و

سن

ا و

علیا و اك إی و

لك

ذ

ب ا اهللا

عن

ط

وا أ

ول

ق

وف

ؤمنني

امل

مريأل

وذا

خ

مأ

اقا

میث و

ت، عھدا

ذ ذینال

ة ئم

األ و

سني

ا

ما ر

ق

أ و ی

ھما ب

درک

أ ا من

یدین

أ ة

ق

مصاف ا و

ن

سن

ل

أ ا و

سن

أ ا و

و

ل

ق من

تغي ب

ال لسانه

ب

بدا

أ

حوال ه

ا عن

سن

أ ری من

ن

ال و

بدال

لك

ذ

225

اين الد

ك

عن

لك

ي ذ ؤد

ن ن

من اصي

قال او

ھالین

أ ا و

دن

وال

،أ

We shall convey the same on your behalfto anyone, near or far, among our

offspring and our people,

ھد

و

ذالك

ب ىف،اهللا

ک و

ھیدا

ش اهللا

،ب

We take Allah as witness to this, andsurely Allah suffices as witness.

ھید

ش ه

ا ب

ین

عل ت

ن

أ ل، و

ک و استرت و ھر

ظ ن مم اع

ط

أ ومن

ی

عب و وده

جن و

اهللا

ة

ئ

ھید،مال

ش ل

ک من رب

أ اهللا .و

You are also witness over us; so areanyone who obeyed, visible or covered,

Allah’s Angels, His forces, and Hisservants. And Allah is greater than every

witness.”

ونول

، ما

اس

الن صوت؟معاشر ل

ک

یعمل اهللا إن

لف

ک

افیة

خ و

226

س

.

O people! What do you say? Verily,Allah is well-aware of every voice and

the secrecy of every soul;

اھتدی

م

سهف

ف

لن

یھاف

عل ل ا

إمن

ف ل

ض من .و

“He who accepts guidance, it is to thebenefit of his own soul, and he who goes

astray, does so to his own loss.”1

ایع ا

إمن

ف بایع من و ،اهللا

ید

أ

وق

ف اهللا .ید

Those who pledge fealty, they indeedpledge fealty to Allah; the hand of Allah

is over their hands.2

1 Chapter 39, Verse 41 of the Holy Quran.2 cf. Chapter 48, Verse 10 of the Holy Quran.

227

وا اهللا

ا

، ف

اس

الن معاشراهللا وات

صل ؤمنني

امل مري

أ

بایعوا علیا و

یه

وعل سني

وا سن عا

ة ئم

األ ]و

،♦[م

O people! Be mindful of Allah, give youroath of allegiance to Ali, the Commanderof the Believers, may Allah’s blessings be

upon him, to al-Hasan and al-Husain,and to the Imams [from them]♦,

لم

ک

باقیة

بة ی

ط

،ة

a goodly Word, that is enduring.1

1 This phrase refers to the Verse 28, Chapter 43 ofthe Holy Quran, where Allah states, “(Allah) madeit a Word, enduring in his posterity…” On thecommentary of this verse, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH)

said, “This (word) means leadership (Imamate),which Allah has placed it in the offspring of al-Husain (PBUH) until the Day of Judgement.” (Kamalal-Din, p. 358, Hadith 57; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 24, p.←

228

در

غ من اهللا

لك ،

وىف من یرحم .و

Allah shall cause whoever actstreacherously to perish and shall have

mercy on whoever remains loyal.

ث

ا ین

إمن

ف

ث

نم

ف

،سه

“Thus, anyone who violates his oath hasindeed violated his (own) soul,

وىف

أ من عظو

جرا

أ ه سیؤ

ف اهللا یه

عل .مبا عاھد

and anyone who fulfills the covenant hehas made with Allah, He shall soon grant

him a great reward.”1

،

اس

الن ممعاشر

ل ت

ل

ذي قوا ال

ول

إمرةو،ق

ب

موا

سل

177, Hadith 8).1 Chapter 48, Verse 10 of the Holy Quran.

229

ؤمنني

.امل

O people! Say what I told you, and greetAli with the title of “The Commander of

the Believers.”

واول

ق عنا:و

ط

أ عنا و امس ر

ك

ران

ف

صريغ

امل

یك

إل .و

And also say: “We listened, and obeyed,Your forgiveness (do we seek), Our Lord,

and towards Your (reward orpunishment) is the eventual turn.”1

1 Chapter 2, Verse 285 of the Holy Quran. For theusage of term “Masir” for Paradise and Hell, referto verses 25:15 and 14:30 of the Holy Quran,respectively.

230

واول

ق ذي:و

ال

هللا مد ھتديا

ا لن

ن

ما ک ھدانا هلذا و

ال أ و

ا ل

ھدان ن

.اهللا

And say: “Praise be to Allah who hasguided us to this. Never could we be

guided had Allah not guided us.”1

جل و عز اهللا د

عن

الب

ط

يب

أ

بن

ائل

ض

ف ، إن

اس

الن -معاشر

رآن

قال ا يف

زهل

ن

أ د

ق -و واحدأ

ام

مق حصیھا يف

أ ن

أ ،من

ا

بأ

ن

أم

وهف

ق صد

ھا ف

ف عر .و

O people! Without doubt, the merits ofAli Ibn Abi Talib in the sight of Allah, the

mighty and the majestic, which areindeed revealed in the Quran, are morenumerous than I could recount in one


231

speech; thus, whenever someone relatesthem to you and acquaints (you) with

them,1 believe him.2

ذینال

ة ئم

األ و

علیا و ه

رسول و اهللا

یطع ، من

اس

الن معاشر

د

ق

ف

ذ عظ

وزا

ف .فاز

1 This phrase can be read in two ways with differentmeanings. The word ھاو

ف عر (with accent) means

“and introduced them”, but ھاو

عرف (without

accent) means “while cognizant of them”.2 There are numerous traditions from different

Imams (PBUT) to this effect: “Do not call us Lords(Arbab), but (other than this) tell anything youwish in our merits, because you will never reachthe depth of the merits that Allah has bestowedupon us.” cf. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 25, p. 270,Hadith 15; p. 273, Hadith 20; p. 279, Hadith 22; p.283, Hadith 30; p. 289, Hadith 45; vol. 26, pp. 2-6,Hadith 1; vol. 47, p. 68, Hadith 15.

232

O people! Whoever obeys Allah, HisMessenger, Ali, and the Imams that I

mentioned, has indeed achieved a greatprosperity.1

یه

عل

سلمي الت و ته

مواال و مبایعته

إىل ون

ا ، الس

اس

الن معاشر

امل إمرة

ب

ئك

ول

أ ؤمنني

عمي

الن ات

جن يف ائزون

ف

.ال

O people! The foremost from among youin paying homage to him, (truly) acceptinghis guardianship, and greeting him as “the

Commander of the Believers” are thewinners of the gardens of bliss.

ول

قال من م

عن ه

ب ی اهللا

وا ما یرض

ول

، ق

اس

الن ،معاشر

O people! Say what makes Allah bepleased with you,


233

و مت

ن

روا أ

ف

ت إن

ف

یعا جخ رض

األ يف نمن

ل

ف

ر

یئا

ش .اهللا

and (know that) if you and all the peopleon earth disbelieve, it shall not harm

Allah in the least.

مؤمنني

فر

اغ ھم

[ا

ومب یت د

مرتا أ

،♦]أ

O Allah! Forgive the believers [throughwhat I have conveyed and commanded,]♦

ضب

احد[واغ

افر♦]ینا

،ینال

and let Your Wrath descend upon those[who deny]♦ and disbelieve,

ني

عاملال رب

هللا مد .وا

and praise belongs to Allah, the Lord ofthe worlds.

234

Endnotes

The marks that appear in the text showthe choice of phrases from the followingbooks, which have minor differences inwording from the original text of al-Ihtijaj, narrated from Imam al-Baqir (PBUH).The marked phrases either do not appearin al-Ihtijaj, or have slightly differentwordings:♦ According to al-Yaqin, pp. 343-361,

narrated from Imam al-Baqir (PBUH).■ According to Rawdhat al-Wa’idhin, part

1, pp. 89-99, narrated from Imam al-Baqir (PBUH).

* According to Iqbal al-A’mal, p. 456,narrated from Hudhaifa Ibn Yamaan.Notice that in al-Ihtijaj, this part isdivided into two sections, which are afew sentences away from each other.This part has also been narrated

235

separately through numerousauthorities from many of the Imams(PBUT). cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 295, Hadith 3(narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH)); al-Tafsir, al-Ayyashi, vol. 1, p. 332, Hadith153 (narrated from Imam al-Baqir(PBUH)); Tafsir al-Imam al-Askari (PBUH),p.112, Hadith 58 (narrated from Imamal-Kadhim (PBUH)); Bihar al-Anwar, vol.37, pp. 118-222, Ahadith 7-90, fromnumerous authorities.

§ According to Iqbal al-A’mal, p. 454,narrated from Hudhaifa Ibn Yamaan.This part has also been narratedseparately through numerous Shia andSunni authorities. For the detailed Shiaand Sunni references in this regard, seeBihar al-Anwar, vol. 23, Book of Imama,section 7, pp. 104-147.

□ According to al-Tahsin, p. 584, narratedfrom Zaid Ibn Arqam.

"Wisdom is the lost property of the Believer,

let him claim it wherever he finds it"

Imam Ali (as)

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