Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib

Ghadir Khumm

When the Prophet of Islam (a.s) started his journey towards al-Madinah after the Hajj, there were approximately one hundred thousand persons in the entourage who hailed from various towns and villages. Some people wanted to travel to al-Madinah with the Prophet (a.s) before they disbursed towards their respective homes. There were others who would leave the caravan when they reached the places from where they were to take diversion towards their homes. As the homes of the people were getting nearer, they advanced faster. Some of them were very happy that they were returning safely after performing the pilgrimage and some others were morose that the felicitous journey was coming to an end. The caravan was moving smoothly when at a place about three miles from al-Juhafah was a thorny valley that is known as Ghadir Khumm. The Prophet (a.s) ordered the caravan to halt there. This was such a sudden and unexpected order that the people were rather surprised. The surprise was more because the place was not for the halting of caravans. There was no provision for shelter from the sun in the place.

The purpose of stopping the caravan was that the Prophet (a.s) wanted to communicate to the Muslims an important Commandment of Allah. This was the most appropriate place and time because very soon the crowds would disburse and proceed towards their respective homes. People from all the places were there and it was the best occasion to disseminate the important message to all the nooks and corners of the Islamic domain. There was another valid reason to stress the importance of the message that Ghadir Khumm was not a regular station for rest and recuperation of the caravans. They were asked to stop there specifically because something very vital was to be communicated to them. They were eagerly and patiently waiting to hear about the important Commandment of Allah.

Prior to this, the Da`wat al-`Ashirah was in a small group of close persons from Banū-Hashim, and during the ghazwah Tabūk and the Propagation of the Sūrah of Bara’ah the Prophet (a.s) had subtly indicated about the succession that was sufficient for any intelligent person to know that `Ali (a.s) was the person he desired to succeed him as his Vicegerent. On the other side were

the persons who did not like even small matters of import assigned to `Ali (a.s). How was it possible for them to bear with the declaration of `Ali (a.s) as the Prophet’s Successor! The Prophet (a.s) was fully aware of this tendency in some persons. He was reading from their faces their inner feelings concerning `Ali (a.s) and their actions strengthened his conviction about their thinking and knew that they would bring about all sorts of impediments in the matter of the succession. He wished that there should be a positive Command from Allah in this regard and He fulfilled his wish thus:

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنْ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ.

“O Messenger! Deliver what bas been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people. (5:67)”

`Allamah al-Shawkani writes:

“Abū-Sa`id al-Khidri says that the verse was revealed in Ghadir Khumm concerning `Ali ibn Abi-Talib (a.s)”[1]

After receiving this implicit Command, there was no scope for any delay in communicating the contents to the Ummah. The Prophet (a.s) dismounted from his camel and others too followed suit. On the shouting of the slogan of hayya `ala khayr al-`amal (Come to the Best of Deed) those who were going ahead turned back and the stragglers hurriedly came forward. They all gathered in that desert wilderness. It was midday and the winds were scorching hot. Barring some thorny Acacia bushes there was no greenery around. The Companions took off their cloaks, tied them round their limbs, and sat down intently listening on the burning sands. The Prophet (a.s) asked his men to improvise a pulpit by stacking saddles of the camels one over another between two Acacia bushes. He then ascended the pulpit. Zayd ibn Arqam says:

“The Prophet of Islam (a.s) stood at the dried lake, Ghadir Khumm, which lies between Makkah and al-Madinah, and after Praising Allah and sermonizing the gathering, said,’ O People! I am a mortal human being and the time is not far when the Messenger will come from Allah and I shall have to abide by

[1] Fath al-Qadīr, Vol 3, Page 57

the Call! I am leaving behind with you two weighty things; one is the Book of Allah which has radiance and Guidance. Keep holding it firmly!’ He stressed on the need of the people holding fast to the Book of Allah. Then he said, ‘The second weighty thing that I leave with you is my Ahl al-Bayt. I remind you of Allah regarding the Ahl al-Bayt! I remind you of Allah regarding my Ahl al-Bayt! I remind you of Allah regarding my Ahl al-Bayt!’”[1]

After these introductory words, the Prophet (a.s) called three times in a high pitch, “Do I not have more right over you than you have yourself?” The gathering assented in unison, “Of course! It is so!” After obtaining this assent from the people, the Prophet (a.s) raised `Ali (a.s) by putting his hands under his arm pits and said:

“O People! Allah is my Master and I am the Master of all the Believers, I have more right over them than their selves! Remember of whomsoever I am the Master, he too is their Master! O Allah: Be a friend to one who befriends him and be an enemy of one who is his enemy!”[2]

Ibn `Abd al-Barr writes:

“The Prophet (a.s) said on the Day of Ghadir Khumm, ‘of whom I am Master, this `Ali (a.s) too is his Master! O Allah! Whosoever befriends him, be his friend; be the enemy of those who have enmity for him!”[3]

After this announcement, the Prophet (a.s) descended from the makeshift pulpit and offered the ²uhr Prayer in congregation. After the prayers he went into his tent and asked people to go to `Ali’s tent in groups and congratulate him on his appointment to the august position. Therefore, the Companions met him and gave their felicitations. The Prophet’s Consorts and other ladies too expressed their happiness over the event. `Umar’s words of praise are an indelible part of the History:

Felicitations, O son of Abū-Talib! You have become the master of all believing men and women!”[4]

[1] Sahīh Muslim, Vol 2, Page 279
[2] Al-Sawā`iq al-Muhriqah, Page 41
[3] Al-Istī`āb, Vol 2, Page 460
[4] Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol 4, Page 281

While the people were felicitating `Ali (a.s), Archangel Gabriel came and gave the good news of the Completion of the Faith and the Fulfillment of the Blessings:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمْ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا.

“This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion. (5:3)”

Jalaluddin al-Suyūti writes

“Abū-Sa`id al-Khidri says, ‘When the Prophet (a.s) raised `Ali (a.s) in his place at Ghadir Khumm and announced his Wilayah, Jibril (Archangel Gabriel) came to the Prophet (a.s) with the Verse.”[1]

The tradition of Ghadir has been narrated in continuity and is free of any doubt whatsoever. None could refute it. But people have been making some interpretations to dilute its importance. `Alam al-Huda Sayyid al-Murtada has said that refuting the event of Ghadir is like denying the existence of the Sun and the Moon! `Allamah Muqbali has said that if the event of Ghadir is not certain, then there is nothing certain in the Din! The narrators of both the schools agree that the Prophet (a.s) addressed a huge gathering of Muslims and took oath of their allegiance to himself. Then he told them that for whomsoever he was the Master, `Ali (a.s) too was the Master. But efforts have been made to interpret the meaning of the word Master to hide the fact of the matter. Because if they accepted that `Ali (a.s) had the same status for the Ummah as did the Prophet (a.s), the plan of some people to manipulate the succession and the event of Banū-Saqifah would have failed. Therefore, they attach the meaning of friend to the word mawla. Sometimes they say that it means supporter and helper. But it is a matter of conjecture that the Prophet (a.s) had to hold the crowds eager to reach their homes in that hot desert to communicate the message of help, support and friendship? The message was of such import that he did not want it communicated to their homes through individual couriers and wanted to convey in the huge gathering of the Believers. At that time a part of the Caravan was staggering far behind and another group was advancing fast in front and reached al-Juhafah, about three miles ahead He ordered both the groups to assemble in the hot desert and started his talk only when all had arrived. Then the Prophet (a.s) took an oath from the large gathering that he had complete right over each and every


[1] Tafsīr al-Durr al-Manthūr, Vol 2, Page 259

individual in the Ummah. When they assented in unison, the Prophet (a.s) said that `Ali (a.s) too was their master with the same rights as himself. No intelligent person will agree that the Prophet (a.s) went through all the inconvenience and trouble at that extremely hot place just to stop people and tell them that if he was their friend and supporter, `Ali (a.s) too was the same! There was not any need for him to announce about the friendship because the Holy Qur’an had already proclaimed:

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ.

“As for the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other. (9:71)”

The announcement was not necessary just to create or strengthen friendship between all the Believers. That was already expected and mandated by Allah. The purpose was that there were pressure groups in the Ummah and Allah had also said “Allah will save you from the mischief of men.” This mischief was not only external but also from the inside and therefore the announcement was made so forcefully. In fact, this announcement was the echo of the announcement that the Prophet (a.s) made to the small group of Banū-Hashim twenty years ago at the Feast of al-`Ashirah:

“This is my brother and my heir and successor. Hear him and obey him!”[1]

This announcement not only cleared the matter of the Caliphate but its importance in all the propagation of the Faith carried out by the Prophet (a.s). Although the Prophet (a.s).had from his Annunciation to Migration and then until Hijjat al-Wada` spelled out the commandments that were revealed from time to time. The Muslims implicitly started following these commands as and when they were communicated to them. Therefore, they started offering mandatory prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, participated in the jihad and came in hordes for the Hajj. But the Verse “If you do not do this, it will be as if you have not delivered any message at all”, proves that all the earlier commands would be ineffective unless the last and final commandment was communicated to the Ummah. This means that the twenty-three years of the Prophet’s Mission depended on its completion on the conveyance and fulfillment of the last Commandment Revealed at Ghadir Khumm.


[1] Al-Kāmil fit-Tārīkh, Vol 2, Page 42

If this message were not communicated, the task of Prophethood would have remained incomplete. Two things become evident from this. One is that this Commandment is the principal and foundation of the Faith of Islam. The other tenets have a secondary, though mandatory, nature. As a superstructure cannot stand firm, like a house of cards, without a strong foundation, so also this Commandment is the foundation of the Faith of Islam.