Essays On Ghadir

13- Ghadir in Literature

The literature of every nation is like a mirror that shows the culture and ideas of that nation. The remained classical literature of every nation indicates the ideas and believes of them.

The after Islam Arab literature has had a long history. However, an investigation over the main subjects provides some clear lines.

One of the main lines of Arab literature during the last 15th centuries, has been the subject of Ghadir -e- khum. The Arab poets, who have been the most educated people in every stage, have registered the event of Ghadir-e khum as a definite historical fact, and have discussed its effects and results.

The researcher scholar, Ayatollah Allameh, Abdolhossein Amini (1940 - 1980) in his valuable work - Al Ghadir has had a review over the Arab literature, with a concenteration on the Ghadir subject, and has gathered his findings in that 20 volume book. In this short essay we page through this book to see the position of Ghadir in Arab literature. The literature of other nations should be studied in another time. For further information of the readers, we can add that till now only 11 volumes of the book "AI Ghadir" have been published, and we have taken in to account only these 11 volumes.

In different parts of the book, the author repeats that in many classic and historical books, he had found many poems on the occasion of Ghadir - khum. However, since the poets were not famous, and he could not find any biography from them, he did not quote their poems. This implies that the poets of the Ghadir event have been more than those narrated in this book.

The AI-Ghadir collection, reviews the literature from the first to lih century, and studies the biographies and the works of 105 poets, who have paid attention to Ghadir event, and composed poems on this subject. Some of them are:

1- !mam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (p.b.u.h.), who in his poem affirms his decisive mastership (Imamat and velayat), and says that it was the duty of the Muslims to accept his mastership. (AI Ghadir, vol2, p.25)20

2- Hassan bin Sabet, the famous companion of the prophet (p.b.u.h) who was present in Ghadir khum, and at the end of the ceremony, by the permission of the prophet (p.b.u.h) narrated the whole ceremony in a long poem.

3- Qays bin Sad Ansari, the great companion, from Medina, a noble man, 20 All the references are made to the book, "AI Ghadir", 11 volumes, 1983, Dar - 01- ketab Al Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon

who in the war of Saffinbetween !mam Ali and Moaviya - was a member of the army of Imam Ali (p.b.u.h), and in the poems that he recited about the truth of Ali's mastership, he pointed to the event of Ghadir khum. 4- Amr Bin ss, a near friend of Moawiya, and enemy of Ali (a.s.) in a poem, at the presence of Moawiya, recited his poem, and referred to Ghadir Khum. 5- Syed Ismaiel Hemyari (9th century AD.), who during the first half of his life was not a Shia person, and just after a meeting with Imam Sadiq (p.b.u.h.) and hearing his truthful talks, converted to Shiism, during the second half of his life was a defender Shia, and in his frequent poems has explained the event of Ghadir Khum.

.6- Debel Khozaei (lOth century AD.), one of the companions of Imam Reza (p.b.u.h.), who in his truthful poems, acknowledged the Ghadir Khum event, and provoked the enemy of Abbasid caliphs against himself.

7- The Christian Vameq, the Armenian Bishop (The 10th century AD.) in his poem has pointed to Ghadir Khum event. When explaining about this poet, Allameh Amini adds that there have been other Christian poets, who had composed poems to praise the virtues of Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.). One of them is the Egyptian poet, Abdul Messih Antaki, who had a long poem of 5595 lines in. this regard. The next one is Paul Salameh, the Christian judge of Beirut, in 11 th century AD., who composed a poem of 3085 lines to praise Imam Ali, and explaning the event of Ghadir Khum.

8- Abol Ghasem Tanoukhi (living in the 11 th century AD.) who was a comprehensive scientist of his age, and with regards to religion, he was a (Zaidi sect) Shia man.

9- Abu Faras Hamdani (11th century AD.) who was a famous and well known Arab Shia writer and poet.

10- Bishno Kurdi (11th Century AD.), the SHia Kurd poet, who has brought the context and meaning of many traditions in his poems.

11- Saheb Bin Ebad (l1t century AD.) the clever and comepetent premier of Ale Bouyeh dynasty in Iran, has poems in this subject.

12- Sharif Razi (11th century AD.) the great Shia writer and author of the famous book of "Nahj -01Balagheh", has made poems on the topic of Ghadir Khum.

13- Mahyar Dailami (Ith century AD.), the Iranian reputable writer, who was zoarastarian, and after some talks and meetings with Sharif Razi, converted to Islam, and became a good Shia man, He got a high position in Arab literature, and made very nice poems about Ghadir Khum. 14- Sharif Mortaza (I2th century AD.), the younger brother of RE. Sharif Razi, the intellectual Shia multifacet scientist, has roems.

15- Abol Ala Maarri (It century A.D.), the famous Arab Atheist philosopher, has had poems on the subject of Ghadir Khum.

16- Al Moayyed fi Din (Ith century AD.), the great Shia (Ismaili Sect) scientist, who made a great effort for the establishment of Fatimi Dynasty in Egypt.

17- Talaye Bin Razik (also called as Malek Saleh), the premier of Fatimi dynasty in Egypt, who was a familiar Ismaili Shia writer, has some very nice poems regarding Ghadir Khum ceremony.

18- Khatib- e- Kharazmi (13th century AD.), the great Sunni (Hanafi Sect) Islamic historian and expert of Prophet's traditions, has composed poems regarding Ghadir Khum.

19- Al Mansour Bellah (13th century AD.), a religious leader in Zaidi Sect, in Yeman, who had praised Imam Ali, and reported the historical ceremony of Ghadir Khum in his poems.

20- Majd 01 Din Bin Jumail (14th century AD.), the Treasurer in the Abbasides government. He was Sunni (Shafei Sect). He got a serious problem. He prayed and requested Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) to solve his problem, and e was helped. So he made a poem and praised Imam Ali with reference to the event of Ghadir Khum.

21- Kamal Al- Din Bin Talhe (14th century A.D.), Shafei, a Sunni expert in the field of the traditions of the holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) who was chief judge in Syria at his time, has had several poems on this subject.

22- Taqi Oddin Shibani Shafei, a Sunni religious leader (of Shafei Sect) in Egypt (15th Century AD.), who praised Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) in his poems, and referred to this mastership, and the event of Ghadir Khum.

Many other Shafei religious writers interpreted his poems.

23- Shams Oddin Maleki (15th century AD.), a historical writer and religious scientist of Maleki (Sunni) sect, who lived in Syria, and composed poems about Imam Ali and event of Ghadir Khum.

24- Zain Oddin Hamidi (16th century AD.), the familiar physician and poet of Sunni sect, who composed poems on this matter.

25- Mohammed Bin Hussein, Baha oddin Ameli (lived in 17th century A.D.), the Lebanese comprehensive scholar in religious science, who came to Iran at the time of Safavid kings, and wrote many religious books.

26- Sheikh Horr Ameli (18th century AD.), the great Shia religious scientist and writers, whose books had been referred from the beginning till now, and has had many essays and poems about the truth of mastership of Imam Ali, and other Imams from his progeny (p.b.u.h.), and insisted on the Ghadir Khum subject in his books.

As you see, among the poets of Ghadir Khum, there are educated people and scientists of different sciences, from different believes and sects, and different places (countries) of residence. We can assume that the event of Ghadir Khum has been so popular, that the above mentioned gentlemen, the owners of frequent fields of knowledge and wisdom, have mentioned it in their writings. They have been, more or less, of the so level of deliberation and speculation in their researches, that they did not consider any point as true, just when it was publicly and generally accepted. However, they have shown, and mentioned in their books that they have had enough research and study about the case. In addition to the superior virtues and preferences of Amir-ol- Momenin Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (p.b.u.h.), which have been narrated in the traditions of the holy prophet, or have been popular and well known in the historical books?

The great scholar Allameh Amini has brought all the above poems, along with their references in his valuable book of "AI Ghadir If those who are interested to have a look over them, would have to page through this book. We hope that this short essay would have opened a new window to this precious book, for the respected researchers.

Abdul Hussein Taleie, (Iran)