The Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) At Ghadir Khumm

Part 6 : Adherents of Ahl Al-bait (pbut) and Their Enemies

O people! I am the Straight Path of Allah whom He commanded you to follow,1 and such after me also is Ali, and then my offspring from his loins, the Imams who guide with truth and turn (people) to it.”

Then, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) recited the entire Quranic chapter of the opening (al- Fatiha) and said:

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

They are the authorized friends of Allah, for whom there shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.3

1 cf. Chapter 6, Verse 153 of the Holy Quran. 2 cf. Chapter 7, Verse 181 of the Holy Quran. 3 cf. Chapter 10, Verse 62 of the Holy Quran.

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

Lo! It is their enemies who are the dissenters, the transgressors, and the brethren of Satans, who inspire one another with embellished vain discourses by way of deception.

Lo! It is their close adherents who are the true believers, whom Allah, the mighty and the majestic, mentions in His Book saying: “You will not find any group of people who (truly) believe in Allah and in the Last Day, yet they love those who opposed Allah and His messenger, even though they were their own fathers, sons, brothers, or kinsfolk; Those (who meet this criterion) are the ones in whose hearts He has written faith ...”

1 cf. Chapter 5, Verse 56 of the Holy Quran. 2 cf. Chapter 6, Verse 112 of the Holy Quran. 3 Chapter 58, Verse 22 of the Holy Quran.

Lo! Their close adherents are those whom Allah, the mighty and the majestic, describes as the following:

“Those who believe and do not cover their faith with injustice1, are the ones for whom is the security (from Hellfire), and they are the rightly guided.”2

[Indeed, their close adherents are those who believed and then have not entertained doubt (in their faith).3].

Lo! Their close adherents shall enter Paradise in peace and security, and the angels shall receive them with greetings saying, “Well have you done! Hence, enter into it to dwell therein forever!”4

1 According to the traditions, injustice in faith, in its worst form, is the recognition of the leadership of the enemies of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT).

Committing other sins in general is the lesser degree of this form of injustice. cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 413, Hadith 3; al-Tafsir, al-Ayyashi, vol. 1, p. 366, Hadith 49; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 28, p. 16.

2 Chapter 6, Verse 82 of the Holy Quran.

3 cf. Chapter 49, Verse 15 of the Holy Quran.

4 cf. Chapter 39, Verse 73 of the Holy Quran.

Indeed, their close adherents are those about whom Allah, the mighty and the majestic, said, they shall enter Paradise (where they shall receive sustenance) without having to account for anything.1

Lo! Their enemies are ones who shall arrive at Hell.

Indeed, their enemies are the ones who shall hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath as it blazes forth, and therein shall be the heaving of sighs and sobs.2

Behold! Their enemies are those about whom Allah states: “Whenever a nation enters it, it shall curse its peer.”3

1 cf. Chapter 40, Verse 40 of the Holy Quran. 2 cf. Chapter 67, Verse 7 and Chapter 11, Verse 106 of the Holy Quran. 3 Chapter 7, Verse 38 of the Holy Quran.

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

“Every time a group is cast therein, its keepers shall ask them, ‘Did no warner come to you?’

They shall say, ‘Yes indeed. A warner came to us, but we rejected (him) and said, Allah has not revealed anything;1 you are but in a great error.’

They shall also say, ‘Had we listened or used our wisdom, we would not have been among the inmates of the blazing fire.’ They shall then confess their sins; but far from mercy shall be the inmates of the burning fire.”2

1 This verse refers to the fact that rejecting the guardianship of Imam Ali is equivalent to denying all of what has been revealed to the Prophet (PBUH&HF), as confirmed earlier in the sermon. In other words, saying, “Allah has not appointed Ali as the guardian and Imam” is equivalent to saying, “Allah has not revealed anything.”

2 Chapter 67, Verses 8-11 of the Holy Quran.

In contrast, their close adherents are, indeed, ones who fear their Lord in secret; for them is forgiveness and a great reward.1

O people! What a great difference it is between the burning fire and the great reward!

O people! Our enemy is whom Allah censures and curses, whereas our adherent friend is the one whom Allah praises and loves.

O people! Behold! I am a warner and Ali is a guide.2

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

1 cf. Chapter 67, Verse 12 of the Holy Quran. 2 cf. Chapter 13, Verse 7 of the Holy Quran.