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

His Followers, His Enemies, and Their Fate

In the sermon of Ghadir Khum, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) describes the followers and the enemies of Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him, and informs them of their destinies:

limited to denying any opposite in Him. In other words, we should regard Him free from all defects such as ignorance.

1- Those who acknowledge the authority of Imam Ali (PBUH) are the triumphant Party of Allah and the true believers who will achieve felicity and a great reward.

2- Whoever doubts any of the Imams has doubted them all, and his abode is the everlasting Hellfire.

Whoever doubts the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in this sermon concerning them has doubted all of what Allah has revealed to the Prophet (PBUH&HF) throughout his entire mission. Such a person is accursed and under the wrath of Allah.

3- If anyone chooses a religion other than submission to the guardianship of Imam Ali (PBUH), Allah will never accept it from him, nor will He accept his deeds, and he will be among the losers on the Day of Judgement.

4- Allah loves whoever loves Ali (PBUH). He keeps up His support, protection, guidance, forgiveness, and mercy for anyone who keeps attached to Ali (PBUH), listens to him, and remains under his guardianship.

5- Anyone who turns away from Imam Ali (PBUH), he has rejected Allahپfs guardianship and has gone under the guardianship of Satan. Such a person has attained the curse of Allah and His wrath.

6- As long as someone denies Aliپfs authority, Allah will never turn to him nor will He ever forgive him. If he dies like that, he will remain in Hell forever. This is a decisive decree by Allah that will never change.

7- The friends of Imam Ali (PBUH) are those who believe in his guardianship and never doubt their belief. They detest those who oppose Allah and His Messenger even if they are their closest kin.

8- The enemies of Imam Ali (PBUH) are those who turn away from his guardianship, doubt the virtues that Allah has bestowed upon him, are jealous of him, abandon support for him, reject his sayings, disagree with his actions, oppose his commands, or have friendship with those who oppose him.

9- His enemies are the wretched, the misguided, the arrogant, the brothers of Satan, and the rejecters of faith. Their deeds are all in vain. Their lasting punishment will not be lessened, and they will never be pardoned.

10- Those who usurped the rights of the family of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) are the leaders who invite people to Hell. Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF) are clear of them and their actions. They, their supporters, and their followers will be in the lowest pit of the Hellfire.

The Ghadir event leaves no excuse

During the Sermon, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) stressed that his speech completes Allahپfs argument against everyone until the Day of Judgement. After the departure of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), other members of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)

1 emphasized

this fact as well. Lady Fatima (PBUH), the Prophetپfs daughter, said:

Allah did not leave any argument or any excuse for anyone after the event of Ghadir Khum.پh2 Similarly, when Imam Ali (PBUH) addressed the immigrants and the helpers in the Prophetپfs Mosque (after they had pledged fealty to Abu Bakr), he reminded them of his exclusive right for the leadership of the community and their covenant with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) concerning him.

Some of the helpers said to Imam Ali, پgO Abul Hasan! Had the helpers heard your arguments before giving their pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr, none would have disputed your rule.پh In response to them, Imam Ali (PBUH) said:

1 Ahl al-Bait means People of the House. However, the Ahl al-Bait of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) as specifically defined by him and believed by the Shia, refers only to the divinely selected individuals of his house. They are his daughter (Lady Fatima (PBUH)) as well as twelve divinely appointed leaders (Imams) after him. The twelve Imams include the Prophetپfs son in law and cousin, Ali (PBUH), Aliپfs two sons, al-Hasan and al-Husain (PBUT), as well as nine descendants of al-Husain (PBUH).

2 Dalaپfil al-Imama, p. 38. See also, al-Khisal, vol. 1, p. 173; Bihar al- Anwar, vol. 30, p. 124.

Did you want me to leave the shrouded body of the Messenger of Allah without burial and come out to quarrel for his sovereignty? By Allah! I could not believe anyone would yearn for it, dispute with us Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) in it, and make lawful to do what you did (in usurping our rights).

I do not see that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) left any place for any controversial talks, any plea, or any argument for anyone (by his speech) on the day of Ghadir Khum.

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

Our obligations towards the sermon and the event

The necessity of submitting to the Prophetپfs sayings One of the important differences that distinguishes Islam from all the early divine religions is that it states that it is 1 al-Ihtijaj, vol. 1, p. 74; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 28, p. 185.

the final religion of Allah. It offers the ultimate divine instructions for people in terms of beliefs and practices, and all its commandments and prohibitions are effective until the Day of Judgement. Believers of all generations are required to submit to the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) to achieve felicity. Allah states in the Holy Quran:

It is not permissible for a believer, man or woman, to exercise choice in a matter for which Allah and His Messenger issued a command.

Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has surely strayed off (the path), a manifest straying.

Whoever does not judge according to what Allah has sent down is a disbeliever.2

O You who believe! Do not precede Allah and His Messenger; and be watchful of (your duties 1 Chapter 33, Verse 36 of the Holy Quran. 2 Chapter 5, Verse 44 of the Holy Quran.

toward) Allah. Verily, Allah hears and knows all things.

But no, by your Lord, they have not truly believed until they make you judge in all disputes between them, find in their souls no resistance against your decision, and submit (to you) with complete conviction.

O You who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who are given authority from among you; and if you had a dispute in a matter, return it to Allah and His Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.

1 Chapter 49, Verse 1 of the Holy Quran. 2 Chapter 4, Verse 65 of the Holy Quran. 3 Chapter 4, Verse 59 of the Holy Quran.

Say, پeIf you truly love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins; and Allah is oft-forgiving and the most merciful.

f Say, eObey Allah and His Messenger.f But if they turn back, Allah loves not those who reject faith.h 1 Therefore, it is necessary for a believer to follow all the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) which have reached us in the form of traditions.

Opposing the traditions of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) means opposing Allah and disbelieving the above-mentioned verses of the Holy Quran.

Weakening and disregarding the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) that have been handed down to us means believing that the Quranic verses, which require us to follow his sayings, are useless in our time.

Particularly, for such an important issue as the message of Ghadir Khum, rejecting it means believing that Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF) have failed to convey the message that, according to the Quran, if not conveyed, would be as if nothing of His religion was conveyed,2 and religion would remain deficient and unsatisfactory in the sight of Allah.3

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

1 Chapter 3, Verses 31-32 of the Quran. 2 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 67. 3 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 3.

Learning, acknowledging, and protecting the text of the sermon

The sermon of Ghadir Khum constitutes the last instructions of the last prophet of Allah in his last days. Hence, it is of prime importance for every believer to study the text of the sermon with care, reflect on it, and acknowledge all its implications in oneپfs heart.

In the sermon of Ghadir, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) has emphasized that all his final commandments and prohibitions are effective forever and should never be altered by peoples desires, needs, ideas, opinions, or tendencies in any era.

He (PBUH&HF) considered it a duty of every believer to learn and comprehend the instructions of the sermon as it was handed down to them, and to protect them from any alteration or change for the use of the current and future generations.

Acting upon the instructions of the sermon and observing the covenant

After understanding and acknowledging the message of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in the heart, one must put it in practice in his/her life. Calling people toward the truth by self-practice is the most beautiful and the most effective method of propagating the truth, which protects the message on a practical level and keeps it alive in the community.

The covenant taken by the Prophet (PBUH&HF) from all people who eventually hear the sermon includes the following verbal declarations:

1- We heard and understood the divine message concerning the authority and the rights of Ali (PBUH) and the Imams of his offspring.

2- We pledge our fealty to them by our hearts, our souls, our tongues, and our hands.

3- We are satisfied with the message and submit to it.

4- We will never deny it, nor will we break 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), Allahپfs Angels, His forces, and His servants, and anyone who obeyed it.

According to the saying of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), this covenant is taken by the order of Allah, and anyone who pledges his allegiance to him, Imam Ali, and the pure Imams of his progeny according to the terms of the covenant has indeed pledged his allegiance to Allah, the mighty and the majestic. This fact is also verified by the Holy Quran.1

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

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) stated that those who precede others in acknowledging their covenant with Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him and truly believe in their guardianship are those who succeed in attaining the gardens of bliss.