A brief introduction to Ghadeer Khum incident

It is a presentation of Islamic Occasionshttp://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/

Scope Background of Ghadeer Khum

1. The urgent revelation2. Location of Ghadeer Khum3. Hayya Ala Khair-il-Amal4. When & in front of how many Muslims?5. What happened at Ghadeer Khum

Homage to Ali1. Contexts2. Quranic Exegesis (Tafseer):3. Prophetic Traditions (Hadith):4. Historical Reports (Tarikh):5. Narrators6. Further studies / References

Haj of Wadaa: Farewell Pilgrimage

The Urgent Revelation

The urgent revelationThe urgent revelation

On the return journey to Medina, the caravan passed Ghadeer Khum near Al-Johfa.

The Prophet (pbuh) ordered to encamp here after he received the following divine revelation:

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O Messenger! deliver what bas been revealed to you from your O Messenger! deliver what bas been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people;message, and Allah will protect you from the people; Ayah 5:67.

Location of Ghadeer Khum

Location of Ghadeer Khum Ghadeer is on the way from Mecca to Medina. Ghadeer means a pond in Arabic, named as Khum. So this

place is known as Ghadeer Khum. The Prophet (pbuh) broke the journey at this pond, which is

located 3 miles away from Al-Johfa. He (pbuh) halted at Ghadeer Khum in midday. Which is a wayside tract of barren land with no shade other

than that provided by a few acacia trees. Significant aspect attached to Ghadeer, where all the routes

of the different caravans coming from various points of Arabia normally parted. It was a major intersection of roads.

In the course of time, this pond dried up. All traces of water and vegetation vanished. So the name Ghadeer is no longer in use.

A sketch of the path taken by the Prophet in his historic Hijrah. 

Ghadir Kum half way between Mecca and Medina

Hayya Ala Khair-il-Amal

Hayya Ala Khair-il-Amal

On hearing this urgent command, the Prophet (pbuh) ordered the place to be swept.

He also ordered Bilal (the Mu’athin) to recite the ‘Athan’ –with the words:

“Hayya Ala Khair-il-Amal” meaning O people! Hasten towards the best of deeds.

When & in front of how many Muslims?

When & in front of how many Muslims?When & in front of how many Muslims?

It was the 18th day of Dhul Hajja – the 10th year after Hijrah.

In front of between 90,000 to 120,000 Muslims (some say 18,000-70,000).Those who had gone ahead and those who were

still behind. Also those who had begun to depart in different

directions. All were recalled to this junction and instructed to

assemble in order to hear an important message. It was midday and it was very hot.

What happened at Ghadeer ?

What happened at Ghadeer ?What happened at Ghadeer ?

A shade was arranged for the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet offered the noon prayers in congregation. Thereafter, He (pbuh) delivered the sermon. Tabarani and others have recorded the following

tradition as related by Zayd ibn Arqam and transmitted through sources unanimously acknowledged to be reliable: Zayd says that the Messenger of Allah, delivered a

sermon at Ghadeer Khum under a cloth spread as a canopy on two large trees. He said:

"O people! I am soon to be recalled (by God) and I must comply. I shall be interrogated and you also shall be interrogated. What will you say then?“

The entire audience answered: "We shall bear witness that you did convey to us the message of Allah, and did your best to guide us on the right path and always gave us good console. May Allah bless you with a good reward."

The Holy Prophet proceeded: "Will you bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that Paradise is true, Hellfire is true, Death is true, Resurrection after death is true, that the Day of Judgment will doubtlessly come and that Allah will raise to life the dead from their graves?”

They answered: "O Yes! We bear witness to all this." Then Holy Prophet said: “O Allah! You are also may witness.“ ‘O my people! Allah is my

Mowla and I am Mowla of the faithful and I have higher rights on and control over their lives.

And this Ali is the Mowla of all those of whom I am his Mowla. O Allah! Love the person who loves him (Ali) and antagonize him who antagonizes him (Ali)."

“O my Lord, support him who supports Ali, and antagonize him who antagonizes Ali, and help him who assists Ali and forsake him who will forsake Ali.”

The Prophet further said: "O my people! I will precede you and you also shall arrive at the pool of Kawthar. When you shall reach me I shall interrogate you about your behavior towards the two precious matters (thaqalayn) after my death: One precious matter is the Book of Allah, the Mighty and

Glorious, one end of which is with Allah, the Exalted, and the other end is in your hands. Grasp it tightly and do not go astray and do not change or amend it.

The other precious matter is my Progeny, who are my Ahlul Bayt. Allah the Gracious and Omniscient has informed me that these two will never part from each other till they reach me at the pool (of blessings in Heaven).

When the ceremony was over, the Archangel Gabriel delivered Ayah 5:3 to the Prophet as follow:

The Two Precious Matters

“…“…Today have I perfected upon Today have I perfected upon you your religion and completed you your religion and completed upon you My blessings and upon you My blessings and approved for you Islam as your approved for you Islam as your religion...” religion...” (Al-Maeda/5:3)(Al-Maeda/5:3)

Homage to Ali

Homage to Ali At this moment the Prophet (pbuh) said loudly

Allaahu Akbar, then he added:

“I thank Allah for having perfected His religion and for having completed His favor and for having been pleased with the mastership and succession of Ali after me.”

Then he (pbuh) stepped down from the platform and said to Ali:

“Sit in a tent to let the distinguished men of Islam swear oath of allegiance to you and congratulate you”.

“Congratulations, O son of Abu Talib, You have become my Mowla and the Mowla of every

believer, men or women.”

These are the words of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab

Prophetic Tradition (Hadiths):Prophetic Tradition (Hadiths):

Prophetic Tradition (Hadiths):Prophetic Tradition (Hadiths): Imam Ahmad has recorded the tradition related by Baraa' ibn 'Azib in

his Musnad, vol.4, p. 281, transmitted through two different sources. Baraa' says: "We were with the Messenger of Allah.

We alighted at Ghadeer Khum. Congregational prayer was in order. An area under two trees was swept and cleaned for the Messenger of Allah.

He offered midday prayers and he grasped the hand of Ali and said: 'Do you not know that I have more authority over the lives of the faithful than the faithful themselves?‘

'Yes you have,' they replied. He again inquired: 'Do you not know that I have more right over the life of every believer than the believer himself?' 'Surely, you have,' they answered.

Then he grasped the hand of Ali and said: 'Ali is the Mowla of all those of whom I am his Mowla. O Allah! Love the one who loves him (Ali) and hate him who hates him (Ali).'"

Baraa' ibn 'Azib says: "Then Omar came to Ali and said: 'Congratulations to you the son of Abu Talib. You have become my Mowla and the Mowla (master) of every faithful men and women.'"

Historical reports (Tarikh):

At the plain of Rahbah in KufaAt the plain of Rahbah in Kufa An instance that took place in Kufa during the Khilaafah of Imam Ali, 35

years after the Prophet's death. At Ali's insistence a large number of people gathered in the plain of

Rahbah in Kufa, he addressed them by saying: “By an oath in the name of Allah to all Muslims who had heard the

Prophet’s proclamation on the day of Ghadeer Khum, to stand up and testify what they heard him say. Only those who saw the Prophet (pbuh) that day with their own eyes and heard the proclamation with their own ears should stand up."

Thereupon, thirty companions of the Prophet (pbuh), including twelve of those who had participated in the battle of Badr, stood up and witnessed that the Prophet (pbuh) grasped his (Ali's) hand and said to the audience: "Do you know that I have a prior right to and higher authority over the lives of the faithful than the faithful themselves?"

"O yes!" they said. The Prophet (pbuh) then said: "He (Ali) is the Mowla (i.e., has the authority over the lives) of all those of whom I am his Mowla. O Allah, love him who loves him (Ali) and antagonize him who antagonizes (Ali)."

It is logically impossible that thirty companions might have secretly agreed to speak a unanimous lie. In addition to the thirty witnesses there were three others whose ill-feeling with Ali prevented them from standing and attesting as eye-witnesses, like Anas ibn Malik.

When Imam Ali said to Anas: "Why do you not stand and testify what you heard from the messenger of Allah on the day of Ghadeer?"

Anas answered, "O Amir al-Mu’mineen! I have grown old and do not remember." Thereupon Ali said: "May Allah deal with you in His own way.”

Later, Anas became affected with leukoderma, an embarrassing condition of loss of pigment of the skin. Thereafter, Anas used to say: "I am suffering due to the Du’aa of the righteous servant of Allah “Ali”.

At the plain of Rahbah in At the plain of Rahbah in KufaKufa

Bear in mind that this incident took place 35 years after the event of Ghadeer Khum, and during this period hundreds of eyewitnesses had died naturally or in the battles fought during the first two Khalifa's rule.

Also this incident took place in Kufa which was far from the center of the Sahaaba in Medina.

This incident took place in Kufa in the year 35 A.H. has itself been narrated by four Sahaaba and 14 Tabi’een and has been recorded in most books of history and tradition.

At the plain of Rahbah in KufaAt the plain of Rahbah in Kufa

The Investiture of Ali at Ghadir Khumm (MS Arab 161, fol. 162r, AD 1309/8 Ilkhanid manuscript illustration)

Artist rendering

Narrators:

Narrators:Narrators:

110 companions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) 84 Successors (Tabi’een) Over 360 scholars to the present day

Further studies/references:

Further studies/references:Further studies/references: Al-Ghadeer fi al-kitab wa al-sunnah wa al-adab

A book written in Arabic by Allamah 'Abd al-Husayn Ahmad al-'Amini al-Najafi (d. 1390 AH). Where he gives with full references the names of 110 Sahaaba of the Prophet and also 84 Tabi‘een (disciples of the Sahaaba) who have narrated the Hadith of Ghadeer. He has also chronologically given the names of the historians, traditionists, exegetists and poets who have mentioned the Hadith of Ghadeer from the first until the fourteenth Islamic century in 11 volumes .

Abaqat al-AnwarA book written in Persian by Allama Sayyid Hamid Husayn

Musawi Lakhnawi (d. 1306 AH) of India. He devoted two bulky volumes (1,080 pages) on the isnad, tawatur and meaning of the Hadith of Ghadeer.

The Questions

The QuestionsThe Questions What is the urgent revelation? Where is Ghadeer Khum located? What is meant by Ghadeer Khum? What is the significant aspect attached to Ghadeer Khum? Who said: Hayya Ala Khair-il-Amal? When did this historic event happen? What is the order of the following? Who said: Whosever I am the master Ali is his master? Who said: Congratulations, O son of Abu Talib, You became my

Mowla and the Mowla of every believer, men and women? How many people have narrated the Hadith of Ghadeer?

Al-Ghadir spring that might be the historic spring cited in history books in the context of the Farewell Pilgrimage

Al-Ghadir mountain where waters run and valleys form in seasons of rain

Palm trees that grew after stoppage of visitors and their eating of dates in the valley. 

Hassan b. Thabit the Poet

Hassan b. Thabit's poetry Immediately after the Prophet's speech, Hassan b. Thabit, the Companion and poet of the Messenger of Allah, asked for his permission to compose a few verses of poetry about Imam 'Ali [a] for the audience.

The Prophet said: "Say with the blessings of Allah". Hassan stood up and said: "O' people of Quraish. I follow with my words what preceded and

witnessed by the Messenger of Allah [s]. He then composed the following verses at the scene:

ثابت بن حسان

بالرسول وأسمع بخممناديا

الغدير يوم يناديهمنبيهم

يبدوا ولم فقالواالتعاميا هناك

فمن: فقالونبيكم؟ موالكم

في منا تلق ولمعاصيا الوالية

وأنت موالنا إلهكنبينا

بعدي من رضيتكوهاديا إماما

: يا قم له فقالفإنني علي؟

صدق أتباع له فكونوامواليا

مواله كنت فمنوليه فهذا

عليا عادا للذي وكنمعاديا

اللهم؟ دعا هناكوليه وال

Hassan b. Thabit's Poem

He calls them, (on) the day of Ghadeer, their Prophet In Khum so heed the Messenger's call, He said: "Who is your guide and leader? “ They said: "Your God, our guide, and you are our leader And you won't find from among us, in this, any disobedient,“ He said to him: "Stand up O' Ali, for I am pleased to announce you

Imam and guide after me, So whomever I was his leader (mawla), then this is his leader

(mawla) So be it to him supporters in truth and followers, There he prayed: “O Allah! Be a friend and guide to his follower

And be, to the one who is Ali's enemy, an enemy"

The End

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http://www.al-islam.org/ghadir/

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