Background to Ghadir

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How Ali became the Leader of Believers

By: S. Saclain


The Divine Power and Guardianship, or Valaya, is by the Will of God Almighty. It is given to 12 Holy Chosen Ones. Vilaya began at Ghadir when God ordered His Prophet to appoint Ali as the first Leader of Justice, the Imam. It was Angel Gabriel who came down from the heavens to tell the Prophet that God said it was time to designate Ali the master of the universe. This appointment was to bring Force to Believers. That day were destroyed the hopes of evil people. The year was 632.


God’s Messenger Mohamed left Medina to perform Haj. Except for Valaya, he had already announced God’s commandments to the people. Then Angel Gabriel came down and said:

‘O Mohamed, God sends peace on you, and says: “I have never taken the soul of any messenger until I have completed the Path and established My Proof. Two things still remain which you need to show to the people, the need to do Haj, and the need to recognise Valaya of your successor. I have never left My Earth empty of a Proof; nor will I ever leave it empty. Go, therefore, on Haj with the Bedouins. Show them how to do Haj like you taught them other things”.’

Nabi told his caller and he announced to the people to prepare for the journey to Haj. Over seventy thousand people gathered; the same number as those who went with Musa and accepted Haroon with a pledge. But later they broke their promise and followed Samri and made themselves a cow for worship. Similarly, Nabi took pledge for Ali from the people. But these too broke it later, and followed a Cow and a Samri of their time. They were just like the people who rejected Musa.

Nabi Mohamed performed all the rituals of Haj. At Mina, the Angel Gabriel came down and said:

‘O Mohamed, your Lord sends greeting to you and says: “Time has come for you to come to Me. Therefore, make your last will earlier. Pass your weapon and all the knowledge to your executive and successor, Ali son of Abu Talib, who is My greatest Proof for My creation, and My Logic against them. To him is My Peace. Raise him high as a guiding standard before the people. Remind them of obeying him, and again take the oath from them about My Ambassador, Ali son of Abu Talib, the Master of all believers, men and women. I have never taken the soul of any prophet until I have perfected My Path and completed My favour by establishing Obedience to My Friends and Wrath on My Enemies. Following Ali is the height of My Towheed, the belief in my Path, and completion of My Blessing on My creation. Whoever obeys him has obeyed Me. Whoever denies Ali and accepts the rule of any other person is a Mushrik, a Kafir [an idolater, an infidel]. I will give Hell to those who dislike him and I will give Paradise to those who accept him. Therefore, raise him as a standard because soon I will take you to Myself ”.’

Nabi Mohamed was concerned about the enemies of Ali and their plots, that they would lead many people back to the days of ignorance. Therefore, Nabi asked Gabriel to go back to God and seek guarantee and protection against evil the conspirators. Nabi waited until Gabriel obtained the promise of security from God. Gabriel went and returned, but without God’s promise of protection. Nabi again sent Gabriel back saying, ‘O Gabriel I am worried for Ali. Evil people will not accept him and harm him’. [Gabriel went back to God to ask for what Nabi wished for Ali.]

[In the meantime] Nabi left Maka and headed for Medina. He reached the place Ghadir Khum at ten in the morning. Here Gabriel descended from the heavens and said:

‘O Mohamed, the Almighty God sends His greetings to you, and says: “O Messenger, deliver what your Lord has given to you – about Ali – and if you cannot then you would not have proclaimed His message; and [do not worry] God will protect you against those people”.’

Nabi now called on all the pilgrims to gather together for a sermon. He ordered that a temporary pulpit be constructed for him. Nabi climbed on to the pulpit and stood to deliver the sermon. He said:

"Praise is to God, who is exalted in His unity, near in His uniqueness, sublime in His power, great in His dominance, and knower of all things... There is no other god except Him. Indeed Gabriel came down three times to give me order that I stand in this place and reveal to everyone, black and white, that Ali son of Abu Talib is my brother, my executive and my successor, and the Imam after me. Next to God and Mohamed, he is your guardian. Know that God has designated him guardian and leader for you. Choose him because God has chosen him, and turn to him, because God has appointed him. He is the Imam from God. O mankind, take Ali, because after I am gone, he is the best person in the world. I am leaving behind for you two important things, the holy book of God, and my pure family. If you hold fast to these two precious things, then you will never go astray. I will be asked about them and you will be asked. I remind you of God regarding my family. I remind you of God regarding my family. I remind you of God regarding my family. Therefore, see how you treat them. These two great things will remain together; and they will never separate from each other till they meet me at the Fountain in Heaven. After me there will be leaders who will take people to the fire. On the day of judgement no one will help them. God and I are both clear of them; they will be in the lowest depths of hell. So too will be their supporters, and their followers. Evil indeed is the home of the arrogant. Some people will usurp and replace it with their own kingdom. May God curse the usurpers who dispossess. Indeed your guardian is God Almighty; and your guardian is Mohamed who is now addressing you; and then, after me, by the command of God your Lord, your guardian and leader is Ali. There is no knowledge except what I taught Ali. He is Imam al Mobeen. God Almighty has more right over my life than I do myself; and I have more right over the lives of believers than they have themselves. And I am master of those whose take Ali as their master. I am their master to whom master is Ali. O God, love those who love him and be an enemy to those who hate him; help those who help him; and leave those who leave him! I have now delivered God’s message to you. I have made you hear. O Lord! I ask you to bear witness that I have announced it. [Pause]. God has just sent down to me this message: ‘This day I have perfected your religion for you, and completed My Blessing on you, and chosen Peace as your Way.' O mankind, the honourable and majestic God has perfected your religion through Ali’s leadership. So, now those of you who does not follow him and the Imams of my lineage, till Judgement Day when deeds are shown are presented to God the honourable and majestic, they are the ones whose deeds shall become fruitless and vain, and they shall live in fire forever. This is Ali, my brother, and executor, and the vessel of my knowledge, and my successor. He is the Captain of the Believers, the Imam of Guidance. Your Nabi is the best Nabi and your Wasi is the best Wasi. I am the warner and Ali is the guide. I am the Nabi and Ali is the Wasi. The last of the Imams will be the awaited Mehdi the Messiah. He will restore God’s Kindgom on Earth and all of our rights. On behalf of the Almighty God, I ask you now to swear the oath of allegiance to Ali. So, fear God and give your pledge of loyalty to Ali, Ameer Al Momineen, God’s blessings are upon him and on Hasan and Husayn, and to the Imams after them. God will destroy the treacherous, and He will show mercy to the loyal. Say what I have said, and greet Ali as the Captain of the Believers, and say, ‘we hear and we obey, forgive us O Lord, to You is our return’. And say: 'Praise be to God who has guided us to this; because without guidance from God we would never have been guided.’ O mankind, whoever obeys God and His messenger and Ali and the Imams will attain a great victory. O Lord! Forgive the believers, and send Your wrath upon the disbelievers; and Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds."

This is part of the speech given by Nabi at Ghadir. Ancients books record a very long three hours sermon.

The Holy Family of Nabi celebrated the day of Ghadir as a Divine Blessing on them and on the entire Creation.

The fifth Imam said, “God’s Way [religion] is based on five things: Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Haj, and Valaya. Nothing was commanded like Valaya was commanded. But people accepted first four and left the Valaya.”

The eighth Imam said, “Example of believers in accepting Valaya of [Ali] the Leader of the Believers on the day of Ghadir is like that of Angels in bowing to Adam; and, the example of disbelievers who left Valaya of the Leader of Believers [Ali] on day of Ghadir is like that of [Satan] Eblees.”

Holy Lady al Zahra said, “After Ghadir, God has left no argument for anyone.” Her father Master Mohammed said, “Transmitting the Ghadir sermon is the greatest act of Amr bil Maruf [calling people towards good]”, and, he also said, “Day of Ghadir Khumm is the greatest Celebration Festival of believers. It was the day God Almighty ordered me to designate His Zikr, my brother, Ali son of Abu Talib as the standard of believers. Through him they will be guided after me. It was the day God perfected the true Religion and completed His blessing on believers. He is happy that Submission to God be their Way.”

The sixth Imam said, “Fasting on day of Ghadir is greater in value than fasting for the entire age of the world. It is the greatest celebration of God. God has not appointed any Nabi but to celebrate this day as Joy. They are all aware of its holiness. In heavens it is known as the Day of the Covenant. You might think that the honourable and majestic God may have created a day more holy than this. Never. By God. Never. By God. Never. By God.”

The eighth Imam said, “Truly the day of Ghadir is more popular in Heavens than it is on Earth. By God, if mankind really knew the value and greatness of this day, the Angels would come and shake hands with them ten times a day.”

Historians also record that Master Mohamed said Ali is Mowla of all pious people, 'If I am your master than take Ali as your master; O Lord, love those who love Ali and hate those who hate Ali, help those who help Ali and leave those who abandon Ali, and turn the truth to where Ali turns.'

After the sermon of Ghadir, the Angel Gabriel flew back to the heavens very happy and praising Ali, his master.

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