Divine Ghadir

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GHADIR - THE DIVINE DAY

Importance of Day of Ghadir

Al Olonzo (8 June 2011)


Ghadir day is the day of God. On this day God's love and mercy for mankind reached its peak. This is a brief account of the holiest day in human history.

In 632, Prophet Mohammed led his disciples on final Haj. He told them that his time of death was nearing and that he would soon leave them. Thousands of people accompanied him on his farewell pilgrimage.

After completing the pilgrimage in Mecca, Prophet along with his disciples headed back home to Medina. When they reached the place called Ghadir Khumm, the Mighty Angel Gabriel came to him and gave him a very important message. Prophet received the order from Almighty God to halt the caravan and deliver this crucial mesasge from God. Gabriel revealed to the Prophet the intruction from God:

“O Messenger! Convey that which has been revealed to you from your Lord. For if you do not do this, then it is as if you have not delivered His message at all. God will protect you from the people.” (Quran 5:67)

Prophet halted immediately. It was the valley of Ghadir. It was noon. Sun was scorching hot. Prophet and his disciple prayed noon prayer all together in large congregation. Multitudes of people were around him. He asked that a temporary pulpit be made. His disciples made him a platform made from camel saddles and other things in the vicinity. Prophet ascended the pulpit and delivered a long speech in praise of Ali.

“O people! Know that shortly I shall answer the call of The Truth (God) and will no longer be among you – I have a responsibility (to God) and you too have a responsibility (towards Him). I am leaving behind two weighty things to you as a trust. One is the Book of God. The other is my lineage, the Ahlul Bait. These two shall never separate from one another. O people! Do not attempt to be forward with the Quran and my family. Do not be negligent in your actions towards these two, because if you do so, you shall be destroyed.”

Prophet then called Ali to come to the pulpit. He took his hand and raised his arm high.

“Who has more of a right over the believers than their own selves? God is my master, and I am the master of all the believers; and I have more right and authority over the believers than they have over their own souls. To whomever I am his master, this Ali is also his master. O God! Befriend him who befriends him (Ali) and oppose he who opposes him.”

This is a a great day, a day of celebration. With Ali's appointment as succssor and guardian of Muslims, God's entire message had now been revelaed. That day was a momentous and grand day in history, a day of divine blessing in which God’s favour for mankind and a day in which Divine religion was completed. Ghadir is the day of Islam, the day of Quran and the day of Ahlul Bayt. God promises great reward for anyone who marks and honours this holy day.

Angel Gabriel once again descended from Heavens by the order of God. This time he revealed the following verse of the Quran:

“On this day have I completed your religion for you and perfected My bounties upon you and am pleased with Islam as being your religion.”

Here are some Hadith tradtions recorded in books of Shia mulsims who love Imam Ali.


Hadith 1: The Eid of the Khilafat and Wilayat

Ziyad ibn Muhammad says, “I went to see Imam Jafar and said to him, “Do the Muslims have an Eid other than Juma, Fitr and Adha?”

Imam Jafar replied:

“Yes, the day which God’s Messenger appointed Imam Ali [as leader].”

Hadith 2: The Best Eid of the Muslims

Prophet said:

“The day of Ghadir Khumm is the best Eid of my nation. It is the day on which God, the High, ordered me to mention the appointment of my brother, Ali son of Abu Talib as the flag and standard of my nation. People shall be guided by him after me and this is the day in which God completed the religion and perfected the bounties upon my nation and on which He was pleased with Islam as their religion.”

Hadith 3: The Great Eid of God

Imam Jafar said:

“This is the greatest Eid of God, and every Prophet appointed by God celebrated this day as an Eid, and knew the sanctity of this day. The name of this day in the heavens is the Day of the Allegiance and Well-Known Pact, and on the Earth this Day is known as the Day of the Promise which is taken and the Day of the Gathering of those who witnessed (the event).”

Hadith 4: The Eid of Wilayat

Imam Jafar was asked: “Do the true believers have an Eid other than Fitr and Adha and Friday?”

Imam Jafar replied:

“Yes, they have one which is even greater than these ones and that is the day when Imam Ali was designated by God’s Messenger with the Wilayah (at Ghadir Khumm) which rests on the necks of all the men and women.”

Hadith 5: The Day of Renewal of the Oath of Allegiance

Imam Jafar said:

“This is a great day. God has magnified the sacredness of this day for the true believers and perfected the religion for them and completed upon them the bounties and renewed the pledge which He had taken from them (previously).”

Hadith 6: The Eid of the Heavens

Imam Jafar said:

“The Day of Ghadir is more well known in the heavens than it is on the Earth.”

Hadith 7: An Incomparable Eid

Imam Ali said:

“Surely this is a highly recognized day, on it the help was brought, and the station (of the one who was worthy of it) was elevated, and the proofs (of God) were made manifest. This is the day when from a pure station, words were clearly and straightforwardly stated, and this is the day of the completion of the religion and the (day) when the promise and pact were taken.”

Hadith 8: A Very Beneficial Eid

Imam Jafar said:

“I swear by God that if people knew the true greatness of this day, the Angels would shake hands with them ten times every day … and God would grant a person who recognizes (the greatness of this day) what can not be enumerated.”

Hadith 9: A Luminous Eid

Imam Jafar said:

“The Day of Ghadir, in comparison to eids of Fitr, Adha and Friday, is like the moon in relation to the rest of the planets.”

Hadith 10: One of the Four Divinely Appointed Eids

Imam Jafar said:

“When the Day of Judgement comes about, four days shall hasten towards Almighty God, just as a bride hastens towards her bridal chamber: The day of Fitr, the day of Adha, the day of Friday, and the day of Ghadir Khumm.”

Hadith 11: The Day of the Message and the Wilayat

Prophet said:

“O assembly of Muslims – those who are present must convey the following to those who are not, “I advise the person who believes in me and has confirmed me to accept the Wilayat (of Ali). Now surely the Wilayat of Ali is my Wilayat, and my Wilayat is the Wilayat of my Lord. This is a pledge from my Lord which He commanded me to convey to all of you.”

Hadith 12: The Day of Feeding Others

Imam Jafar said:

“ Surely this is the day when God’s Messenger appointed Ali as the flag for the people and made known his greatness and succession; and he fasted on this day as a sign of thanks to Almighty God. This day should be taken as one of fasting, feeding others, establishing ties with brothers (in faith), and on this day is the pleasure of the Most Merciful (al-Rahman) and the rubbing in the dust (humiliation) of the face of Satan.”

Hadith 13: The Day of Gifts

Imam Ali said:

“ When you meet each other (on Ghadir), shake hands with one another with greetings (of peace) and exchange gifts on this day and let those who are present convey this to those who are not, and let the rich person give something to the poor, and the powerful one to the weak, as God’s Messenger commanded me to (also) do this.”

Hadith 14: The Day of Protection

Imam Ali said:

“ How shall the state of that person be who has taken the responsibility upon himself for a number of the believing men and believing women (on Ghadir) since I personally have guaranteed that person protection from disbelief and poverty, in the presence of God, the Most High.”

Wasail Shia, vol 7, p 327

Hadith 15: The Day of Thanks and Happiness

Imam Jafar said:

“ This (Ghadir) is the day of worship and prayers and thanks to God and His praise, and is a day of happiness due to the obligation which God has laid upon all of you in regards to our Wilayat, and surely I love to see you fast on this day.”

Hadith 16: The Day of Doing Good to Others

Imam Jafar said:

“ Giving one penny to a brother in faith and who has recognised (Ghadir) is equal to giving one thousand pennies (on other days). Therefore on this day, give to your brothers and make all of the believing men and believing women happy and delighted.”

Hadith 17: The Day of Joy and Happiness

Imam Jafar said:

“Surely this day (Ghadir) is a day of festivity, joy and happiness and it is a day of fasting as a sign of thanks to God, the Most High.”

Hadith 18: The Day of Congratulations and Felicitations

Imam Ali said:

“When your assembly adjourns, may God have mercy on you, then show generosity towards your dependants, kindness to your brethren, and gratitude to God for what He has bestowed upon you. Come together that God may unite you, do good to one another that God may increase your mutual love; and congratulate one another for God’s favour as He has given you the good tidings of a reward many times greater than previous or future Eids, except an Eid like it [when Ghadir falls on a Friday].”

Hadith 19: A Day of Greeting and Disavowal

Imam Jafar said:

“May I be sacrificed for you! Do the Muslims have a festivity other than the two Eid celebrations?” The Imam replied, “Yes O Hasan! (There is one) greater than these two and much worthier than them.” The companion replied, “And what day is that?” The Imam said: “The day upon which Imam Ali was appointed as the flag (of guidance) for the people.” The companion then asked, “May I be sacrificed for you! And what should we do (on this day)?” The Imam replied, “You should fast on it, O Hasan, and recite many prayers upon Muhammad and his family and disavow yourself towards God from all of those who oppressed them; surely the Prophets (of the past) also commanded their successors to consider the day of their appointment a day of celebration and Eid.”

Hadith 20: The Eid of the Successors

Imam Jafar said:

“ On this day (Ghadir) you should remember Almighty God, on this day through fasting and worship and through remembering Muhammad and the family of Muhammad since surely God’s Messenger had advised Imam Ali to take this day as a day of Eid, and this is the same thing which the (previous) Prophets also did; they too advised their successors who took this day as a day of Eid.”

Hadith 21: The Day of Dedication and Prayers

Imam Jafar said:

“The worth of pious deeds performed on this day (Ghadir) is equivalent to eighty months, and one is advised to frequently remember Almighty God, and send blessings upon the Prophet, and that a man be generous to his family.”

Hadith 22: The Day of Seeing the Leader

Imam Ali Naqi al-Hadi said:

“The Day of Ghadir is the day when the Prophet appointed his brother Ali as the flag for the people and the Imam after him.”

Hadith 23: The Day of Praising God

Imam Reza said:

“God will grant a person who visits a true believer on (Ghadir) seventy types of Divine Light in his grave and will expand his grave. Every day, 70,000 Angels will visit him in the grave and they will grant him the glad tidings of Paradise.”

Hadith 24: The Day of Visiting and Doing Good

Imam Jafar said:

“It is (on Ghadir) advisable for you to become close to God the Most High, through good deeds, fasting, prayers, establishing family ties and establishing ties between brothers. The Prophets did the same thing when they appointed their successors, and also advised them to act similarly.”

Misbahul Mutahajjid, p 736

Imam Jafar said:

“Surely it is recommended to pray inside Ghadir Mosque, because verily the Prophet introduced the Leader of the believers to the people here and this is the spot in which Almighty God made known The Truth.”

Hadith 26: Salat on the Day of Ghadir

Imam Jafar said:

“A person who performs a two units of prayer any time he wishes (on Ghadir), though it is best that this (Salat) be performed as close to the time of Noon as possible, because this is the time at which Imam Ali was appointed at Ghadir Khumm as the flag of the people. Prayer is as if the person had been present on the Day (of Ghadir Khumm).”

Hadith 27: Fasting on the Day of Ghadir

Imam Jafar said:

“Fasting on the Day of Ghadir is equivalent to fasting the time span of the (existence of the) entire world – meaning that if a person were to live a life of the entire existence of the world and were to fast this whole time, the reward for this fasting would be equivalent to fasting (this one day of Ghadir).”

Hadith 28: The Day of Congratulations and Smiling

Imam Reza said:

“ This is a day of congratulations and felicitations in which you should greet and congratulate one another. When a believer meets another, one should say, ‘All praise belongs to God who has made us amongst those who hold firm to the Wilayat of Imam Ali and the Imams; and this is a day of smiling at other people and those of true faith.”

Hadith 29: The Prophet and the Wilayat of Ali

Abu Saeed reports:

When the day of Ghadir Khumm came, God’s Messenger commanded the caller to call out people for Salat. Then he took Ali by the hand and said:

“O God! He who accepts me as his master, Ali is also his master. O God! Be a friend to any person who is a his friend, and be an enemy to any person who is his enemy’.”

Hadith 30: Living the Life of a Prophet

Prophet said:

“A person who wishes to live the life that I lived and wishes to die the way I die, and wants to reside in the perpetual Paradise which has been promised to me by my Lord should accept the Wilayat of Ali son of Abu Talib, because he will never drag you away from the path of true guidance and he will never misguide you.”

Hadith 31: The Prophet and the Imamate of Ali

Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari reports:

I heard God’s Messenger say to Ali son of Abu Talib:

“O Ali! You are my brother and my successor and my executor and my caliph over my nation both during my life and also after my death. Those who love you, love me; and those who hate you, hate me; and your enemy is my enemy.”

Hadith 32: The Pillars of Islam

Imam Baqir said:

“Islam is built on five foundations: Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj and Wilayat; there was no call to any of these resembling that which the people were called towards in order to accept the Wilayah on the Day of Ghadir.”

Hadith 33: The Perpetual Wilayat

Imam Reza:

“The Wilayat of Ali has been written in all of the books of the Prophets; and God did not appoint a single Messenger except (under) Prophethood of Muhammad and the succession of Ali.”

Hadith 34: Wilayat and Tawhid

Prophet said:

“The Wilayat of Ali son of Abu Talib is the Wilayat of God; love for him is worship of God; following him is an mandatory requirement from God; his friends are the friends of God, and his enemies are the enemies of God; fighting with him is fighting against God; and making peace with him is making peace with Almighty God.”

Hadith 35: The Day of the Cry of Despair of Shaitan

Imam Baqir said:

“Iblis, the enemy of God, cried out four times: The day when he was cursed; the day when he was sent down to the Earth; the day when the Prophet was officially commissioned; and on the Day of Ghadir.”

Hadith 36: The Wilayat of Ali is the Fortress of Tawhid

Almighty God has said:

“The Wilayat of Ali son of Abu Talib is My fortress, so whoever enters into My fortress will be protected from My fire.”

Hadith 37: The Successor of the Prophet

The Prophet said:

“O Ali! I am the city of knowledge and you are its gate and no one can enter into the city except by going through its gate … You are the Imam of my nation and you are my successor. Blessed is the person who obeys you and depraved is the person who disobeys you. One who follows you will succeed, while the one who turns away from you will be in a loss.”

Hadith 38: Islam in the Shadow of Wilayat

Imam Jafar said:

“The Foundational Pillars of Islam are three: Salat, Zakat and Wilayat. No one of these will be valid unless accompanied by the other two.”

Hadith 39: A Thousand Witnesses

Imam Jafar said:

“O Hafsa! I am surprised at what happened to Ali son of Abu Talib! Despite having tens of thousands of witnesses he could not claim his right when in reality a person needs only two witnesses to claim what is rightfully his!”

Hadith 40: Ali , The Commentator of the Quran

Prophet said on Ghadir:

“Ali is the explanation (Tafsir) of the book of God and the one who calls others to it. Verily, that which is permitted and forbidden is more than what I can explain to you; what I command you as permitted and forbid you as prohibited, is all from one position. I was commanded to take your allegiance and your pledge to accept what I brought from Almighty God, regarding Ali, Leader of the believers, and the Imams after him. O People! Ponder and understand the verses (of God’s Book), observe those that are clear and do not follow those that are unclear; for by God no one can explain to you its limitations or clarify its meanings except the one (Ali) whose hand I am holding.”

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