The last section of the Ghadeer Sermon is dedicated to paying allegiance to Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and the Imams (peace be upon them) after him. There are 20 statements wherein the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) took the oath of allegiance from everyone present in Ghadeer for Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him). He (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) first asked the people to recite the sentences of the covenant with him. He took their verbal oath of allegiance to Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), and other Imams (peace be upon them) of his family. He also asks people who can reach him to confirm their oath by shaking hands with him, Ali, Hasan, and Husain (peace be upon them). He (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) instructed the people thus:
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ إِنَّكُمْ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أَنْ تُصَافِقُونِي بِكَفٍّ وَاحِدَةٍ فِي وَقْتٍ وَاحِدٍ
“O people! Surely you are excessive in number that you all can place your hand over mine (for paying allegiance) all together at the same time.”
وَ أَمَرَنِيَ اللّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ آخُذَ مِنْ أَلْسِنَتِكُمُ الْإِقْرَارَ بِمَا عَقَدْتُ لِعَلِيٍّ مِنْ إِمْرَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ مَنْ جَاءَ بَعْدَهُ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ مِنِّي وَ مِنْهُ عَلَى مَا أَعْلَمْتُكُمْ أَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتِي مِنْ صُلْبِهٖ
“And Allah, Mighty and Majestic be He, has ordered me to take your verbal acceptance regarding whatever I have pledged for Ali from being the commander of the faithful (Ameerul Momineen) and whoever comes after him from the Imams who are from me and from him regarding whatever I have informed you that my offspring will be from his loin.”
فَقُولُوا بِأَجْمَعِكُمْ إِنَّاسَامِعُونَ مُطِيعُونَ رَاضُونَ مُنْقَادُونَ لِمَا بَلَّغْتَ عَنْ رَبِّنَا وَ رَبِّكَ فِي أَمْرِ عَلِيٍّ وَ أَمْرِ وُلْدِهٖ مِنْ صُلْبِهٖ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ
“Then they said together, ‘We heard, obeyed, are satisfied, believe in whatever you have conveyed from our Lord and your Lord concerning the affair of Ali and the affair of his offspring from his loin who are the Imams.”
نُبَايِعُكَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بِقُلُوبِنَا وَ أَنْفُسِنَا وَ أَلْسِنَتِنَا وَ أَيْدِينَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ نَحْيَا وَ نَمُوتُ وَ نُبْعَثُ
“We pay allegiance to you upon it by our hearts, our souls, our tongues, and our hands. Upon this shall we live, die and be raised.”
لَا نُغَيِّرُ وَ لَا نُبَدِّلُ وَ لَا نَشُكُّ وَ لَا نَرْتَابُ وَ لَا نَرْجِعُ عَنْ عَهْدٍ وَ لَا نَنْقُضُ الْمِيثَاقَ
“We shall not change, alter, doubt, be uncertain, nor go back from the oath or break the covenant.”
وَ نُطِيعُ اللهَ وَ عَلِيّاً أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ وُلْدَهُ الْأَئِمَّةَ الَّذِينَ ذَكَرْتَهُمْ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ مِنْ صُلْبِهٖ بَعْدَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ الَّذِينَ قَدْ عَرَّفْتُكُمْ مَكَانَهُمَا مِنِّي وَ مَحَلَّهُمَا عِنْدِي وَ مَنْزِلَتَهُمَا مِنْ رَبِّي
“And we shall obey Allah, Ali who is the commander of the faithful and his offspring, those whom you have mentioned from your progeny who are from his loin after Hasan and Husain, those whom I have introduced to you their status from me and their position near me and their grade near my Lord.”
فَقَدْ أَدَّيْتُ ذَلِكَ إِلَيْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُمَا سَيِّدَا شَبَابِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ إِنَّهُمَا الْإِمَامَانِ بَعْدَ أَبِيهِمَا عَلِيٍّ وَ أَنَا أَبُوهُمَا قَبْلَهُ
“Indeed, I have conveyed this to you that surely both of them are the chiefs of the youth of Paradise and both of them are Imams after their father Ali and I am their father before him.”
فَقُولُوا أَطَعْنَا اللّهَ بِذٰلِكَ وَ إِيَّاكَ وَ عَلِيّاً وَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ وَ الْأَئِمَّةَ الَّذِينَ ذَكَرْتَ عَهْداً وَ مِيثَاقاً مَأْخُوذاً لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ قُلُوبِنَا وَ أَنْفُسِنَا وَ أَلْسِنَتِنَا وَ مُصَافَقَةِ أَيْدِينَا مَنْ أَدْرَكَهُمَا بِيَدِهٖ وَ أَقَرَّ بِهِمَا بِلِسَانِهٖ
“Then they said, ‘We have obeyed Allah through this as well as you, Ali, Hasan, Husain, and the Imams whom you mentioned which is an oath and an allegiance taken for the commander of the faithful from our hearts, our souls, our tongues and by placing our hands (in allegiance) to whoever reaches from both of them upon his hand and accept them through his tongue.”
لَا نَبْتَغِي بِذٰلِكَ بَدَلًا وَ لَا نَرَى مِنْ أَنْفُسِنَا عَنْهُ حِوَلًا أَبَداً
“We shall never seek to change this nor find anything within ourselves contrary to this ever.”
نَحْنُ نُؤَدِّي ذَلِكَ عَنْكَ الدَّانِيَ وَ الْقَاصِيَ مِنْ أَوْلَادِنَا وَ أَهَالِينَا
“We shall fulfil this for you, the close and distant ones from our children and families.”
أَشْهَدْنَا اللّهَ وَ كَفى بِاللهِ شَهِيداً وَ أَنْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ شَهِيدٌ وَ كُلُّ مَنْ أَطَاعَ مِمَّنْ ظَهَرَ وَ اسْتَتَرَ وَ مَلَائِكَةُ اللّهِ وَ جُنُودُهُ وَ عَبِيدُهُ وَ اللّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهِيدٍ
“We make Allah as a witness and Allah is sufficient as a witness [Surah Ra’d (13): Verse 43] and you are a witness over us regarding it and everyone who obeys openly and secretly and the angels of Allah and His armies and His servants while Allah is the Greatest of all witnesses.”
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ مَا تَقُولُونَ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ يَعْلَمُ كُلَّ صَوْتٍ وَ خَافِيَةَ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ فَمَنِ اهْتَدى فَلِنَفْسِهٖ وَ مَنْ ضَلَّ فَإِنَّما يَضِلُّ عَلَيْها وَ مَنْ بَايَعَ فَإِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُ اللّهَ يَدُ اللّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ
“O people! Whatever you have said then surely Allah knows every voice and hidden of every soul. Then the one who is guided then it is for his self and the one who deviates then surely, he has only deviated against it [Surah Yunus (10): Verse 108]. And the one who pays allegiance then surely, he has only paid allegiance to Allah, the Hand of Allah is above their hands [Surah Fath (48): Verse 10].”
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ فَاتَّقُوا اللّهَ وَ بَايِعُوا عَلِيّاً أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ وَ الْأَئِمَّةَ ع كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً بَاقِيَةً
“O people! Fear Allah and pay allegiance to Ali as Ameerul Momineen, salutations of Allah be upon him, and Hasan, Husain and the Imams who are the pure and lasting word.”
يُهْلِكُ اللهُ مَنْ غَدَرَ وَ يَرْحَمُ مَنْ وَفَى فَمَنْ نَكَثَ فَإِنَّما يَنْكُثُ الْآيَةَ
“Allah shall destroy the one who deceives and shall have mercy on the one who fulfils. Then whoever breaks (the oath), then he has wronged himself [Surah Fath (48): Verse 10].”
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ قُولُوا الَّذِي قُلْتُ لَكُمْ وَ سَلِّمُوا عَلَى عَلِيٍّ بِإِمْرَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ قُولُوا سَمِعْنا وَ أَطَعْنا غُفْرانَكَ رَبَّنا وَ إِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ وَ قُولُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهٰذا وَ ما كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْ لَا أَنْ هَدانَا اللّهُ
“O people! Say whatever I have told you and greet Ali as Ameerul Momineen and say that ‘We hear and obey, our Lord! Your forgiveness (do we crave), and to You is the eventual course’ [Surah Baqarah (2): Verse 285] and say ‘All praise is for Allah Who guided us to this, and we would not have found the way had Allah not guided us’ [Surah A’raaf (7): Verse 43]”
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ فَضَائِلَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عِنْدَ اللّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ قَدْ أَنْزَلَهَا فِي الْقُرْآنِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنْ أُحْصِيَهَا فِي مَقَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَمَنْ أَنْبَأَكُمْ بِهَا وَ عَرَّفَهَا فَصَدِّقُوهُ
“O people! Surely the virtues of Ali Ibn Abi Talib near Allah, Mighty and Majestic be He, which indeed He has revealed in the Holy Quran are much more than I could enumerate them at a single place. Then the one who informs you of them and introduces them then you testify to him.”
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ عَلِيّاً وَ الْأَئِمَّةَ الَّذِينَ ذَكَرْتُهُمْ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزاً عَظِيماً
“O people! Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger [Surah Ahzaab (33): Verse 71] and Ali and the Imams whom I have mentioned has indeed attained a great victory [Surah Ahzaab (33): Verse 71].”
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ السَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ إِلَى مُبَايَعَتِهِ وَ مُوَالاتِهِ وَ التَّسْلِيمِ عَلَيْهِ بِإِمْرَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْفائِزُونَ فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ
“O people! The foremost, the foremost [Surah Waaqeah (56): Verse 10] in paying allegiance to him, accepting his mastership and greeting him as Ameerul Momineen, they are the successful ones [Surah Taubah (9): Verse 20] (who will be) in the gardens of bounties [Surah Waaqeah (56): Verse 12].”
مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ قُولُوا مَا يَرْضَى اللّهُ عَنْكُمْ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ فَإِنْ تَكْفُرُوا أَنْتُمْ وَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعاً… فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللّهَ شَيْئاً
“O people! You say whatever Allah is satisfied with from you from the word and if you are ungrateful, you and those on earth all together [Surah Ibrahim (14): Verse 8] … then he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least [Surah Aal Imraan (3): Verse 144].”
اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ أَعْطِبْ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ
“O Allah! Forgive the believers and severely punish the disbelievers and all Praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds [Surah An’aam (6): Verse 45].”
Notes:
- Allegiance was paid not just to Ameerul Momineen Imam Ali (peace be upon him) but also to Imam Hasan (peace be upon him), Imam Husain (peace be upon him), and all the Imams (peace be upon them) thereafter
- All the Imams (peace be upon them) after Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) are the progeny of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) but from the loin of Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him)
- The allegiance at Ghadeer signifies that we should live by it and adhere to it for our entire life and it is this allegiance upon which Almighty Allah will raise everyone in the hereafter
- Anyone who accepts anyone else apart from Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) as the immediate successor of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has violated the oath of Ghadeer
- Pledging allegiance through heart, soul, tongue, and hands implies that only superficial and apparent acceptance of this oath will not suffice until a person truly submits to Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him)
- Although Allah is a witness to all our actions, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) specifically made everyone keep Allah as a witness while they pledge this allegiance
- Whoever pays allegiance to Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) will always be supported by Allah
- On the other hand, whoever tries to deceive or break this oath will be destroyed by Allah
- Being among the first ones to pay allegiance will make a person successful indicates that there should not be any hesitation in accepting Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) as the Master of believers
- If the entire creation decides to break this oath, then it would only cause harm to them and it will in no way cause any harm to Almighty Allah or even Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him)
References:
- Al-Ehtejaaj by Shaikh Abu Mansoor Ahmad Ibn Ali Tabresi (exp. 548 AH), vol. 1, pp. 65-66
- Al-Adad al-Qawiyyah by Raziuddin Ali Ibn Yusuf Ibn Mutahhar al-Hilli (elder brother of Allamah Hilli), pp. 181-182
- Al-Yaqeen by Sayed Ibn Tawoos (exp. 664 AH), p. 343, chapter 127
- Behaar al-Anwaar by Allamah Majlisi, vol. 37, pp. 215-217, H. 86
Conclusion
Although, we were not physically present in Ghadeer but it is our firm belief that we were present with our hearts. Its proof is that 1400 years later, we are trying to defend and propagate the Mastership of our Master Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them both). This is the actual message of Ghadeer which must be passed on from one generation to the other. It was Allah’s Decree that we did not physically witness the event of Ghadeer and pay our allegiance to Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
However, we pray to Allah to hasten the reappearance of our master and the Imam of our time, Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) so that the allegiance to Ahle Bait (peace be upon them) which is in our hearts can be openly paid at his hands. God forbid, if we die before the advent of our Imam, then let’s not forget to recite Dua Ahad daily so that we are raised from our graves after his blessed reappearance. Aameen O Lord of the worlds!