The matter to be revealed in Ghadir Khom was of a major importance . The question is that: if this matter was not that of succession then what was it about ? Some answer must be given and the thing cannot remain unanswered because then it will have the form of a riddle and there are no riddles in the Koran . The Aya 67 of the Sourat ...
al Ma’ida is clear in ordaining the Prophet to carry on this matter and granting him protection while doing this .
What was the thing that completed the religion of the Prophet of Islam and what was the final task fallen upon him when he felt that his death was drawing near ? It was a major thing – no doubt - of great importa-nce without which the message - for the sake of which the Prophet of Islam dedicated his whole life and sacrificed everything- would remain incomplete . It was the final touch that- not only concluded the life and message of the last of the Prophets- but concluded –as well- all the messages of the Messengers who preceded him since the Prophet of Islam came to confirm them all .
How can we deny the Prophet the worry and concern about his own succession and about the future of the community when we do not deny this to the average person who will prepare for his eventual death and arrange and organize things for his children in terms of will and other measures and steps ? We have no right to deny the Prophet this attempt at arranging for after his death , or think that the Prophet- who spent his life time guiding and teaching and expounding and leading- will leave his community unattended .. This is completely illogical and not in tune with the kind of person the messenger of Islam was .
And how can we- when his own community -composed of the Muhajireen and Ansaar - seemed so much concerned with the succession -especially in the gathering of bani Saa’ida- where they were fighting over it – deny that the Prophet felt the same urgency ? This is beyond all logic. The Prophet addressed the faithful in Ghadir saying : “today I completed this religion that is yours ” which means that something the Prophet of Islam said and did that day made the message and the religion complete , there was no more anything to add and no room for further developments .
Some people might object that this succession was not a divine ordinance that -in case it happened on Ghadir day - this was a personal initiative -on behalf of the Prophet- but not divinely ordained . The answer is that : if the order is divine- as the Soura reveals- then its content must be divine as well, and the Prophet of Islam acted as ordained and even if ‘Ali’s name was not delivered as such , the Prophet being infallible , his acts and words must have also this quality of infallibility . So, in choosing his successor, he enjoyed the same quality .
And who would the Prophet of Islam choose ? He would choose the best for his community and the best is no doubt: Imam ‘Ali . The wisest, the most devout and learned , the most committed whom he chose as husband for his only daughter , the lady of the ladies , her father’s mother- the blessed Fatima- to whom he chose the best of men.
By the testimony of all , universally acknowledged, is the wisdom of the Imam that no one would question or doubt , a universal school by himself, a manual and a model for all spiritual aspirants of all religions and cultures . Qualified for teaching and leading and fighting , the door to the realm of true Islam. Who can deny the qualities of such Imam ? It is these qualities of the leader that the Prophet of Islam meant and not only the person of ‘Ali. Addressing his community, he did not just tell them to acknowledge ‘Ali in that day and time and place of the Ghadir , he told them to acknowledge these qualities in each time, in each day , and in each place.
Wherever and whenever, let the choice fall on people like the Imam, for leadership , for model and reference, let people like the Imam- in every age- lead the community to its salvation . Until now we can hear the Prophet of Islam telling us to make the right choice, as in Ghadir day , and until now we have objected and turned the deaf ear and defied the divine injunctions and kept on going as if God and religion had no existence , as if there was no difference between right and wrong .
Until now , we are reaping the fruits of such wrong thinking and wrong choice , reaping the fruit of disobeying God . For this reason religion has deteriorated and in consequence the quality of life , the spiritual quality of life and the human and spiritual values have deteriorated. Until we hear and yield to the call of the Ghadir , there will be no salvation for us and no justice for the world and no awakening to the Spirit of religion.
What was the thing that completed the religion of the Prophet of Islam and what was the final task fallen upon him when he felt that his death was drawing near ? It was a major thing – no doubt - of great importa-nce without which the message - for the sake of which the Prophet of Islam dedicated his whole life and sacrificed everything- would remain incomplete . It was the final touch that- not only concluded the life and message of the last of the Prophets- but concluded –as well- all the messages of the Messengers who preceded him since the Prophet of Islam came to confirm them all .
How can we deny the Prophet the worry and concern about his own succession and about the future of the community when we do not deny this to the average person who will prepare for his eventual death and arrange and organize things for his children in terms of will and other measures and steps ? We have no right to deny the Prophet this attempt at arranging for after his death , or think that the Prophet- who spent his life time guiding and teaching and expounding and leading- will leave his community unattended .. This is completely illogical and not in tune with the kind of person the messenger of Islam was .
And how can we- when his own community -composed of the Muhajireen and Ansaar - seemed so much concerned with the succession -especially in the gathering of bani Saa’ida- where they were fighting over it – deny that the Prophet felt the same urgency ? This is beyond all logic. The Prophet addressed the faithful in Ghadir saying : “today I completed this religion that is yours ” which means that something the Prophet of Islam said and did that day made the message and the religion complete , there was no more anything to add and no room for further developments .
Some people might object that this succession was not a divine ordinance that -in case it happened on Ghadir day - this was a personal initiative -on behalf of the Prophet- but not divinely ordained . The answer is that : if the order is divine- as the Soura reveals- then its content must be divine as well, and the Prophet of Islam acted as ordained and even if ‘Ali’s name was not delivered as such , the Prophet being infallible , his acts and words must have also this quality of infallibility . So, in choosing his successor, he enjoyed the same quality .
And who would the Prophet of Islam choose ? He would choose the best for his community and the best is no doubt: Imam ‘Ali . The wisest, the most devout and learned , the most committed whom he chose as husband for his only daughter , the lady of the ladies , her father’s mother- the blessed Fatima- to whom he chose the best of men.
By the testimony of all , universally acknowledged, is the wisdom of the Imam that no one would question or doubt , a universal school by himself, a manual and a model for all spiritual aspirants of all religions and cultures . Qualified for teaching and leading and fighting , the door to the realm of true Islam. Who can deny the qualities of such Imam ? It is these qualities of the leader that the Prophet of Islam meant and not only the person of ‘Ali. Addressing his community, he did not just tell them to acknowledge ‘Ali in that day and time and place of the Ghadir , he told them to acknowledge these qualities in each time, in each day , and in each place.
Wherever and whenever, let the choice fall on people like the Imam, for leadership , for model and reference, let people like the Imam- in every age- lead the community to its salvation . Until now we can hear the Prophet of Islam telling us to make the right choice, as in Ghadir day , and until now we have objected and turned the deaf ear and defied the divine injunctions and kept on going as if God and religion had no existence , as if there was no difference between right and wrong .
Until now , we are reaping the fruits of such wrong thinking and wrong choice , reaping the fruit of disobeying God . For this reason religion has deteriorated and in consequence the quality of life , the spiritual quality of life and the human and spiritual values have deteriorated. Until we hear and yield to the call of the Ghadir , there will be no salvation for us and no justice for the world and no awakening to the Spirit of religion.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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