Hadith al-Ghadir: An Assessment

Throughout a significant portion of Islamic history, Shi'ite sects have proposed that `Ali ibn Abi Talib (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) was divinely appointed by Allah and His Messenger (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) as the legitimate successor to lead the Muslim community. A tradition often cited to substantiate this belief is Hadith al-Ghadir. This tradition includes the following statement ascribed to the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) that serves as a crucial component in their argument:

من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه.

Translation: "Indeed, whosoever I am his mawla then `Ali is his mawla. `O Allah, befriend whosoever befriends him and harm whosoever harms him."

The primary point of contention between Shiite sects and the wider Muslim community stems from disagreements over the meaning of 'mawla'. Shiites maintain that, given the context in which the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) has employed the term, it must signify leadership or succession. Conversely, the broader Muslim community argues that 'mawla' functions as a hypernym. This means that it encompasses a wide array of meanings. The Muslim will invoke early Hadith literature and classical Arabic lexicons, which confer numerous examples of 'mawla' being used in different contexts to convey distinct meanings, to substantiate this position. Consider the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam), who said:

قريش والأنصار وجهينة ومزينة وأسلم وغفار وأشجع موالي ليس لهم مولى دون الله ورسوله

Translation: "Quraish, Ansar, Muzaina, Juhaina and Ghufar, they are my mawali and there is no mawla of theirs besides Allah and His Messenger."

Reference: Sahih Muslim 2520.

And on another occasion, he (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) said:

وقال لزيد: أنت أخونا ومولانا

Translation: "[…] And he (the Prophet) said to Zaid: You are our brother and mawla."

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 2699.

Allah said in the Quran:

﴿ذلك بأن الله مولى الذين آمنوا وأن الكافرين لا مولى لهم﴾

Translation: ﴾That is because Allah is the mawla (supporter) of those who believe. As for the disbelievers, there is no mawla (supporter) for them﴿

Reference: Quran, Ch:47, V:11.

Imam al-Shafi`i said:

عن الشافعي رحمه الله في معنى قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لعلي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه: من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه يعني بذلك ولاء الإسلام ، وذلك قول الله عز وجل : ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلَى الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَأَنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ لَا مَوْلَى لَهُمْ.

Translation: "As for the meaning of what the Messenger of Allah said to `Ali: Whosoever I am his mawla then `Ali is his mawla, this refers to loyalty in Islam. As Allah said (in the Quran): Allah is the mawla (supporter) of those who believe. As for the disbelievers, there is no mawla (supporter) for them."

Reference: al-`I`tiqad, al-Bayhaqi, P:499.

Allah said on another occasion:

﴿والمؤمنون والمؤمنات بعضهم أولياء بعض﴾

Translation: ﴾The believers, men, and women, are awliya` (helpers, supporters, friends, and protectors) of one another﴿

Reference: Quran, Ch:9, V:71.

The renowned Arabic lexicographer, ibn Manzur, said:

وقوله، ﷺ: اللهم وال من والاه أي أحبب من أحبه وانصر من نصره.

Translation: "[...] and his statement:`O Allah! Befriend whosoever befriends him, meaning love whosoever loves him, and support whosoever supports him."

Reference: Lisan al-`Arab, ibn Manzur, Vol:15, P:409.

To clarify, while 'mawla' can indeed be used to signify leadership, or more looselt succession, it can also convey meanings such as affection or alliance without necessarily implying a position of authority. Therefore, in order to determine the intended meaning of 'mawla' as used by the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) at Ghadir Khum, it is essential to examine the second variable that explicates the intended use of a word: the context of its use.

1.1 Historical Account

Abu al-`Abbas ibn Hajar al-Haytami states:

فسبب ذلك كما نقله الحافظ شمس الدين الجزري عن ابن إسحاق أن عليا تكلم فيه بعض من كان معه في اليمن. فلما قضى رسول الله ﷺ حجه خطبها تنبيها على قدره وردا على من تكلم فيه كبريدة كما في البخاري أنه كان يبغضه وسبب ذلك ما صححه الذهبي أنه خرج معه إلى اليمن فرأى منه جفوة فنقصه للنبي ﷺ فجعل يتغير وجهه ويقول "يا بريدة ألست أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم" قلت بلى يا رسول الله قال "من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه".

Translation: "[...] and the reason for that documented by al-Hafiz Shams al-Din al-Jazari from ibn Ishaq, regarding `Ali, that some of those who were with him in Yemen spoke about him (i.e., spoke ill of him). So when the Messenger of Allah completed his pilgrimage, he gave the sermon as a warning and as a rebuke to the one who spoke about like Burayda, as it is mentioned in (Sahih) al-Bukhari that he used to him (i.e., `Ali), and the reason for that is what al-Dhahabi authenticated, about him going with him to Yemen and saw mistreatment from `Ali so he (Burayda) degraded him at the presence of the Prophet which changed the look on his face and said:`O Burayda! Am I not more worthy of the believers then their own selves!? Burayda replied: Indeed, `O Messenger of Allah. He (the Prophet) then said: Then whosoever I am his mawla, `Ali is his mawla."

Reference: al-Sawa`iq al-Muhriqa, Abu al-`Abbas ibn Hajar al-Haytami, Vol:1, P:109.

Abu al-Fida ibn Kathir states:

والمقصود أن عليا لما كثر فيه القيل والقال من ذلك الجيش بسبب منعه إياهم استعمال إبل الصدقة واسترجاعه منهم الحلل التي أطلقها لهم نائبه، وعلي معذور فيما فعل، لكن اشتهر الكلام فيه في الحجيج. فلذلك والله أعلم لما رجع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من حجته، وتفرغ من مناسكه ورجع إلى المدينة، فمر بغدير خم قام في الناس خطيبا فبرأ ساحة علي ورفع من قدره ونبه على فضله ليزيل ما وقر في نفوس كثير من الناس

Translation: "[...] There was a lot of (negative) talk and conversation about `Ali from the army because he had prevented them from taking the camels of the sadaqa and he had (also) taken back the garments that his deputy had given them. `Ali is excused for what he had done, although this issue spread amongst the hujjaj. Thus, and Allah knows best, when the Prophet was returning to Madinah from the Hajj, after completing the rites, he passed by Ghadir Khum and stood up to deliver a sermon to address the people, defending `Ali, raising his virtues so to remove whatever negative feelings the people bore towards him."

Reference: al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Abu al-Fida ibn Kathir, Vol:5, P:105.

Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi states:

وأما حديث الموالاة فليس فيه - إن صح إسناده - نص على ولاية علي بعده، فقد ذكرنا من طرقه في كتاب الفضائل ما دل على مقصود النبي ﷺ من ذلك وهو أنه لما بعثه إلى اليمن كثرت الشكاة عنه وأظهروا بغضه فأراد النبي ﷺ أن يذكر اختصاصه به ومحبته إياه ويحثهم بذلك على محبته وموالاته وترك معاداته فقال: «من كنت وليه فعلي وليه» وفي بعض الروايات: من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه. والمراد به ولاء الإسلام ومودته، وعلى المسلمين أن يوالي بعضهم بعضا ولا يعادي بعضهم بعضا.

Translation: "[...] and as for Hadith al-Muwalat (i.e., Hadith al-Ghadir), then even if its chain is authentic, it does not even contain evidence about `Ali's leadership after him. For indeed, we have mentioned its routes from the book of virtues which prove the intention of the Prophet from it (i.e., his statement) was when he sent him to Yemen, the complaints increased and showed their hatred so the Prophet ﷺ wanted to show his love for him (i.e., `Ali) and encourage people to love him and support him to leave aside their enmity for him. So, he said: Whomsoever I am his wali, then `Ali is his wali. And in some narrations he said: Whosoever I am his mawla, then `Ali is his mawla. `O Allah befriend whosoever befriends and harm whosoever harms him. And the intended meaning is the support in Islam and to love him. And it us upon the Muslims to support one another and not to harm one another."

Reference: al-`I`tiqad, Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi, P:497.

In pursuit of objectivity, the historical account does not appear to be related to succession or leadership. To further elucidate this point, it is necessary to consult eyewitness accounts that document the event in discussion.

1.2 Eyewitness Accounts

Report of ibn Burayda from his father, al-Sunan al-Kubra of al-Nasa`i:

أخبرنا محمد بن العلاء قال حدثنا أبو معاوية قال حدثنا الأعمش عن سعد بن عبيدة عن أبن بريدة عن أبيه قال بعثنا رسول الله ﷺ في سرية واستعمل علينا عليا فلما رجعنا سألنا كيف رأيتم صحبة صاحبكم فإما شكوته أنا وإما شكاه غيري فرفعت رأسي وكنت رجلا مكبابا فإذا بوجه رسول الله ﷺ قد احمر فقال من كنت وليه فعلي وليه.

Translation: "[...] ibn Burayda narrated from his father (Burayda) who said: The Messenger of Allah sent us on a military expedition and used `Ali to lead us. So, after we had returned, he (the Prophet) asked us how about how we found the accompany of our owner (i.e., `Ali), so either I complained about him or others complained about him, I raised by head, and used to have a habit of looking down on the ground. So, I saw the face of the Messenger of Allah turn red and he said: Whosoever I am his wali, `Ali is his wali."

Report of `Abdullah ibn `Abbas from Burayda, al-Sunan al-Kubra of al-Nasa`i:

أخبرنا محمد بن المثنى قال حدثنا أبو أحمد قال حدثنا عبد الملك بن أبي غنية عن الحكم عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال حدثني بريدة قال بعثني النبي ﷺ مع علي إلى اليمن فرأيت منه جفوة فلما رجعت شكوته إلى رسول الله ﷺ فرفع رأسه إلي وقال يا بريدة من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه.

Translation: "[...] ibn `Abbas narrated from Burayda who said: The Prophet sent me with `Ali to Yemen and I saw mistreatment from him, so when we returned, I complained to the Messenger of Allah so he raised his head to me and said:`O Burayda! Whosoever I am his mawla, then `Ali is his mawla!"

Report of `Abdullah ibn `Abbas, from a secondary route, from Burayda, al-Sunan al-Kubra of al-Nasa`i:

أخبرنا أبو داود قال حدثنا أبو نعيم قال حدثنا عبد الملك بن أبي غنية قال حدثنا الحكم عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس عن بريدة قال خرجت مع علي إلى اليمن فرأيت منه جفوة فقدمت على النبي ﷺ فذكرت عليا فتنقصته فجعل رسول الله يتغير وجهه وقال يا بريدة ألست أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم قلت بلى يا رسول الله ﷺ قال من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه.

Translation: "[...] ibn `Abbas narrated from Burayda who said: I went out with `Ali to Yemen and I saw mistreatment from him. I went to the Prophet and mentioned `Ali and degraded him, so the Prophet’s face changed, and he said: `O Burayda! Am I not more worthy to the believers than their own selves? I replied saying: Of course, `O Messenger of Allah. He said: Whomsoever I am his mawla, then `Ali is his mawla."

Upon assessment, an objective enquirer would observe that within these traditions the term 'mawla' has not been employed in the context of leadership. Should the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) have intended to convey his successor on this occasion, it is more probable that he would have declared this to all of his congregants rather than a select group of companions. Furthermore, the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) would have presumably utilised a more explicit term to signify Ali's authority, such as 'khalifa' or 'imam'.

1.3 Attribution of the clause "after me" unto the Prophet

The Twelver Shia, however, raise a counterargument to this position. They suggest that the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) employed the phrase "after me," thereby implying that the hadith must indeed be indicative of succession. They seek to substantiate this claim by presenting the following report. Paradoxically, this report also illustrates that the context of this event is not concerned with a declaration of successorship:

حدثنا قتيبة قال: حدثنا جعفر بن سليمان الضبعي، عن يزيد الرشك، عن مطرف بن عبد الله، عن عمران بن حصين، قال: بعث رسول الله ﷺ جيشا واستعمل عليهم علي بن أبي طالب، فمضى في السرية فأصاب جارية فأنكروا عليه، وتعاقد أربعة من أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ فقالوا: إذا لقينا رسول الله ﷺ أخبرناه بما صنع علي، وكان المسلمون إذا رجعوا من السفر بدءوا برسول الله ﷺ فسلموا عليه، ثم انصرفوا إلى رحالهم فلما قدمت السرية سلموا على النبي ﷺ فقام أحد الأربعة فقال: يا رسول الله ألم تر إلى علي بن أبي طالب صنع كذا وكذا، فأعرض عنه رسول الله ﷺ، ثم قام الثاني فقال مثل مقالته، فأعرض عنه، ثم قام إليه الثالث فقال مثل مقالته، فأعرض عنه، ثم قام الرابع فقال مثل ما قالوا، فأقبل إليه رسول الله ﷺ والغضب يعرف في وجهه، فقال: «ما تريدون من علي؟ ما تريدون من علي؟ ما تريدون من علي؟ إن عليا مني وأنا منه، وهو ولي كل مؤمن من بعدي».

Translation: "`Imran ibn Hoseyn said: The Messenger of Allah sent an army and used `Ali ibn Abi Talib to lead them. He left on the expedition, and he entered upon a female slave. So, four of the companions of the Messenger of Allah said that when they meet the Messenger of Allah they will inform him of what `Ali did. So, when the Muslims came back from the journey, they started with the Messenger of Allah and greeted him, then one of the four stood up and said: `O Messenger of Allah, have you not seen that `Ali ibn Abi Talib did such and such? So, the Messenger of Allah walked away from him, then the second one stood up and said same thing, and he (the Prophet) walked away from him. Then the third stood up and said the same thing, and he (the Prophet) walked away from him. Then the fourth stood up and said the same thing. The Messenger of Allah faced him, and the anger could be noticed on his face, so he said: What do you want from `Ali? What do you want from `Ali? What do you want from `Ali? `Ali is from me and I am from him, and he is the wali of every believer after me!"

Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Vol:6, P:78.

The content of this report largely aligns with the previously mentioned renditions of Hadith al-Ghadir, with the exception of the final clause, which states: and he is the wali of every believer after me. This addition, however, appears somewhat peculiar. While numerous trustworthy transmitters conveyed Hadith al-Ghadir, it appears only Ja`far ibn Sulayman reported it with the inclusion of this supplementary clause. After transmitting Ja`far's account, Imam al-Tirmidhi offered the following commentary:

هذا حديث حسن غريب، لا نعرفه إلا من هذا الوجه من حديث جعفر بن سليمان

Translation: "This hadith is hasan-gharib, we do not know it from any route except from the hadith of Ja`far ibn Sulayman."

Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Vol:6, P:78.

It is widely acknowledged that Imam al-Tirmidhi employs the term 'hasan-gharib' to characterise a tradition narrated by a single, yet reliable, transmitter when the text diverges from versions reported by a group of other, more credible, transmitters.

Another peculiar aspect of Ja`far ibn Sulayman's rendition is the inclusion of the phrase: `Ali is from me and I am from him. Although the Prophet uttered this statement on separate, distinct occasions, it was not expressed at Ghadir Khum, and therefore, it is absent from other iterations of Hadith al-Ghadir.

In essence, the fact that Ja`far is the sole transmitter of these two uncorroborated clauses might suggest an error on his part in the transmission of this hadith. While Ja`far was considered a trustworthy transmitter, his strong Shi'ite inclinations also raise the possibility that his rendition was influenced by his theological predilections.

Shaikh `Abd al-Rahman al-Mubarakfuri stated:

قلت أجلح الكندي هذا أيضا شيعي قال في التقريب أجلح بن عبد الله بن حجية يكنى أبا حجية الكندي يقال اسمه يحيى صدوق شيعي انتهى وكذا في الميزان وغيره والظاهر أن زيادة بعدي في هذا الحديث من وهم هذين الشيعيين ويؤيده أن الإمام أحمد روى في مسنده هذا الحديث من عدة طرق ليست في واحدة منها هذه الزيادة.

Translation: "I said that this Ajlah al-Kindi is also a Shia. He (ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani) said in al-Taqrib: `Ajlah ibn `Abdullah ibn Hujjiyah he is nicknamed Abu Hujjiyah al-Kindi, and it said that his name is Yahya, he is a truthful Shia. And the same as this was said in al-Mizan (by al-Dhahabi) and others. And it is apparent that the addition of 'after me' in this hadith is from the delusion of these two Shia and this is supported by the fact that Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad this hadith (i.e., Hadith al-Ghadir) with many routes and none of them included this addition."

Reference: Tuhfat al-Ahwadi, `Abd al-Rahman al-Mubarakfuri, Vol:10, P:146-147.

Nonetheless, even if the tradition were to be accepted, the responsibility still lies with the Twelver Shia to demonstrate that the term 'wali', within this context, exclusively signifies leadership or authority.

1.4 Historical Record in the Quran

In the Quran, Allah recounts two significant pledges of allegiance that transpired during the Prophet's lifetime. The first of these is Bay`at al-Ridwan, and the second is Bay`at al-Nisa.

﴿لقد رضي الله عن المؤمنين إذ يبايعونك تحت الشجرة فعلم ما في قلوبهم فأنزل السكينة عليهم وأثابهم فتحا قريبا﴾

Translation: ﴾Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave their bay`a (pledge) to you (`O Muhammad) under the tree, He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down al-sakinah (calmness and tranquillity) upon them, and He rewarded them with a near victory﴿.

Reference: Quran, Ch:48, V:18.

﴿ياأيها النبي إذا جاءك المؤمنات يبايعنك على أن لا يشركن بالله شيئا ولا يسرقن ولا يزنين ولا يقتلن أولادهن ولا يأتين ببهتان يفترينه بين أيديهن وأرجلهن ولا يعصينك في معروف فبايعهن واستغفر لهن الله إن الله غفور رحيم﴾.

Translation: ﴾`O Prophet! When believing women come to you to give you the bay`a (pledge), that they will not associate anything in worship with Allah, that they will not steal, that they will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (i.e., by making illegal children belonging to their husbands), and that they will not disobey you in any ma`ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all that which Islamic ordains) then accept their bay`a (pledge), and ask Allah to forgive them, Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful﴿.

Reference: Quran, Ch:66, V:12.

Concerning the alleged pledge to `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) at Ghadir Khum, which the Twelver Shia promote as the most imperative pledge in Islamic history, the Quran offers no explicit mention of it. While the Twelver Shia assert that there are three verses in the Quran revealed in relation to the event of al-Ghadir, these verses exhibit notable differences from the verses of Bay`at al-Nisa and Bay`at al-Ridwan in terms of their language and mode of expression, as they appear comparatively ambiguous. The subsequent section will provide evidence that these three verses are not connected to Ghadir Khum.

Ayat al-Tabligh:

﴿يا أيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك وإن لم تفعل فما بلغت رسالته والله يعصمك من الناس إن الله لا يهدي القوم الكافرين﴾.

Translation: ﴾`O Messenger! Proclaim (the message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind. Verily, Allah guides not the people who disbelieve﴿.

Reference: Quran, Ch:5, V:67.

The Twelver Shia contend that this verse was revealed at Ghadir Khum and ratify their claim by citing a range of reports, with the most frequently referenced found in al-Tha`labi's tafsir. However, scholars of Ahl al-Sunna have characterised these reports as forgeries. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi cited these reports in his exegesis before stating his conclusion:

واعلم أن هذه الروايات وإن كثرت إلا أن الأولى حمله على أنه تعالى آمنه من مكر اليهود والنصارى، وأمره بإظهار التبليغ من غير مبالاة منه بهم؛ وذلك لأن ما قبل هذه الآية بكثير وما بعدها بكثير لما كان كلاما مع اليهود والنصارى.

Translation: "And know that these narrations, and even if they were numerous, except that it is more worthy to take it as He (Allah) protected him (the Prophet) from the tricks of the Jews and the Christians, and ordered him to manifest the message without any indifference; and that is because of what is before the verse by a lot and what is after it by a lot due to the words with the Jews and the Christians."

Reference: al-Tafsir al-Kabir, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Vol:12, P:53.

Shaikh al-Islam ibn Taimiyya stated:

واتفقوا على أن هذا الحديث المذكور الذي رواه الثعلبي في تفسيره هو من الموضوع.

Translation: "And they (the scholars) agreed upon the fact that this hadith, which was mentioned, which al-Tha`labi narrated in his tafsir, is from the fabrications."

Reference: Minhaj al-Sunna, ibn Taimiyya, Vol:7, P:34.

Abu al-Thana` al-Alusi stated:

وزعمت الشيعة أن المراد ﴿بلغ ما أنزل إليك﴾ خلافة علي كرم الله تعالى وجهه، فقد رووا بأسانيدهم عن أبي جعفر وأبي عبد الله رضي الله تعالى عنهما أن الله تعالى أوحى إلى نبيه ﷺ أن يستخلف عليا كرم الله تعالى وجهه، فكان يخاف أن يشق ذلك على جماعة من أصحابه فأنزل الله تعالى هذه الآية تشجيعا له عليه الصلاة والسلام بما أمره بأدائه. وعن ابن عباس رضي الله تعالى عنهما قال: نزلت هذه الآية في علي كرم الله تعالى وجهه حيث أمر سبحانه أن يخبر الناس بولايته فتخوف رسول الله ﷺ أن يقولوا حابى ابن عمه وأن يطعنوا في ذلك عليه، فأوحى الله تعالى إليه هذه الآية فقام بولايته يوم غدير خم، وأخذ بيده فقال عليه الصلاة والسلام: من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه، وأخرج الجلال السيوطي في الدر المنثور عن أبي حاتم وابن مردويه وابن عساكر راوين عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: نزلت هذه الآية على رسول الله ﷺ يوم غدير خم في علي بن أبي طالب كرم الله تعالى وجهه، وأخرج ابن مردويه عن ابن مسعود قال: كنا نقرأ على عهد رسول الله ﷺ يا أيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك أن عليا ولي المؤمنين وإن لم تفعل فما بلغت رسالته وخبر الغدير عمدة أدلتهم على خلافة الأمير كرم الله تعالى وجهه، وقد زادوا فيه إتماما لغرضهم زيادات منكرة ووضعوا في خلاله كلمات مزورة ونظموا في ذلك الأشعار وطعنوا على الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم بزعمهم أنهم خالفوا نص النبي المختار ﷺ.

Translation: "And the Shia claimed that the intended meaning of ﴾Convey what has been revealed to you﴿ is the caliphate of `Ali. They have indeed narrated with their chains from Abu Ja`far and Abu `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with both of them, that Allah Almighty revealed to his Prophet to give the leadership to `Ali, and he was afraid that this would divide a group of his companions, so Allah Almighty revealed this verse as an encouragement for him, peace and blessings be upon him, to fulfil what he has been ordered to do. And it was narrated from ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: This verse was revealed about `Ali when He, the Almighty, ordered him (i.e., the Prophet), to inform the people of his wilaya, but the Messenger of Allah feared that they would say: He loves his cousin over us. And they would insult him because of it, so Allah revealed to him the verse, so he stood up with his wilaya on the day of Ghadir Khum, and he took his hand (i.e., the hand of `Ali) and said: Whosoever I am his mawla, then `Ali is his mawla, `O Allah befriend whosoever befriends and harm whosoever harms him. And Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti mentioned in al-Durr al-Manthur from Abu Hatim, and ibn Marduyah, and ibn `Asakir narrating from Abu Sa`id al-Khudri who said: This verse was revealed to the Messenger of Allah on the day of Ghadir Khum in concerns of `Ali ibn Abi Talib. And ibn Marduyah mentioned from ibn Mas`ud who said: We used to recite this verse at the time of the Messenger of Allah: `O Messenger convey what has been revealed to you from your lord about `Ali being the wali of the believers and if you do not do so, then you have not conveyed his message. And the narration of al-Ghadir is the head of their proofs for the caliphate of the Commander (`Ali). And they added, for their own benefits, additions that are rejected and they fabricated forged words. And they have staged poems, and they have abused the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, with their claim that they have opposed the text of the Prophet."

Reference: Ruh al-Ma`ani, Abu al-Thana` al-Alusi, Vol:6, P:192-193.

Shaikh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani described this report as a forgery in his work, Silsila al-Ahadith al-Da`ifa wa al-Mawdu`a, Vol:10, P:589.

In summary, the context for the revelation of this verse pertains to Allah's directive to His Prophet to convey the message to the Jews and Christians, as evidenced by the preceding verses:

﴿ولو أن أهل الكتاب آمنوا واتقوا لكفرنا عنهم سيئاتهم ولأدخلناهم جنات النعيم ۝ ولو أنهم أقاموا التوراة والإنجيل وما أنزل إليهم من ربهم لأكلوا من فوقهم ومن تحت أرجلهم منهم أمة مقتصدة وكثير منهم ساء ما يعملون ۝ يا أيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك وإن لم تفعل فما بلغت رسالاته والله يعصمك من الناس إن الله لا يهدي القوم الكافرين﴾

Translation: ﴾And if only the people of the scripture had believed (in Muhammad) and warded off evil and had become al-Muttaqun, We would indeed have blotted out their sins and admitted them to Gardens of pleasure. And if only they had acted according to the Torah, the Gospel, and what has (now) been sent down to them from their Lord (the Quran), they would surely have gotten provision from above them and from underneath their feet. There are from among them people who are on the right course, but many of them do evil deeds. `O Messenger! Convey everything revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not delivered His message. Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who disbelieve.﴿

Reference: Quran, Ch:5, V:65-67.

Subsequently, in the verse following Ayat al-Tabligh, Allah proclaims:

﴿يا أيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك وإن لم تفعل فما بلغت رسالاته والله يعصمك من الناس إن الله لا يهدي القوم الكافرين﴾

Translation: ﴾Say (`O Muhammad): `O people of the scripture (Jews and Christians)! You have nothing (as regards guidance) till you act according to the Torah, the Gospel, and what has (now) been sent down to you from your Lord (the Quran). Verily, that which has been sent down to you (Muhammad) from your Lord increases in many of them their obstinate rebellion and disbelief. So be not sorrowful over the people who disbelieve.﴿

This interpretation is further substantiated by the following tradition:

عن عائشة قالت كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يحرس حتى نزلت هذه الآية ﴿يا أيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك ۖ وإن لم تفعل فما بلغت رسالته ۚ والله يعصمك من الناس ۗ إن الله لا يهدي القوم الكافرين﴾ فأخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رأسه من القبة فقال لهم يا أيها الناس انصرفوا فقد عصمني الله

Translation: "`A`isha narrates: The Prophet was being guarded until this verse was revealed: `O Messenger! Convey everything revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not delivered His message. Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who disbelieve. So, the Messenger of Allah stuck his head out from the room and said:`O you people! Go away, for Allah shall protect me."

Reference: Jami` al-Tirmidhi 3046.

In essence, this verse was not revealed at Ghadir Khum and bears no relation to `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) or the proclamation of his purported succession.

Ayat Ikmal al-Din:

The Twelver Shia assert that after the revelation of Ayat al-Tabligh, Allah revealed the following verse:

﴿اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتممت عليكم نعمتي ورضيت لكم الإسلام دينا﴾

Translation: ﴾This day I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion﴿.

Reference: Quran, Ch:5, V:3.

In actuality, this verse was revealed during the final pilgrimage, at `Arafat. The Twelver Shia maintain that this verse was disclosed at Ghadir Khum in an effort to establish that Islam was completed after the declaration of `Ali's successorship. They attempt to validate this claim by citing two reports attributed to Abu Sa`id al-Khudri and Abu Huraira (Radiya-llahu-`an-hum). Nevertheless, these reports are considered forgeries, and exegetes have commented on them as follows:

Shaikh al-Islam ibn Taimiyya stated:

هذا الحديث من الكذب الموضوع باتفاق أهل المعرفة بالموضوعات. وهذا يعرفه أهل العلم بالحديث، والمرجع إليهم في ذلك. ولذلك لا يوجد هذا في شيء من كتب الحديث التي يرجع إليها أهل العلم بالحديث.

Translation: "This hadith is from the lies and the fabrications with the consensus of the people of knowledge in fabrications. And the people of knowledge in hadith and the suitable to be referred back to know this. And that is why this (narration) is not found in the books of hadith which the people of knowledge in hadith go back to."

Reference: Minhaj al-Sunna, ibn Taimiyya, Vol:7, P:53.

Abu al-Fida ibn Kathir recorded this narration in his tafsir and related another report preceding it, both claiming that the verse was revealed to the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) upon departing from the farewell pilgrimage. He stated:

ولا يصح هذا ولا هذا، بل الصواب الذي لا شك فيه ولا مرية: أنها أنزلت يوم عرفة، وكان يوم جمعة، كما روى ذلك أمير المؤمنين عمر بن الخطاب، وعلي بن أبي طالب، وأول ملوك الإسلام معاوية بن أبي سفيان، وترجمان القرآن عبد الله بن عباس، وسمرة بن جندب، رضي الله عنهم.

Translation: "And this is not authentic nor is the other one, and the correct opinion in which there is no doubt that it was revealed on the day of `Arafat, and it was on a Friday, as it was narrated by the Commander of the Believers, `Umar ibn al-Khattab, and `Ali ibn Abi Talib, and the first king of Islam, Mu`awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, and the commentator of the Quran, `Abdullah ibn `Abbas, and Samurah ibn Jundub, may Allah be pleased with them."

Reference: Tafsir ibn Kathir, Vol:3, P:29.

He also related this in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya and commented:

وقد ورد مثله من طريق ابن هارون العبدي عن أبي سعيد الخدري ولا يصح أيضا، وإنما نزل ذلك يوم عرفة كما ثبت في الصحيحين عن عمر بن الخطاب.

Translation: "And the same as this (narration) is found from the route of ibn Harun al-`Abdi from Abu Sa`id al-Khudri and it is also inauthentic. It was actually revealed on the day of `Arafat as it was confirmed in the Sahihain from the narration of `Umar ibn al-Khattab."

Reference: al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, ibn Kathir, Vol:7, P:350.

Similarly, Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti referenced this narration in his tafsir and deemed it weak. He remarked:

وأخرج ابن مردويه، والخطيب، وابن عساكر، بسند ضعيف، عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال...

Translation: "And ibn Marduyah, and al-Khatib, and ibn `Asakir, narrated with a weak chain, from Abu Sa`id al-Khudri who said [...]"

وأخرج ابن مردويه، والخطيب، وابن عساكر بسند ضعيف، عن أبي هريرة قال:

Translation: "And ibn Marduyah, and al-Khatib, and ibn `Asakir, narrated with a weak chain, from Abu Huraira who said [...]"

Reference: al-Durr al-Manthur, Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, Vol:3, P:19.

Abu al-Thana` al-Alusi levied the following criticism on this forgery:

وأخرج الشيعة، عن أبي سعيد الخدري، أن هذه الآية نزلت بعد أن قال النبي - ﷺ - لعلي - كرم الله تعالى وجهه - في غدير خم: "من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه" فلما نزلت قال عليه الصلاة والسلام: "الله أكبر على إكمال الدين، وإتمام النعمة، ورضاء الرب برسالتي، وولاية علي - كرم الله تعالى وجهه – بعدي" ولا يخفى أن هذا من مفترياتهم.

Translation: "And the Shia have mentioned from Abu Sa`id al-Khudri, that this verse was revealed after the Prophet said in concerns of `Ali: Whosoever I am his mawla then `Ali is his mawla. So, when it (the verse) was revealed, he said: Allah is The Greatest! For the finishing of the religion, and the completion of his favour for us, and the pleasure of the Lord with my message, and the wilaya of `Ali after me. And it cannot be hidden that this is from their forgeries."

Reference: Ruh al-Ma`ani, Abu al-Thana` al-Alusi, Vol:6, P:61.

Sheikh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani mentioned this narration in his work, Silsila al-Ahadith al-Da`ifa wa al-Mawdu`a, Vol:10, P:593, labeling it a fabrication.

The precise understanding of when and where this verse was revealed can be inferred from the subsequent tradition documented in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim:

عن طارق بن شهاب، أن أناسا، من اليهود قالوا: لو نزلت هذه الآية فينا لاتخذنا ذلك اليوم عيدا، فقال عمر: أية آية؟ فقالوا: ﴿اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتممت عليكم نعمتي ورضيت لكم الإسلام دينا﴾. فقال عمر: «إني لأعلم أي مكان أنزلت، أنزلت ورسول الله ﷺ واقف بعرفة».

Translation: "It was narrated from Tariq ibn Shihab who said that a group of people, from the Jews, said: If this verse was revealed to us, we would have taken that day as a festival. So `Umar asked: Which verse? They replied: ﴾This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion﴿. So, `Umar said: I know in which place this verse was revealed, it was revealed and the Messenger of Allah was standing at `Arafat."

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol:5, P:177.

In conclusion, this verse bears no connection to Ghadir Khum, as it was revealed on the day of `Arafat.

1.5 Obscurity of the Text

The Twelver Shia have become so captivated by this hadith that they often overlook its ambiguity and the aforementioned context. Upon examining Twelver Shi'ite literature, however, it becomes more so apparent that this event provides no evidence for `Ali's succession. Nasir al-Din al-Tusi posits:

واختلفوا في طريق معرفة الإمام عليه‌ السلام بعد أن اتفقوا على أنه هو النص من الله تعالى ، أو ممن هو منصوص عليه من قبل الله تعالى لا غير : فقالت الاثنا عشرية والكيسانية أنّه إنّما يحصل بالنص الجلي لا غير.

Translation: "And they differed on the way of knowing the Imam, peace be upon him, after they have agreed that it is a text from Allah Almighty, or from the one whom the text has been revealed for from Allah Almighty and nothing else. So the Twelvers (the majority of the Shia) and the Kaysaniyya said that this (i.e., knowing the Imam) happens through a clear text and nothing else."

Reference: Risala fi Qawa`id al-`Aqa`id, P:84.

According to al-Tusi, the proof for Imamate and divine appointment can only be substantiated through a clear, explicit text. Consequently, the question arises: is Hadith al-Ghadir a clear text or a hidden text. To determine the answer, it would be most appropriate to consult the works of Twelver Shi'ite scholarship.

Abu al-Qasim al-Sharif al-Murtada stated:

وأما النص الخفي: فهو الذي ليس في صريحة لفظه النص بالإمامة، وإنما ذلك في فحواه ومعناه، كخبر الغدير، وخبر تبوك.

Translation: "And for the hidden text: then it is the one in which there is no evidence for Imamate in its words, and it is in its meaning and substance like the narration of al-Ghadir and the narration of Tabuk."

Reference: Rasa`il al-Sharif al-Murtada, Vol:1, P:339.

Muhammad Jawad al-Mughniyyah stated:

وأما النص الخفي فكقوله (ص) أنت مني بمنزلة هارون من موسى إلا أنه لا نبي بعدي، ومن كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه.

Translation: "And as for the hidden text like his statement: You are to me like Aaron was to Moses except that there is no Prophet after me. And Whosoever I am his mawla, then `Ali is his mawla."

Reference: al-Shia fi al-Mizan, P:123.

And ibn al-Mutahhar al-Hilli stated:

وأما الخفي فقوله - عليه السلام -: من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه اللهم وال من والاه وعاد من عاداه وانصر من نصره واخذل من خذله وأدر الحق معه كيف ما دار.

Translation: "And as for the hidden (text), like his statement, peace be upon: Whosoever I am his mawla then `Ali is his mawla, `O Allah befriend whosoever befriends him and harm whosoever harms him, and support whosoever supports him, and let down whosoever lets him down, and make the truth follow him wherever he goes."

Reference: al-Maslak fi Usul al-Din, P:310.

Twelver Shia scholarship stipulate that the appointment of an Imam must be by means of a clear, explicit text, and to them, the narration of al-Ghadir is not a clear text but rather an esoteric one. In other words, it cannot be employed to prove the Imamate or successorship of `Ali ibn Abi Talib (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu).

1.6 Historicity of`Umar's congratulatory remarks

This report is deemed inauthentic. Abu al-Fida ibn Kathir characterised it as follows:

فيه علي بن زيد وأبي هارون العبدي وكلاهما ضعيف وروي من طريق آخر فيه موسى بن عثمان الحضرمي ضعيف جدا.

Translation: "It contains `Ali ibn Zaid and Abu Harun al-`Abdi and they are both weak. And it was narrated from another route which contains Musa ibn `Uthman al-Hadrami and he is very weak."

Reference: al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Abu al-Fida ibn Kathir, Vol:5, P:185.

Shihad al-Din al-Busayri weakened this report in his Ithaf al-Khira, Vol: 7, P: 212.

Shaikh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani stated:

قول عمر لعلي: " أصبحت وأمسيت مولى كل مؤمن ومؤمنة ". لا يصح أيضا لتفرد علي بن زيد به كما تقدم.

Translation: "The statement of `Umar to `Ali: You have become the mawla of every believing man and woman. This is inauthentic due to the exclusiveness of `Ali ibn Zaid as it has been mentioned."

Reference: Silsila al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Vol:4, P:344.

And Abu al-Thana` al-Alusi, similarly, rejected this narration:

وهذا ضعيف- فقد نصوا أن علي بن زيد وأبا هارون وموسى ضعفاء لا يعتمد على روايتهم، وفي السند أيضا- أبو إسحاق- وهو شيعي مردود الرواية.

Translation: "And this is weak, for indeed they have confirmed that `Ali ibn Zaid and Abu Harun and Musa are weak and none should rely on their narrations, and in the chain there is also Abu Ishaq, and he is a Shia whose narration is rejected."

Reference: Ruh al-Ma`ani, Abu al-Thana al-Alusi, Vol:3, P:361.

In summary, the primary deficiency in this report lies in the discredited transmitter, `Ali ibn Zaid ibn Jiddan. The renowned scholar of `ilal, `Ali ibn al-Madini, was inquired about him and responded:

ضعيف عندنا

Translation: "He is weak according to us."

Reference: Su`walat `Uthman ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Shayba, P:34.

Abu Hatim al-Razi said:

ليس بقوي، يكتب حديثه ولا يحتج به

Translation: "He is not strong, his hadith is written and not used as evidence."

Reference: Kitab al-Jarh wa al-Ta`dil, ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi, Vol:3, P:186-187.

1.7 `Ali's perception of 'Mawla'

When `Ali ibn Abi Talib (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) assumed the caliphate, a notable exchange occurred between him and some of his subjects from among the Ansar. This account is documented by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad:

جاء رهط إلى علي بالرحبة ، فقالوا : السلام عليك يا مولانا . فقال : كيف أكون مولاكم ، وأنتم قوم عرب ؟ ، قالوا : سـمعنا رسول الله يقول يوم غدير خم : من كنت مولاه فهذا مولاه . قال رياح فلما مضوا، تبعتهم، فسألت من هؤلاء؟ قالوا: نفر من الأنصار، فيهم أبو أيوب الأنصاري

Translation: "Some men came to `Ali ibn Abi Talib at al-Rahba and said: Peace be upon you `O our mawla. He replied, How can I be your mawla when you are from amongst the Arabs? They replied: We heard the Messenger of Allah say on the day of Ghadir Khum: Whosoever I am his mawla, `Ali is his mawla. Rayah ibn al-Harith said: I followed them and asked: Who are you? They replied: A people from the Ansar. Amongst them was Abu Ayyub al-Ansari."

Reference: Musnad Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol:9, P:143.

Shaikh al-Albani said about this tradition:

قلت: وهذا إسناد جيد رجاله ثقات

Translation: "This chain of narration is good and the transmitters are trustworthy."

Reference: Silsila al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Vol:4, P:340.

Shaikh Wasiullah ibn Muhammad `Abbas stated:

إسناده صحيح

Translation: "This chain is authentic."

Reference: al-Fada`il al-Sahaba, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol:2, P:707.

Both Shaikh Shu`aib al-Arna`ut, in his research of Musnad Ahmad (Vol:38, P:541-542), and Shaikh Ahmad Shakir, in his research (Vol:17, P:36), have reached a consensus on the authenticity of this report.

If 'mawla' were to be understood in the context of leadership, then according to this tradition, `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) seemingly neglected his own alleged authority to the extent that he had to be reminded by his fallible subjects. A more significant observation is that `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) did not immediately associate the term 'mawla' with leadership, presuming instead that it referred to a slave owner. This suggests that, during the period, 'mawla' was not a word commonly employed to signify authority.

1.8 Counterargument(s)

One might inquire, as the Twelver Shia often do, why the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) would halt all of the Muslims of his time amid the sweltering desert heat and even go to the extent of constructing a platform, merely to grasp the hand of Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) and declare that he is a 'friend.' However, the inquirer should take into account the following considerations:

a. As previously clarified, the term 'mawla,' in this context, denotes someone who is beloved or an ally, rather than simply a 'friend.' Furthermore, it is not unusual for the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) to assemble people for announcements such as these. We observe in the subsequent tradition, famously conveyed in Sahih al-Bukhari:

عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، قال: صعد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الصفا ذات يوم، فقال: «يا صباحاه»، فاجتمعت إليه قريش، قالوا: ما لك؟ قال: «أرأيتم لو أخبرتكم أن العدو يصبحكم أو يمسيكم، أما كنتم تصدقوني؟» قالوا: بلى، قال: «فإني نذير لكم بين يدي عذاب شديد» فقال أبو لهب: تبا لك، ألهذا جمعتنا؟ فأنزل الله: {تبت يدا أبي لهب}.

Translation: "`Abdullah ibn `Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah climbed the hill of Safa one day and said: `O people come at once! So, Quraish all gathered to him, and they said: What is the matter? The Prophet said: Look, if I told you that an enemy is going to attack you in the morning or in the evening, would you not believe me? They replied: Yes! He then said: I am a warner to you in face of a terrible punishment. Then Abu Lahab said: May you perish, is it for this thing that you have gathered us!? So Allah revealed: Perish the hands of Abu Lahab."

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol:6, P:122.

b. The authentic traditions recounting the event of Ghadir Khum do not portray the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) commanding the construction of a platform, nor do they illustrate him being accompanied by a sizeable group of Muslims or stopping amid the intense desert heat. Rather, they simply convey that the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) addressed the complaints of some companions against `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu), who had refused to permit them to take from the war spoils, by stating, "Whosoever I am his mawla, then `Ali is his mawla."

Authored by: Kimo al-Baydawi.

Reviewed and Edited by: Ibn al-Sindhi.