Hey everyone!
I am a non-Muslim who finds the subject of the succession to Muhammad a very interesting subject. Lately I have been listening to Sunni and Shia perspectives on the Event of Ghadir Khumm. It was the event where Muhammad raised Ali's hand before 100,000 people at Ghadir Khumm and said, among other things, and I paraphrase, "For whom I was his mawla, Ali is also his mawla." From my point of view a person can interpet mawla as either "authority" or "friend" depending on which statements you interpret the sentence with, those before it or those after it. But which statements in the narration should one use to interpret the word? I think it would be easy to decide if we know who the people in the crowd were.
What I have heard from Sunni sources is that the context of the event was friendship. Some men had set themselves against Ali for having denied them taking supplies for themselves. In response Muhammad basically told them at Ghadir Khumm that they should accept Ali as their friend and be loyal to him if they took him (Muhammad) as their friend and were loyal to him. Being that Muhammad, Ali, and the crowd had stopped at the pond on their way from Makkah to Madinah, it makes sense that the event was about friendship rather than authority/Caliphate if the very crowd that was travelling back to Madinah was the same group* that had set themselves against Ali for not allowing them to take supplies for themselves. Are there any early sources that explicitly or implicitly say the crowd at Ghadir Khumm were the people who opposed Ali?
I would like to see evidence from those who are in the Sunni camp, i.e., those who do not believe the Event of Ghadir Khumm was an event where Muhammad appointed a successor. Likewise I am interested in hearing from the Shia camp any early recordings of who the crowd was.
This thread exists because I am very interested in this subject. I understand it can be a touchy matter, and it is not my intention to cause animosity between individuals on the forum. If you would like to reply, please take it as an opportunity to present evidence or arguments to me rather than against any other individual.
Thanks for reading! I look forward to any and all replies!
*Or they might have been among others in the group.
To whom does the word master and authority (مولی) apply?
The main issue here is the interpretation of concept of master, that while being clear and obvious, it has been unfairly judged. Considering the aforementioned explanation, there would remain no doubt and uncertainty about the authenticity of the tradition, the excuse seekers created doubt and uncertainty about the meaning and concept of tradition, particularly the word
,مولا .مولا,
in this tradition, and rather in most cases, has only one meaning, that is, priority and qualification, and in other words, guardianship. Quran has applied the word, مولا, for the concept of guardian and authority.
The word, مولا, has been applied in 18 Quranic verses, 10 of which is concerned with God. It goes without saying that it indicates His authority and guardianship, and only in some few cases, it has been applied for friendship.
Therefore, there shall be no doubt that the word, مولا, primarily means the superior and authority. In Ghadir tradition too, it has the same meaning. In addition, it is accompanied with so many evidences and proofs, clearly proving that it means authority and guardianship.
The evidences certifying this claim
Even supposing that the term, مولا, has lexically various meanings, but there are many evidences and proofs in the Ghadir tradition and this great historical event, removing any ambiguity and conclusive for all.
First evidence
As we said, on the day of Ghadir historical event, Hassan Ibn Thabet, Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) poet, asked permission from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), and versified Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) utterance. This eloquent and fluent poet, having command on Arabic language, applied Imam and guide for the word,مولی, and said:
فقال له: قم یا علی فاننی
رضیتک من بعدی اماماَ و هادی
He said ‘Ali: Get up, I selected you for succession and guidance of people after me.18
As it is clear, he had not understood the word, مولی, in the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) utterance, anything save the rank of Imamate, leadership and guardianship of the nation, while he knew well Arabic terminology and was one of the eloquent Arab poets.
Not only Hassan, the great Arab poet, has understood this concept from the word, مولی, but also other great Islamic poets, most of which have been among the famous Arab poets and literati, and some of them have been the great professors in this language, have understood the same concept which Hassan did, that is, Imamate and leadership of nation!
Second evidence
Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) in his poems writing to Moavieh regarding Ghadir tradition says:
و اوجب لی ولایته علیکم
رسول الله یوم غدیر خم
God’s Prophet (s.a.w.a.) enjoined my guardianship for you on the day of Ghadir Khom.19
Who can interpret the tradition and explain for us what the God’s Prophet (s.a.w.a.) meant by, ولایت, on the Ghadir day, better than Imam? Does this interpretation show not that as all present in the Ghadir event believe, it does not imply anything save social leadership and headship?
Third evidence
Before stating the phrase,
من کنت مولاه
...
the Prophet asked:
الست اولی بکم من انفسکم؟
Am I not more authorized and rightful to you than yourselves?
In the above phrase, Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has applied
اولی به نفس
and has asked all people for confession to his authority over them. Then, he immediately said:
من کنت مولاه فهذا علی مولاه
Whoever I am his master and authority, this ‘Ali will be his master and authority.
What is the purpose of conjunction in these two phrases? Is it anything save proving the same rank of Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as per the text of Quran, for ‘Ali (a.s.)? The only difference is that he is the prophet and ‘Ali is Imam. On this account, it is interpreted as:
Whoever I am his master and authority, this ‘Ali will be his master and authority.20
If the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) meant something else, there was no reason for asking people’s confession for his mastership and authority. It is very unfair if one neglects this message of Prophet (s.a.w.a.), and does not take into account such obvious evidence.
Fourth evidence
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) asked for people’s confession to three basic Islamic principles and said:
الستم تشهدون ان لا اله الا الله و ان محمداَ عبده و رسوله و ان الجنة حق و النار حق؟
Do you testify that the Lord of world is one, and Mohammad is His servant and prophet, and there is no doubt about paradise, hell?
What did he mean for asking the confession? Does he want to make people’s mind ready to consider the rank and position, which he will later prove for ‘Ali (a.s.), as the previous tenets, and know that confession to his caliphate and guardianship is the same as triple tenets of religion, to which all confess? If the word,
مولی
, meant friend and helper, the sentences lose their relation, and the utterances is not firm anymore. Don’t you think so?
Fifth evidence
At the beginning of his sermon, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) talks about his death and says:
انی أوشک أن ادعی فاجیب
Soon, I will die.21
The phrase indicates that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is going to make a decision for the period after himself, and fill the vacancy caused by his demise. What can fill such vacancy, is appointment of a successor, worthy and informed to manage the affairs after him, and nothing else.
If we interpret guardianship to something save caliphate, the logical relation of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) utterances is clearly disturbed, while he is one of the most eloquent and fluent orators. What other clearer evidence could be found for guardianship?
Sixth evidence
من کنت مولاه ...
the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said:
الله اکبر علی اکمال الدین و اتمام النعمه و رضی الرب برسالتی و الولایه لعلی من بعدی
“Allahu Akbar”, I thank God for perfecting His religion, and completing His Blessing, and approving my mission as well as guardianship and succession of ‘Ali after me.
If he meant friendship and assistance of one of the Muslims, how the God’s religion was perfected, and His blessing was completed through friendship with ‘Ali (a.s.)? More obviously, he says: God approved my mission and guardianship of ‘Ali (a.s.) after me.22 Are these not clear evidences for the concept of caliphate?
Seventh evidence
What evidence is more explanatory than congratulation of Umar and Abu Bakr, and a large number of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) companions to ‘Ali (a.s.) lasting till the time of sunset prayer, while Umar and Abu Bakr were the first of those who congratulated Imam as follows:
هنیئاَ لک یا علی بن ابی طالب اصبحت و أمسیت مولای و مولی کل مؤمن و مؤمنه
Congratulations to you, O ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib, you wake up and go to sleep, while you are my guardian, and the guardian of any believer man and woman!23
What position did ‘Ali (a.s.) achieve on that day to be worthy of such congratulation? Is any rank, save leadership and caliphate of the Islamic nation that was not officially declared till then, worthy of such congratulation? Friendship and kindness was not a new issue.
Eighth evidence
If friendship of ‘Ali (a.s.) was meant, it was not necessary to express it in such a hot weather (stopping one hundred thousand caravan, and asking the people to sit on the hot sands in the desert for delivering a lecture)!
Quran had already called all the society’s individuals as brothers, and it says:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy. (Surah al-Hujurat, 49:10)
Had Quran not already introduced the believers as friends? ‘Ali (a.s.) too was one of the believers, and there was no need for declaring his friendship. Even if it was expedient to declare his friendship, these preparations and hard conditions were not required. It was possible to be declared in Medina.
Surely, the issue has been more important, requiring such exceptional preparations, which were unprecedented in the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) life, and it was not repeated anymore.
