Who Was Imam 'Ali? 1/2 - Enquiries About Shi'a Islam 3/48

Bismi-Llah, Al-Rahmani, Al-Rahim. Al-hamdu li 'l-Lahi Rabbi al-‘Alamin, wa as-salat wa as-salam 'ala Sayyidina Muhammadin, wa 'ala Ahli Baytihi, at-tayyibin, at-tahirin wa sahabatih al-muntajabin. May the peace and the blessing of Allah be upon you and with you all, my dear brothers and sisters. Assalamu alaykum, wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh.

Is Imam 'Ali and his leadership and his caliphate mentioned in the Qur'an very explicitly or not? Many people ask, if the issue of caliphate of the Prophet and the succession is so important, why then we don't hear about it in the Holy Qur'an? This must be embedded in the Qur'an, in the heart of the Qur'an. And we say, yes, it is actually. It is embedded in the Qur'an. It is the heart of the Qur'an. But we need a heart to accept this. We need to put our cultural and sectarian baggage aside for a second, and focus on what God is telling us so we can find the evidence.

But if we are reluctant, and if we don't want to see, we don't want to listen. We don't want to hear. "Qalu [inna] wajadna aba’ana ‘ala ummatin wa inna ‘ala asarihim muhtadoon" (43:22). "We want to follow the tradition of our forefathers, then we cannot find it and we cannot see it". The evidence is available for the true seeker and the honest seeker of the evidence. But it is not available for someone who keeps denying, for someone who is reluctant to see the evidence, or appreciate it, or respect it.

Where is it in the Qur'an? Is the leadership, is the wilaya, the succession, the caliphate of Imam Ali, the Imamah of Imam Ali mentioned in the Qur'an? Yes. The first and foremost is Ayat Al-Ghadir. Ayat Al-Iblagh. "Ya aiyyuha ar-Rasulu balligh ma unzila ilayka min Rabbik" (5:67). Surah Al-Ma'ida, verse 67. "Al-yawm akmaltu lakum deenakum" (5:3). Verse 67 and verse 3. In verse 67: "Ya aiyyuha ar-Rasulu balligh ma unzila ilayka min Rabbika wa in lam taf’al fama ballaghta Risalatah; wa Allahu ya’simuka min an-nas" (5:67). In verse 3, Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala says: "Al-yawm akmaltu lakum deenakum wa atmamtu ‘alaykum ni’matee wa radheetu lakum al-Islama deenaa" (5:3).

What does that mean? Let me tell you the story. The story: the Prophet did his first Hajj in the Islamic era, although some historians believe that the Prophet did more than 20 trips to Hajj before his Prophethood began. But during his leadership as a Messenger of God, he did only one hajj. He knew that he's going to depart after that. There were some indications. He referred to this, to his departure in Mina, in Arafat, in Mecca itself, during the Hajj season. He gave some heads up to the Muslims, to his community, to those who were with him, over 100,000 pilgrims who were surrounding the Prophet, that he's going to leave them. So he spoke about several issues.

And he said to them, he's going to tell them something even more important related to their life, to their destiny, to their political leadership, to their religious leadership. And he waited until all the hujjaj, including those who did the Hajj in Mecca, and they were supposed to go back from Mecca to Yemen to the south, he asked them to join him on his trip north to Medina. Yemen is in the south. Medina is in the north. Those who came from Yemen to perform the Hajj with the Prophet were supposed to go back home, to the south. But the Prophet asked them to join him, for the next few days on his journey to the north. So the pilgrims of Mecca, the pilgrims of Yemen, the pilgrims of Medina, the pilgrims of other places, they all joined the Prophet, while he left Mecca.

And he wanted to emphasize the concept of his succession on Khilafah. He didn't say it in Mecca. Because if you say it in Mecca in a crowded season, it might get lost in the middle, in the midst of the crowd, in the midst of mentioning many issues here, it might get lost. The Prophet chose, and this is not his choice, this is God's choice, to mention this somewhere very exclusive, very particular, under hard circumstances, so people would remember it forever. And he chose to stop the people at a very important intersection, a marshland called Khumm. Ghadir is [mean] marshland. Ghadir Khumm. Important intersection. Before people are parting to different roads and paths back home, under very harsh circumstances, the weather was terrible, blazing sun, enormous heat. He said, Here, I want you to stay. Those who are ahead of us, let them come back. Those who are behind us, we wait for them.

When all people are together in one place, I have an important declaration. "Balligh ma unzila ilayka min Rabbik" (5:67). And look at the wording here. Very threatening. You must do this. If you don't do this, as if you did nothing. "Fama ballaghta Risalatah" (5:67) And if you worry about people's complain, backlash, they are going to say things against you. They are going to accuse you. "Wa Allahu ya’simuka min an-nas" (5:67). Don't worry. I'm going to hold. I'm going to hold. I'm going to support you and hold you fast. I'm going to be with you. I'm going to protect you against the backlash of the people. "Wa Allahu ya’simuka min an-nas" (5:67). And therefore, he delivered.

340 Sunni scholar, among them, Mufassereen, exegetes. Among them, historians, Mu'arrakheen, among them, scholars, Among them, transmitters of Hadith, Muhaddithin. They mentioned 340. There were over 110 of the Prophet's companions on that day, the day of Ghadir, on that event, who witnessed first-hand. They saw the Prophet, they listened to him, exactly word by word, what he said. He gave a lengthy speech, and then, in that speech, he holds the arm of 'Ali.

He says very clearly, clear tone, assertive tone: "Man kunto mawlah, fa 'Aliyu al-mawlah. Allahumma waliman wa'alah, wa 'adi man 'ada, wa ansur man nasarah, wa akhdhul man khadhalah". Whomever I am his guardian and leader after me, 'Ali is going to be his guardian and leader. Now, some Sunni scholars believe that, yes, he did say, "Man kuntumawla, fa hada 'Aliyun mawlah". But because 'Ali had some problem with some of the companions, they were not on good terms. So the Prophet tried to fix this problem, bring them together, and mend the relationships. So he said, If you love me, then you must love 'Ali. So it was only about love, and a friendship with 'Ali. It was not about Khilafa.

The Shia say, It cannot be like that. The The Prophet could have said this while he's in Mecca, while he's in Medina. Why should he stop 110? Then God says to him, Deliver this message. If you don't deliver it, you have done nothing for Us for the last 23 years. You have done nothing for Us. God was almost threatening the Prophet. If you are too weak to deliver this powerful and important and critical and final message, then you have done nothing for Us. So it cannot be about, well, I want you to love 'Ali and be his friend.

Something more serious. Something that has to do not with just Ali, with the history of Islam, with the future of Islam, with the future of the ummah, with the future of God's final message. Otherwise, if the Prophet tells them, Love 'Ali, this is something personal. He can say this anywhere, in any place, even in front of two or three people. Because 'Ali had no quarrel with the 110,000. If he had a problem, he would have it with two or three people at that time.

Why should the Prophet stop 110,000 in a blazing sun for three days in the desert? They have concluded the Hajj. They want to go home, to go back to their kids, to their businesses, to their life, to their wives. And he says to them, Oh, I want you to love 'Ali. No, that was not his intention. His intention was to appoint the successor. 'Ali is my successor period.

Among those who narrated the story of Ghadir and the event of Ghadir were those who are considered very credible and very prominent, very influential in the Sunni Islam tradition. For instance, among the commentators, the exegete of the Holy Quran, the Mufassirin, was Tabari, Wahhdi, Thaalibi, Al-Qurtubi, Al-Razi. Al-Razi is, you know, world-class Mufassir, an exegete of the Holy Qur'an. Ibn Kathir, or Ibn Kuthayr, al-Dimashqi, he's not on a good term with 'Ali Ibn Abhi Talib or Ahl Al-Bait, but he admits to this story. He mentions the story of Ghadir. Al-Nashaburi, Al-Syuti, Al-Alusi, Al-Baghdadi. And there were other historians who wrote the Islamic history, such as Al-Baladri, Ibn Qutaibah, Al-Tabari, Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi, Ibn Abd al-Birr, Al-Shehrstani, Ibn Asakir, Ibn Al-Athir, Ibn Abil Hadid, Yaqut Al-Hamawai, and many, many others who acknowledge to this story.

The transmitters of Hadith, a'immatu al-Hadith, narrators of Hadith. Those are among the one who narrated the event of the Ghadir, Al-Shafi'i, Imam Ahmed Ibn Hambal, Ibn Maja, Al-Tirmizi, Al-Nisa'i, Al-Baghawi, Al-Taha'wi, and others. This is a sample of those Sunni scholars who narrated the story of Al-Ghadir.

So here we find this event to be the most or the major event in the history of Islam, where the Prophet very clearly and smoothly appointed 'Ali. And guess what happened? After his appointment and after his speech, and when the Prophet and Ali descend it from the pulpit, which was made from the makeshifts, makeshift pulpit. When he came down, or both of them came down, this event had a various impact on people. Some of them received it with the jubilation and happiness, and acceptance, and they were waiting for this moment. They knew that the most qualified after the prophet is none but 'Ali Ibn AbiTalib. Others, they received it with resentment. And some of them with objection.

Among those who came and congratulated 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib were Abu Bakr, Ibn Abi Quhafa, and Umar Ibn Al-Khattab. Both came to 'Ali and they said to him, Congratulations. Bakhkhen bakhkhen bakhkhen ya 'Ali. Congratulations, congratulations to you 'Ali. Asbahta mawlai wa mawla kulli mu'min wa mu'minah. Today, you are my guardian, you are my leader. After the Prophet, you are my Guardian. You are my Leader. They didn't say, You are my friend. Asbahta Mawlai. Because 'Ali was their friend from before. With Abu Bakr and Umar during the time of the Prophet, they had no clashes. They were talking to each other, and they were friends. So they cannot tell him, today, you became a friend. No, you became my leader. You are my master and my leader, Asbahta Mawla'i, and the master and the leader of every believing men and women.

And that man who came and who received this news and this appointment with objection and hate, and he could not tolerate that. You may read his story. "Sa’ala sa’ilun bi ‘adhabin waqi’i" (70:1). "Li 'l-kaafireena laisa lahu daafi’i" (70:2). He came to the Prophet. He stood before him. He said, Ya Muhammad, When you order us to pray, to fast, to pay alms, and to come to the Hajj, we did. We accepted that from you. This was not enough for you until you hold the arm of your cousin, "fa ammartaho alaina" and you make him an Amir, commander above us? "Afa hadha minka wa min Allah?" This is your own choice, or this is the Lord's choice? The Prophet smiles, and he says: "wa Allahu alladhi la ilaha illa Huwa. Huwa min indi Allah". By the Lord, who there is no Lord other than Him in this universe. This is from Him. This is the direct command of God.

Then the man says, If this is from God, I reject it, I hate it, and I ask God, invoke upon Him to send on me severe punishment now. I would rather die than seeing 'Ali succeeding the Prophet. What do you call this? They call it bigotry, and jealousy, and narrow-mindedness. So he asked for the punishment, and God answered his prayers, and he was punished instantly and immediately. A stone comes from heaven and hits him and kills him instantly.

The story of Ghadir is very famous. Some people choose to follow it and accept it. Some people choose not to accept it and to reject it and to contest the story. Al-Allama Al-Amini, one of the greatest contemporary researchers of Islamic history and Islamic theology, who died maybe 20 years ago. He gathered so many volumes in his encyclopedia called Al-Ghadir, maybe 20 volumes. He put them together, where he thoroughly goes after these references of Al-Ghadir. Where was the event mentioned, in what book? And mostly in Sunni sources. This book, this encyclopaedia, is worth reading to find out the truth about the event of the Ghadir.

There are other references to the leadership and the Khilafah of Imam 'Ali, alayhi as-salam, in the Holy Qur'an, such as the verse of bowing or raku' in Surat Al-Ma'ida, Ayah number 55: "Innama waliyyukumu Allahu wa Rasuluhu wa alladheena amanu alladheena yuqimuna as-Salata wa yu’tuna az-Zakata wa hum raaki’un" (5:55). Verily, your leaders are God, his apostle, and those who, and those who, while establishing the prayers, they pay charity, they pay alms, or they give alms. Many commentators, and I am just mentioning the Sunni commentators, not the Shi'a ones, like az- Zamashari, like Al-Wahdi in his book Asbab Al-Nazul, and many others, and transmitters of Hadith, such as an-Nisa'i, such as Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hambal, and others. They agree that the one who's meant in this particular verse and term: "alladheena yuqimuna as-Salata wa yu’tuna az-Zakata wa hum raaki’un" (5:55). Those who establish prayers and give alms while they are bowing down, is 'Ali Ibn AbiTalib.

On that famous incident, where a needy person came to the mosque of the Prophet, asking for some help, and because Muslims, they could not afford, nobody paid attention to him. Ali was doing nafilah at that time. His prayers was nafilah, not the mandatory prayers. While he was in the state of ruku' and the beggar came close to him, he stretched his hand, and the ring was on this little finger here. So the bagger took it very easily and passed by and left. And God sent this verse upon the Prophet. The Prophet knew about the incident through the verse revealed to him by God, by Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala . "Wa yu’tuna az-Zakata wa hum raaki’un" (5:55).

Another verse that refers to Imam 'Ali, alayhi as-salam. Now, some people say, if it is meant, let's pause here on 5:55, the verse of bowing. Some people say, if Imam 'Ali is meant in this verse, he's single, while God uses the plural term here. "Alladheena yuqimuna " (5:55). Those who establish prayers, those who give charity. Why didn't say, and the one who establishes the prayers and gives charity? Actually, the Sunni commentators, they answer this question in a very good way, such as Al-Wahdi in Asba'b al-Nazul. He says, Although Imam 'Ali was single here, and the verse has to be in singular term, but God opted for plural term, to emphasize that you people also can give the charity. You can do the same. It's a form of encouragement.

When you bring it in a plural term, it is a form of encouragement for people to pay charity to the needy, to the beggars, not to neglect them, because God here was hitting two birds with one stone. Number one was saying that the Guardian and the leader after God and the Prophet is Imam Ali, so he's appointing him for leadership. Number two, God was telling the Muslims that I praise Ali. Ali did something wonderful, something good, a noble act. While he was doing his prayers, still he did not forget, he did not repulse.

"Fa amma al-yateema fa la taqhar" (93:9). "Wa amma as-saa'ila fala tanhar" (93:10). Do not repulse the beggar when he comes to you on the grounds that, I am busy now, I'm doing something more important. There is nothing more important than attending to the needs of someone who is hungry, who is in pain, who is in suffering. So He was praising Imam 'Ali at the same time, and He was encouraging, He brought up his story to encourage Muslims to follow suit.

Another verse that speaks about Imam 'Ali's leadership after the Prophet is the verse of guardianship, in Surat Al-Nisa'a, Chapter 4, verse 59. "Atee’u Allaha wa atee’u ar-Rasul wa ul 'il-amri minkum" (4:59). Obey God, obey his Apostle, and those who are in charge of your affairs. Now, the Prophet who is entitled to explain the Qur'an for us, he comes and he explains this verse very beautifully. He says, the Prophet in his Hadith, When it comes to those "wa ul 'il-amri minkum" (4:59), those vested with authority over you, whose God consider their obedience is like the obedience of the Prophet, the obedience to the Prophet, and the obedience to God.

Are those any leaders, any political leaders? Because today, if you go to Muslim countries, they tell you, you have to listen to the monarch, to the king, to the sultan, to the amir, to the president. You must listen to him. This is your religious duty. Why? Because he's ul 'il-amr. He's the one who's in charge. But this is not the right interpretation of this verse. The right interpretation is given by the Prophet, to one of his companions.

He said to him: those who are vested with authority, ul 'il-amr, after me are 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib. After him, al-Imam Al-Hasan. After him, al-Imam Al-Husayn. Succeeded by 'Ali Ibn al-Husayn. After him, Muhammad Al-Baqr. Ja'afar as-Sadiq. Musa al-Kadhim. 'Ali Al-Ridha', Muhammad al-Jawad. The ninth Imam. 'Ali al-Hadi, the 10th Imam. Al-Hasan al-'Askari. And then he mentions the 12th imam. He says, "Ismuhu ismi". His name resembles my name, his first name, Muhammad Al-Mahdi. And then the Prophet says to that companion, and he's going to be "Hujjatu Allahi 'ala al-khalq" the proof of God upon mankind.

The Prophet, not only, in this Hadith, mentions the name of 'Ali Ibn Abu Talib, the first caliph and the first successor, he mentions the name of all the 12 Imams from Bani Hashem who succeeded the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa alayh wa sallam.