Generally, our understanding of the sermon of Ghadeer is to the extent that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) announced the mastership of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) in his sermon by saying, ‘of whomsoever I am master, Ali is his master’.
But, if we read the sermon of Ghadeer thoughtfully, we will be impressed by the words of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). It seems like the complete sermon of Ghadeer is actually a laurel on Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).
Throughout his sermon, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) repeatedly praises the Chief of Believers (a.s.) and mentions one merit of Ali (a.s.) after another. Sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph, page after page, the complete sermon is actually commendation of the conqueror of Khyber – Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) in the most beautiful and eloquent words of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
The Arabic text of the sermon of Ghadeer is approximately 9 to 10 pages long of a regular A4 size sheet. If a person reads the Arabic text it should take him approximately 40 to 50 mins with normal reading.
This should give us a rough indication, that on the 18th of Zilhajj, in 10 A.H. when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) gave this historic and significant sermon of Ghadeer as per the orders of Allah, the Almighty, he would have spoken for approximately 40 mins to 45 mins.
It is also noteworthy, that the Arabic language used by Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) in the sermon is simple and easy to understand even for the non-Arabic listeners and readers and at the same time brimming with eloquence.
We have attempted here to briefly study and analyse the sermon of Ghadeer. The sermon of Ghadeer can be broadly divided into the following parts.
1. Praise and glorification of Allah
2.
Divine order concerning an important affair
3.
Official announcement of the Imamate of the twelve Imams
4.
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) raises Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) on his hands
5.
Emphasis upon the nation for approaching or turning towards Imamate
6.
Indication towards the objectives of the hypocrites
7.
Lovers of Ahle Bait (a.s.) and their enemies
8.
Mention of Hazrat Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.)
9.
Preparation for seeking allegiance
10.
The permitted and prohibited and obligatory and prohibited
11.
Allegiance – in the traditional form
We have brought forth a few extracts from each of the above parts below to understand the sermon of Ghadeer below and as motivation to read the complete sermon.
1. Praise and glorification of Allah
اَلْحَمْدُلِلَّهِ الَّذى عَلا فى تَوَحُّدِهِ وَدَنا فى تَفَرُّدِهِ وَجَلَّ فى سُلْطانِهِ وَعَظُمَ فى اَرْكانِهِ، وَاَحاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْماً وَ هُوَ فى مَكانِهِ وَ قَهَرَ جَميعَ الْخَلْقِ بِقُدْرَتِهِ وَ بُرْهانِهِ، حَميداً لَمْ يَزَلْ، مَحْموداً لايَزالُ (وَ مَجيداً لايَزولُ، وَمُبْدِئاً وَمُعيداً وَ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ إِلَيْهِ يَعُودُ).
"All Praise is due to Allah Who is Exalted in His Unity, Near in His Uniqueness, Sublime in His Authority, Magnanimous in His Dominance. He knows everything; He subdues all creation through His might and evidence. He is Praised always and forever, Glorified and has no end. He begins and He repeats, and to Him every matter is referred."
أَحْمَدُهُ كَثيراً وَأَشْكُرُهُ دائماً عَلَى السَّرّاءِ والضَّرّاءِ وَالشِّدَّةِ وَالرَّخاءِ، وَأُومِنُ بِهِ و بِمَلائكَتِهِ وكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ. أَسْمَعُ لاَِمْرِهِ وَاُطيعُ وَأُبادِرُ إِلى كُلِّ مايَرْضاهُ وَأَسْتَسْلِمُ لِماقَضاهُ، رَغْبَةً فى طاعَتِهِ وَ خَوْفاً مِنْ عُقُوبَتِهِ، لاَِنَّهُ اللَّهُ الَّذى لايُؤْمَنُ مَكْرُهُ وَلايُخافُ جَورُهُ
"I praise Him greatly, and thank Him continuously for every happiness and suffering, and for every hardship and ease, and I believe in Him and His angels, and His books, and His messengers. I listen to His command and obey, and I hasten to everything that pleases Him, and submit and surrender to what He determines, [all out of my] desire/eagerness to be in His obedience, and out of fear of His chastisement, for He is Allah whose plot is not secured against, and whose injustice is not feared."
2. Divine order concerning an important affair
لاإِلاهَ إِلاَّهُوَ - لاِنَّهُ قَدْأَعْلَمَنى أَنِّى إِنْ لَمْ أُبَلِّغْ ما أَنْزَلَ إِلَىَّ (فى حَقِّ عَلِىٍّ) فَما بَلَّغْتُ رِسالَتَهُ، وَقَدْ ضَمِنَ لى تَبارَكَ وَتَعالَى الْعِصْمَةَ (مِنَ النّاسِ) وَ هُوَاللَّهُ الْكافِى الْكَريمُ. فَأَوْحى إِلَىَّ: (بِسْمِاللَّهِ الرَّحْمانِ الرَّحيمِ، يا أَيُهَاالرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ ما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ــ فى عَلِىٍّ يَعْنى فِى الْخِلاَفَةِ لِعَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبى طالِبٍ ــ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَما بَلَّغْتَ رِسالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النّاسِ).
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، ما قَصَّرْتُ فى تَبْليغِ ما أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعالى إِلَىَّ، وَ أَنَا أُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ سَبَبَ هذِهِ الْآيَةِ: إِنَّ جَبْرئيلَ هَبَطَ إِلَىَّ مِراراً ثَلاثاً يَأْمُرُنى عَنِ السَّلامِ رَبّى - وَ هُوالسَّلامُ - أَنْ أَقُومَ فى هذَا الْمَشْهَدِ فَأُعْلِمَ كُلَّ أَبْيَضَ وَأَسْوَدَ: أَنَّ عَلِىَّ بْنَ أَبى طالِبٍ أَخى وَ وَصِيّى وَ خَليفَتى (عَلى أُمَّتى) وَالْإِمامُ مِنْ بَعْدى، الَّذى مَحَلُّهُ مِنّى مَحَلُّ هارُونَ مِنْ مُوسى إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لانَبِىَّ بَعْدى وَهُوَ وَلِيُّكُمْ بَعْدَاللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ، وَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَبارَكَ وَ تَعالى عَلَىَّ بِذالِكَ آيَةً مِنْ كِتابِهِ (هِىَ): (إِنَّما وَلِيُّكُمُاللّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَالَّذينَ آمَنُواالَّذينَ يُقيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ و وَيُؤْتونَ الزَّكاةَ وَ هُمْ راكِعُونَ)، وَ عَلِىُّ بْنُ أَبى طالِبٍ الَّذى أَقامَ الصَّلاةَ وَ آتَىالزَّكاةَ وَهُوَ راكِعٌ يُريدُاللَّهَ عَزَّوَجَلَّ فى كُلِّ حالٍ.
"There is no god but He, for He has informed me that if I do not convey what He has just revealed to me about the right of Ali, I will not have conveyed His Message at all, and He, the Praised and the Exalted One, has guaranteed for me to protect me from the (evil) people, and He is Allah, the One Who suffices, the Sublime. He has just revealed to me the following (verse): In The Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. O Messenger! Convey what has (just) been revealed to you (with regard to 'Ali), and if you do not do so, you will not have conveyed His Message at all, and Allah shall Protect you from (evil) people; surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people.
(Quran - 5:67)
O people! I have not committed any shortcoming in conveying what Allah Almighty revealed to me, and I am now going to explain to you the reason behind the revelation of this verse: Three times did Gabriel command me on behalf of the Salaam, my Lord, Who is the source of all peace, that I stand up here in this site and let every white and black know that, indeed Ali ibn Abi Talib, is my brother and my wasiy (trustee and executor of will and teaching), my successor over my Ummah (nation), the Imam after me, whose station to me is like that of Aaron to Moses – save that there will be no prophet after me – and he is your waliy (master) after Allah and His messenger.
In fact Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has sent down upon me about this an ayah from His Book which is, Indeed your master is Allah and His Messenger, and those who believe who uphold the prayer and give the alms while they are bowing and Ali ibn Abi Talib is the one who upheld the prayer and gave the alms while he was bowing seeking Allah, Exalted and Majestic, in all circumstances."
3. Official announcement of the Imamate of the twelve Imams
فَاعْلَمُوا مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ (ذالِكَ فيهِ وَافْهَموهُ وَاعْلَمُوا) أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ نَصَبَهُ لَكُمْ وَلِيّاً وَإِماماً فَرَضَ طاعَتَهُ عَلَى الْمُهاجِرينَ وَالْأَنْصارِ وَ عَلَى التّابِعينَ لَهُمْ بِإِحْسانٍ، وَ عَلَى الْبادى وَالْحاضِرِ، وَ عَلَىالْعَجَمِىِّ وَالْعَرَبىِّ، وَالْحُرِّ وَالْمَمْلوكِ وَالصَّغيرِ وَالْكَبيرِ، وَ عَلَىالْأَبْيَضِ وَالأَسْوَدِ، وَ عَلى كُلِّ مُوَحِّدٍ، ماضٍ حُكْمُهُ، جازٍ قَوْلُهُ، نافِذٌ أَمْرُهُ، مَلْعونٌ مَنْ خالَفَهُ، مَرْحومٌ مَنْ تَبِعَهُ وَ صَدَّقَهُ، فَقَدْ غَفَرَاللَّهُ لَهُ وَلِمَنْ سَمِعَ مِنْهُ وَ أَطاعَ لَهُ.
"So comprehend what I have just said about him. O people and understand it, and know that Allah has indeed appointed him as your master and imam whose obedience is obligatory upon the Muhajereen, the Ansar, tabeeen, and upon people of the deserts and the people of the towns, and upon the non-Arab and the Arab, the free and bonded, the young and the old, the white and the black, and upon every monotheist; [unquestionably] his judgement is upheld, his word is forgone and undisputable, his command is executed. Cursed is he who opposes him, blessed with mercy is he who follows him and confirms him; for Allah has indeed forgiven him as well as he who listens to him and obeys him."
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، إِنَّهُ آخِرُ مَقامٍ أَقُومُهُ فى هذا الْمَشْهَدِ، فَاسْمَعوا وَ أَطيعوا وَانْقادوا لاِمْرِ(اللَّهِ) رَبِّكُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّوَجَلَّ هُوَ مَوْلاكُمْ وَإِلاهُكُمْ، ثُمَّ مِنْ دونِهِ رَسولُهُ وَنَبِيُّهُ اَلْمُخاطِبُ لَكُمْ، ثُمَّ مِنْ بَعْدى عَلىٌّ وَلِيُّكُمْ وَ إِمامُكُمْ بِأَمْرِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ، ثُمَّ الْإِمامَةُ فى ذُرِّيَّتى مِنْ وُلْدِهِ إِلى يَوْمٍ تَلْقَوْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ
"O people! this is the last stand I make in such a site, so listen and obey and follow the command of Allah your Lord. For Allah, Almighty and Majestic, is your master and your God, and then after Him, His Messenger and His Prophet – who is addressing you – is your master, then after me Ali is your master and your Imam by the command of Allah your Lord. Then the Imamat is in my progeny from his offsprings till the Day you stand before Allah and His Messenger."
أَلاإِنَّهُ لا «أَميرَالْمُؤْمِنينَ» غَيْرَ أَخى هذا، أَلا لاتَحِلُّ إِمْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ بَعْدى لاِحَدٍ غَيْرِهِ
"Indeed there is no “Ameer al Momineen” other than this brother of mine. Indeed the commandership of the believers is not permissible for anyone after me other than him."
4. Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) raises Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) on his hands
ايهاالنَّاسُ، مَنْ اَوْلى بِكُمْ مِنْ اَنْفُسِكُمْ؟ قالوا: اَللَّهُ و رَسُولُهُ. فَقالَ: اَلا من كُنْتُ مَوْلاهُ فَهذا عَلىٌّ مَوْلاهُ، اَللَّهُمَّ والِ مَنْ والاهُ و عادِ مَنْ عاداهُ وَانْصُرْمَنْ نَصَرَهُ واخْذُلْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُ.
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، هذا عَلِىٌّ أخى وَ وَصيىّ وَ واعي عِلْمى، وَ خَليفَتى فى اُمَّتى عَلى مَنْ آمَنَ بى وَعَلى تَفْسيرِ كِتابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَالدّاعي إِلَيْهِ وَالْعامِلُ بِما يَرْضاهُ وَالْمحارِبُ لاِعْدائهِ وَالْمُوالي عَلى طاعَتِهِ وَالنّاهي عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِ
"O people! Who has more authority over you than you have over yourselves. They said: “Allah and His Messenger”. So Allah’s messenger said: of whomsoever I am master, Ali is his master. O Allah love the one who loves him, and be hostile to whoever is hostile to him, succour whoever succours him and forsake whoever forsakes him.
O people! this is Ali, my brother, my successor, inheritor of my knowledge. He is my successor over my nation, over everyone who believes in me, and (he is my successor) for the interpretation of the Book of Allah, Almighty and Majestic, (he is) the Caller to Him; the one who works that which pleases Him, the combater of His enemies, the devotee of His obedience, and the forbidder of His disobedience."
5. Emphasis upon the nation for approaching or turning towards Imamate
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، إِنَّما أَكْمَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ دينَكُمْ بِإِمامَتِهِ. فَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْتَمَّ بِهِ وَبِمَنْ يَقُومُ مَقامَهُ مِنْ وُلْدى مِنْ صُلْبِهِ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيامَةِ وَالْعَرْضِ عَلَىاللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ فَأُولئِكَ الَّذينَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمالُهُمْ (فِىالدُّنْيا وَالْآخِرَةِ) وَ فِى النّارِهُمْ خالِدُونَ، (لايُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذابُ وَلاهُمْ يُنْظَرونَ).
"O people! Allah, Almighty and Majestic, has indeed perfected your religion through his Imamat. So whoever does not take him as an Imam and those who succeed him from amongst my offspring from his loins until the Day of Judgment and Presentation before Allah, Almighty and Majestic, indeed they are the ones whose deeds have failed in this world and in the Hereafter and in they shall abide in Fire forever. their punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be granted any respite. "
مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ، إِنَّ إِبْليسَ أَخْرَجَ آدَمَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ بِالْحَسَدِ، فَلاتَحْسُدُوهُ فَتَحْبِطَ أَعْمالُكُمْ وَتَزِلَّ أَقْدامُكُمْ، فَإِنَّ آدَمَ أُهْبِطَ إِلَىالْأَرضِ بِخَطيئَةٍ واحِدَةٍ، وَهُوَ صَفْوَةُ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ، وَكَيْفَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ أَنْتُمْ وَ مِنْكُمْ أَعْداءُاللَّهِ
"O people! Iblees caused Adam to be dismissed from Paradise through envy. So do not envy him (Ali (a.s.)) for your deeds will be nullified and your feet will slip away. Adam was lowered to the earth due to a single fault, even though he was the Chosen One of Allah. And what about you! And you being what you are! And from you are enemies of Allah!!!"
6. Indication towards the objectives of the hypocrites
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، لاتَمُنُّوا عَلَىَّ بِإِسْلامِكُمْ، بَلْ لاتَمُنُّوا عَلَىاللَّهِ فَيُحْبِطَ عَمَلَكُمْ وَيَسْخَطَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ يَبْتَلِيَكُمْ بِشُواظٍ مِنْ نارٍ وَنُحاسٍ، إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَبِا الْمِرْصادِ
"O people! Deem not your embracing of Islam a favour onto me. Rather do not even count it as a favour unto Allah, for He would nullify your deeds, and will wrath against you, and will subject you with tribulations of flame of fire and molten brass, indeed your Lord is watching. "
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، إِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ مِنْ بَعْدى أَئمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَىالنّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ لايُنْصَرونَ
"O people! Indeed there will be after me are leaders who invite to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be succoured."
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، إِنَّهُمْ وَأَنْصارَهُمْ وَأَتْباعَهُمْ وَأَشْياعَهُمْ فِى الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النّارِ وَلَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ
"O people! they, their supporters, their followers, and their devotees are in the lowest depth of the Fire and indeed miserable is the abode of the arrogant."
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، إِنِّى أَدَعُها إِمامَةً وَ وِراثَةً (فى عَقِبى إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيامَةِ)، وَقَدْ بَلَّغْتُ ما أُمِرتُ بِتَبْليغِهِ حُجَّةً عَلى كُلِّ حاضِرٍ وَغائبٍ وَ عَلى كُلِّ أَحَدٍ مِمَّنْ شَهِدَ أَوْلَمْ يَشْهَدْ، وُلِدَ أَوْلَمْ يُولَدْ، فَلْيُبَلِّغِ الْحاضِرُ الْغائِبَ وَالْوالِدُ الْوَلَدَ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيامَةِ
"O people! I confine Imamat and inheritance in my posterity until the Day of Resurrection. Indeed I have conveyed that which I have been commanded to convey [by the Almighty]; as a hujjat and evidence upon every one present or absent, upon everyone who witnessed or did not witness [this sermon], and [anyone who] is born or is yet to be born; so let those who are present here inform the absent, and let the parent inform the offspring until the Day of Resurrection."
7. The lovers and enemies of Ahle Bait (a.s.)
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، أَنَا صِراطُ اللَّهِ الْمُسْتَقيمُ الَّذى أَمَرَكُمْ بِاتِّباعِهِ، ثُمَّ عَلِىٌّ مِنْ بَعْدى. ثُمَّ وُلْدى مِنْ صُلْبِهِ أَئِمَّةُ (الْهُدى)، يَهْدونَ إِلَى الْحَقِّ وَ بِهِ يَعْدِلونَ
"O people! I am Allah’s Straight Path that He ordered you to follow and after me it is Ali, and then [after him are] my offspring from his loins – the Leaders of Guidance – they guide to the Truth and do justice by it."
ألا إِنَّ أَعْدائَهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهاءُالْغاوُونَ إِخْوانُ الشَّياطينِ
"Indeed their enemies are the fools, the perverse, and the brothers of the devils."
ألا إِنَّ أَوْلِيائَهُمُ الَّذينَ يدْخُلونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِسَلامٍ آمِنينَ، تَتَلَقّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ بِالتَّسْليمِ يَقُولونَ: (سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَادْخُلوها خالِدينَ)
"Indeed their supporters and devotees are those who enter Paradise in peace and security, the angels meet them with greetings saying, Peace be upon ye! Well ye have fared; so enter in, to dwell forever."
8. Mention of Hazrat Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.)
أَلا إِنَّ خاتَمَ الْأَئِمَةِ مِنَّا الْقائِمَ الْمَهْدِىَّ. أَلا إِنَّهُ الظّاهِرُ عَلَىالدِّينِ. أَلا إِنَّهُ الْمُنْتَقِمُ مِنَ الظّالِمينَ. أَلا إِنَّهُ فاتِحُ الْحُصُونِ وَهادِمُها. أَلا إِنَّهُ غالِبُ كُلِّ قَبيلَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ وَهاديها
"Indeed the seal of the Imams from amongst us is al-Qaim al-Mahdi. Indeed he is the one who prevails over the religion. Indeed he is the avenger against the oppressors. Indeed he is the conqueror of the fortresses and their destroyer. Indeed he is the winner over all tribes of the polytheists and their guide [to the truth]."
أَلا إِنَّهُ الْباقي حُجَّةً وَلاحُجَّةَ بَعْدَهُ وَلا حَقَّ إِلاّ مَعَهُ وَلانُورَ إِلاّعِنْدَهُ
"Indeed he is the remaining hujjat and there shall be no hujjat after him, and there is no right other than that that is with him, and there is no light except that that is with him."
9. Preparation for seeking allegiance
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، إِنّى قَدْبَيَّنْتُ لَكُمْ وَأَفْهَمْتُكُمْ، وَ هذا عَلِىٌ يُفْهِمُكُمْ بَعْدى. أَلاوَإِنِّى عِنْدَ انْقِضاءِ خُطْبَتى أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلى مُصافَقَتى عَلى بَيْعَتِهِ وَ الإِقْرارِبِهِ، ثُمَّ مُصافَقَتِهِ بَعْدى.
"O people! Indeed I have clarified for you and made you understand, and this Ali will teach you and make you understand after me. Indeed I will, at the conclusion of my sermon, ask you to shake hands with me to swear your allegiance to him, assenting and recognising him [and his authority], and then to shake hands with him, after [you have shaken hands with] me."
10. The permitted and prohibited and obligatory and prohibited
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، وَ كُلُّ حَلالٍ دَلَلْتُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَكُلُّ حَرامٍ نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْهُ فَإِنِّى لَمْ أَرْجِعْ عَنْ ذالِكَ وَ لَمْ أُبَدِّلْ. أَلا فَاذْكُرُوا ذالِكَ وَاحْفَظُوهُ وَ تَواصَوْابِهِ، وَلا تُبَدِّلُوهُ وَلاتُغَيِّرُوهُ
"O people! I have guided you to every halaal and prohibited you from every haraam. Indeed I will never go back nor will I change or modify. So make sure you remember that, keep it, adhere and enjoin to it, and never change it nor modify it. "
11. Allegiance – In the traditional form
مَعاشِرَالنّاسِ، إِنَّكُمْ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أَنْ تُصافِقُونى بِكَفٍّ واحِدٍ فى وَقْتٍ واحِدٍ، وَقَدْ أَمَرَنِىَ اللَّهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ أَنْ آخُذَ مِنْ أَلْسِنَتِكُمُ الْإِقْرارَ بِما عَقَّدْتُ لِعَلِىٍّ أَميرِالْمُؤْمنينَ، وَلِمَنْ جاءَ بَعْدَهُ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ مِنّى وَ مِنْهُ، عَلى ما أَعْلَمْتُكُمْ أَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتى مِنْ صُلْبِهِ
"O people! You are more than you could shake hands with me all at the same time, and Allah, Almighty and Majestic, has commanded me to seek from you verbal confirmation and recognition for what I have made binding obligation [of allegiance] for Ali Amir al- Mo’mineen, [as my successor], and for those who succeed him of the Imams who are from me and from him, as I have informed you that my offspring are from his loins."
فَقُولُوا بِأَجْمَعِكُمْ: «إِنّا سامِعُونَ مُطيعُونَ راضُونَ مُنْقادُونَ لِما بَلَّغْتَ عَنْ رَبِّنا وَرَبِّكَ فى أَمْرِ إِمامِنا عَلِىٍّ أَميرِالْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ مَنْ وُلِدَ مِنْ صُلْبِهِ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ. نُبايِعُكَ عَلى ذالِكَ بِقُلوُبِنا وَأَنْفُسِنا وَأَلْسِنَتِنا وَأَيْدينا. على ذالِكَ نَحْيى وَ عَلَيْهِ نَموتُ وَ عَلَيْهِ نُبْعَثُ. وَلانُغَيِّرُ وَلانُبَدِّلُ، وَلا نَشُكُّ (وَلانَجْحَدُ) وَلانَرْتابُ، وَلا نَرْجِعُ عَنِ الْعَهْدِ وَلا نَنْقُضُ الْميثاقَ. وَعَظْتَنا بِوَعْظِ اللَّهِ فى عَلِىٍّ أَميرِالْمؤْمِنينَ وَالْأَئِمَّةِ الَّذينَ ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ ذُرِّيتِكَ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ بَعْدَهُ، الْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ وَ مَنْ نَصَبَهُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَهُما. فَالْعَهْدُ وَالْميثاقُ لَهُمْ مَأْخُوذٌ مِنَّا، مِنْ قُلُوبِنا وَأَنْفُسِنا وَأَلْسِنَتِنا وَضَمائِرِنا وَأَيْدينا. مَنْ أَدْرَكَها بِيَدِهِ وَ إِلاَّ فَقَدْ أَقَرَّ بِلِسانِهِ، وَلا نَبْتَغي بِذالِكَ بَدَلاً وَلايَرَى اللَّهُ مِنْ أَنْفُسِنا حِوَلاً. نَحْنُ نُؤَدّي ذالِكَ عَنْكَ الّدانى والقاصى مِنْ اَوْلادِنا واَهالينا، وَ نُشْهِدُاللَّهَ بِذالِكَ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ شَهيداً وَأَنْتَ عَلَيْنا بِهِ شَهيدٌ»
"So all together say in one voice: “We hear, obey, approve of, and are bound by what you have conveyed from our Lord and your Lord with regards to our Imam Ali, Ameer al-Momineen, and those Imams who are born from his loins. We swear the oath of allegiance to you in this regard with our hearts, with our souls, with our tongues, and with our hands. Upon that we will live, upon it we will die, and upon it we will resurrect. We will not change, we will not alter, we will not doubt, we will not deny, we will not hesitate, we will not renege against the covenant, nor will we break the pledge.
You have advised us with Allah’s admonition about Ali Ameer al-Momineen and the Imams whom you mentioned to be your offspring from his descendants after him; Hasan, Husain and those Allah appointed after these two.
The covenant and the pledge for them are taken from us; from our hearts, our souls, our tongues, our consciences, and our hands. He who realises it [by being present] he does that with his handshake, otherwise he [would] indeed confirm and admit it by his tongue, and we do not seek to alter that, and may Allah not see from us any change or conversion. We fulfil that on your behalf to the close and the far from amongst our offspring and our families, and we take Allah as our witness on that, and surely Allah suffices for a witness and you are a witness on us for that.
These are few portions and extracts from the historic and eloquent sermon of Ghadeer delivered by best and last Prophet (s.a.w.a.). As mentioned earlier, these are just extracts on each of the sub-topics and interested readers can read more from the full text of the sermon.
It is noteworthy that even on the day of Ghadeer, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) made a special mention about the Imam of our time, Hazrat Hujjat Imam al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.). We have quoted just two paragraphs from his sermon, in the full text of the sermon Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has mentioned Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) for almost one full page or spoke about him specifically for 5 while mins in the sermon.
Shia references for the above text are below:
منبع : علامه امینی، الغدیر، ج1ص12-151و294-322. شیخ عبدالله، بحرانی، عوالم العلوم، ج15/3ص 307-327. علامه مجلسی، بحارالانوار، ج37ص181-182. حر عاملی، اثبات الهداة، ج2ص200-250. سید ابن طاووس، الطرائف، ص33. , اختصاصی حوزه نت
References from Ahle Sunnat for the sermon are below:
1.
Jalaal ad-Deen al-Sayyuti, Kitaab Al-Itqaan, Vol. 1, p. 31.
2.
al-Majlisi, Bihaar.al-Anwaar, Vol. 21, pp. 360-90, Vol. 37, pp. 111-235, and Vol. 41, p. 228.He Quotes book al-Ih'tijaj by al-Tibrisi (vol.2)
3.
Al-Bldaaya wal Nihaaya, Vol. 5, p. 208.
4.
Badee' al-Ma'aani, p. 75
5.
Tareekh Baghdad, V01. 1, p. 411 and V01. 8, p. 290.
6.
Tareekh Dimashq, Vol. 5, p. 210.
7.
Ibn al-Jawziyya, Tadh'kirat al-Khawaas, pp. 18-20.
8.
Ibn al-Sa'ud's Tafseer, Vol. 8, p. 292.
9.
Al-Tibari, Tafseer al-Qur'an, Vol. 3, p. 428 and Vol. 6, p. 46.
10.
al-Fakhr al-Razi, Al-Tafseer al-Kabeer, Vol. 3, p. 636.
11.
Al-Tamhid fi USool al-Deen, p. 171.
12.
Tayseer al-Wusul, Vol. 1, p. 122.
13.
Ghiyaath ad-Din ibn Hammaam, Tareekh Habib al-Siyar, V01. 1, p. 144.
14.
al-Maqrizi, Khutat, p. 223.
15.
al-Sayyuti, Al-Durr al-Manthur, Vol. 2, pp. 259, 298.
16.
Thakhaa'ir al-'Uqba, p. 68.
17.
Ruh al-Ma'aani, Vol. 2, p. 348.
18.
Mohibb al-Tabal-;, AI.Riyadh al-r:adhirah, Vol. 2, p.169.
19.
Al-Siraaj al-Munir, Vol. 4, p. 364.
20.
al-Hakim, Al-Seera al-Halabiyya, Vol. 3, p. 302.
21.
Shar'h al-Mawaahib, V01. 7, p. 13.
22.
Ibn Hajar al-' Asqalaani, Al-Sawaa'iq al-Muhriqa, p. 26.
23.
Ibn al-Badriq, Al-'Umda, p. 52.
24.
Badr ad-Deen, 'Umdat al-Qari fi Shar'h al-Bukhari, V01. 8, p. 584
25.
al-Ghadeer, V01. 2, p. 57.
26.
Sharafud-Deen al-Musawi, AI-Fusul al-Muhimma, pp. 25-27.
27.
Fadha 'il al-Sahaaba, p. 272.
28.
Faydh al-Ghadeer, V01. 6, p. 218.
29.
Kashf al-Ghumma, p. 94.
30.
Kifaayat al- Taalib, pp. 17, 28.
31.
al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-'Ummaal, Vol. 6, p. 397.
The classification of the sermon is as per the analysis of the author Mohammed Baqir Ansari Zanjani in his book Asraar e Ghadeer.
