Ghadeer Khum

Interesting Aspects of a Unique Event Ghad ī r Khumm غدير خم

… . "The Messenger of Allah , may God's peace and benedictions be upon him and his progeny, while returning from his last hajj ( hijjat alwada') came down at Ghadir Khumm and ordered (us) towards the big trees, and (the ground) underneath them was swept. "Then he said, 'I am about to answer the call (of death). Verily, I have left behind two precious things amongst you, one of which is greater than the other. The Book of Allah , the Exalted, and my ` itrah (kindred). So watch out how you treat these two after me, for verily they will not separate from each other until they come back to me by the side of the Pond.' Then he said 'Verily, Allah , the Almighty and the Glorious, is my master (mawla) and I am the master of every believer (mu'min) .' Then he took `Ali, may God be pleased with him, by the hand and said, 'This (`Ali) is the master of whomever I am his master. O God, love whoever loves him and be the enemy of his enemy.'" (AlHakim adds:) "This hadith is sahih in accordance with the conditions of sihhah laid down by the Shaykhayn (alBukhari and Muslim), although they have not recorded it in its full length."

Question 1 How many Companions of the Prophet (s) were present at Ghadir Khumm? All of them Most of them Some of them One of them

Answer 1 B. Most of them Over 100,000 Companions of the Prophet (s) were with the Prophet (s) at hajj and were with him at Ghadir Khumm. However, there were those who did not accompany the Prophet (s). It stands to reason that the Islamic city of Medina would not have been left uninhabited or defenceless during that period.

Question 2 On the authority of how many Companions of the Prophet (s) is the narration of Ghadir Khumm documented in Islamic sources available today? 786 110 92 12

Answer 2 B. 110 Although over a hundred thousand people witnessed the event, the current sources indicate 110 unique and identifiable Companions of the Prophet (s) as narrators. In terms of hadith science, this is one of the highest number of eye-witness narrators, if not the highest, for any recorded event in the Prophetic life!

Question 3 Where is Ghadir Khumm located? Between Makka and Madina Outskirts of Makka Outskirts of Madina Between Arafa and Mina

Answer 3 A. Between Makka and Madina

Question 4 What did Umar b. al-Khattab say to Imam Ali ('a) on the day of Ghadir Khumm? Congratulations, O Son of Abu Talib, you have now become the first caliph over all Muslim men and women Congratulations, O Son of Abu Talib, you have now become the fourth caliph over all Muslim men and women Congratulations, O Son of Abu Talib, you have now become the master of all Muslim men and women Congratulations, O Son of Abu Talib, you have now become the best friend and helper of all Muslim men and women

Answer 4 C. Congratulations, O Son of Abu Talib, you have now become the master of all Muslim men and women

... from al-Bara', who said, "We were with the Messenger of God (SAAS), on the hijjat al-wada' . When we came to Ghadir Khumm, the ground beneath two trees was swept for the Messenger of God (SAAS). A call was made for a general prayer. The Messenger of God (SAAS) summoned 'Ali, took him by the hand and placed him on his right. He then asked,'Do I not have a higher claim on each man than he has on himself?' They replied, 'Yes, indeed.' He then said, 'This man is lord of all those whose lord I am. O God, protect all who protect him and oppose those who oppose him.' "'Umar b. al-Khattab met him and he said, 'Good for you! Morning, noon and night you're to be lord of every believing man and woman!'" Source : The Life of the Prophet Muhammad ( al-Sira al-Nabawiyya ), Ibn Kathir, (Garnet Publishing, 2000), Volume IV, page 302. Translation by Trevor Le Gassick.

Question 5 Some commentators of the Qur’an state that the verse of Ikmal was revealed at ‘Arafa. On the authority of how many Companions of the Prophet is this opinion stated in the Islamic sources? 10 Companions 'Umar b. al-Khattab No Companion has mentioned this opinion. Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa, 'Umar b. al-Khattab, and 'Uthman b. al-'Affan

Answer 5 B. ‘Umar b. al-Khattab It is a fact that the only Companion who recalled the descent of the verse of Ikmal at 'Arafa (instead of Ghadir Khumm) was 'Umar b. al-Khattab

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: Once a Jew said to me, "O the chief of believers! There is a verse in your Holy Book which is read by all of you (Muslims), and had it been revealed to us, we would have taken that day (on which it was revealed as a day of celebration. " 'Umar bin Al-Khattab asked, "Which is that verse?" The Jew replied, "This day I have perfected your religion For you, completed My favor upon you, And have chosen for you Islam as your religion." (5:3) 'Umar replied,"No doubt, we know when and where this verse was revealed to the Prophet. It was Friday and the Prophet was standing at 'Arafat (i.e. the Day of Hajj)" Source: Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 43

Question 6 Which author of one of the six Sahih collections of Sunni hadith mentions the event of Ghadir Khumm in his Sahih, but without the man kuntu mawlahu declaration? None of them Bukhari Muslim Ibn Majah

… . Zaid, narrate to us what you heard from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). He said: I have grown old and have almost spent my age and I have forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), so accept whatever I narrate to you, and which I do not narrate do not compel me to do that. He then said: One day Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina…. Source: Sahih Muslim, Book 031, Number 5920

Question 7 Which famous Sunni historian compiled a two volume book dedicated to collecting the chains of narration of Ghadir Khumm? Ibn Kathir Al-Tabari Ibn Abi’l Hadid Ibn Khaldun

… . Abu Ja`far Muhammad b. Jarir al-Tabari said the following in the first part of his book “Ghadir Khumm”. My mentor Abu Àbd Allah al-Dhahabi said: “I found it in a written manuscript in which Ibn Jarir was quoted, …. Source: Al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah fi al-Ta'rikh , Cairo: Matbaàt al-Saàdah (14 vols), 1932- vol. 5, p. 213

Question 8 Which of the following Companion of the Prophet (s) attempted to hide the tradition of Ghadir Khumm and was imprecated by Imam ‘Ali (a), thereby contracting a skin disease? Mu’awiya Amr b. al-‘As Anas b. Malik Abu Hurayra

Answer 8 C. Anas b. Malik Anas bin Malik had al-baras [evident] in his face. Some people mentioned that 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him (radi Allah 'anhu) , asked him regarding the saying of the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him: "Oh Allah, Lead [be the Guide of] the one who accepts his leadership and be the enemy of the one who towards him has animosity." He [Anas] said: "I have grown old in age and I forgot!" So 'Ali said to him: "If you were lying, then may Allah strike you with whiteness that shall not be hidden by a turban."

... from 'Ubayd b. al-Walid al-Qaysi, who said, "I went in to 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Layla and he related to me that he witnessed 'Ali at Rahba. he said, 'He adjured any man who had heard and witnessed the Messenger of God (SAAS) on the day at Ghadir Khumm to rise; only those who had actually seen him should arise. Twelve men got up and said, 'We saw and heard him when he took him, ('Ali) by the hand, saying, "O God, protect those who protect him and oppose those who oppose him. Aid whoever aids him and forsake any who forsake him." (All) except three (who had heard him) stood up; these three did not. He then cursed them (the three) and his curse was effective.' Source : The Life of the Prophet Muhammad ( al-Sira al-Nabawiyya ), Ibn Kathir, (Garnet Publishing, 2000), Volume IV, page 304.

Question 9 Who was the earliest Shi'a scholar who compiled detailed research about narrations and sources of Ghadir Khumm from Sunni books in his book spanning many volumes? Allama Al-Amini ( al-Ghadir) Sayyid Nurullah al-Shustari (Ihqaq al-Haqq) Sayyid Hamid Husayn al-Musawi (‘Abaqat al-’Anwar) Sayyid 'Ali al-Milani (Nafahat al-’Azhar)

Answer 9 B. Sayyid Nurullah al-Shustari Sayyid Nurullah al-Shustari, also called Shahid-e-Thalith (or the Third Martyr) was the author of Ihqaq al-haqq which dedicated several volumes to a detailed scholarly analysis of Ghadir Khumm. He was martyred in India in 1019 AH (1610 CE).

Answer 9 A. Allama Al-Amini Although well-known for his materpiece Al-Ghadir, Allama al-Amini was not the first one in recent history to tackle Ghadir Khumm in scholarly detail. He died in 1390 AH in Iran.

Answer 9 C. Sayyid Hamid Husayn al-Musawi Sayyid Hamid Husayn al-Musawi wrote a multi-volume book entitled 'Abaqat al-'Anwar that was a response to an anti-Shi'i book. Several volumes of his book addressed the detailed scholarly analysis of Ghadir Khumm. Sayyid Hamid al-Musawi died in 1306 AH (around 1888 CE) in India and was also an ancestor to Ayatullah Ruhullah al-Khumayni.

Answer 9 D. Sayyid 'Ali al-Milani Sayyid Milani has written an arabic translation of 'Abaqat al-'anwar titled Nafahat al-'Azhar that dedicates several volumes to a scholarly study of Ghadir Khumm. He is a contemporary scholar and is based in Qum, Iran.

How Would You Respond ? ... the Prophet (SAAS) gave an address in a place between Mecca and Medina on his way back from the hijjat al-wada' near al-Juhfa, a place called Ghadir Khumm. At this place he made clear the virtue of 'Ali b. Abu Talib and how his honour was untainted by the charges made against him by some of those who had been with him in Yemen on account of the awards he had issued then that some thought to be unjust, inadequate and miserly. However, he was in the right in this. When, therefore, the Prophet (SAAS) had finished explaining the pilgrimage rituals and returned to Medina, on the way he clarified that issue, making a major address on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijja that year. It was a Sunday; it was delivered beneath a tree at Ghadir Khumm and in it he clarified a variety of concerns. he emphasized 'Ali's virtues, his trustworthiness and his closeness to himself, all of which erased the doubts that many people had about him. Source : The Life of the Prophet Muhammad ( al-Sira al-Nabawiyya ), Ibn Kathir, (Garnet Publishing, 2000), Volume IV, page 300.

Ghadeer Khum

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Ghadeer Khum