“Certainly, I just conveyed what I have been ordered to convey as an argument against everyone, be him present or absent, a direct witness or not, and already born or not yet born. Hence, everyone who is present should convey (this sermon) to those who are absent, every parent should convey it to his/her children, (and they should continue to do so) until the Day of Judgement.”

- Extract from Prophet Muhammad’s (S) last public sermon delivered in Ghadir Khumm.

To the Most Truthful,

The Greatest Sign of Allah,

The Judge of the Day of Religion,

The Allotter of Paradise and Hell,

The Greatest News about Whom People Differ,

The Greatest Distinguisher of Truth from Falsehood,

The Master of All Deputies of the Prophets,

The Brother of the Messenger of Allah,

The Commander of the Believers,

The Leader of the Pious,

Ali Ibn Abi Talib,

Peace Be Upon Him.

*****

Seventy days before his demise, when Prophet Muhammad (S)1 was returning to Medina after his last pilgrimage to Mecca, he reached the pond of Khumm (Ghadir Khumm) near Juhfa. It was the 18th of the month of Dhul-Hijja of the year 10 AH (March 15, 632 AD). By this time, the Prophet (S) had conveyed all of the divine commandments to his nation except for the formal and explicit public announcement of his divinely appointed successors as the leaders, guardians, and guides for the believers for all days to come.

By the order of Allah, the Prophet (S) stopped at the pond of Khumm, gathered the crowd of pilgrims, and delivered his last universal speech. In this sermon, he presented his last religious instruction which finalized Islam, the last divine religion, and made it perfect in the sight of Allah.

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (‘a), the fifth Imam and successor of the Prophet (S) said:

آخِرُ فَرِيضَةٍ أَنْزَلَهَا اللهُ تَعَالَى الْوَلَاَيَةُ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُنْزِلْ بَعْدَهَا فَرِيضَةً ثُمَّ نُزِلِ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ … فَأَقَامَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ بِالْجُحْفَةِ.

“The last obligatory duty that Allah Sent down was Al-Walaya (adherence to the guardian assigned by Allah). Then, He Sent down the verse: ‘Today, I completed your religion…(5:3)’ once the Messenger of Allah established it in Juhfa area.”2

This message was the most unique in the entire mission of the Prophet (S) due to the revelation of Verse 5:67 of the Holy Qur’an before his speech. In this revelation, Allah Warned His Messenger that failing to deliver this last message would nullify his entire mission. This unprecedented warning proves that this last message contained the most important religious commandment of Allah for the Muslim Nation.

Moreover, the contents of this last message were so crucial to the faith that the Prophet (S) emphatically required all those who directly or indirectly heard the sermon of Ghadir Khumm to convey it to people who were not aware of its details, and parents to convey it to their children for all generations to come. Hence, this sermon addresses all Muslim generations of the world until the Day of Judgement. This emphasis naturally implies that the content of this message has a vital role in the Muslims’ future, their spiritual health, and their felicity in the Hereafter.

The main issue that the Prophet (S) addressed in his speech in Ghadir Khumm was that Allah Appointed Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) as the guardian (Wali), the master (Mawla), the leader (Imam), and the commander (Amir) of all believing men and women, the deputy and the executor of his affairs (Wasi), and his successor (Khalifa).

His sayings and commands should be preferred over the opinions of all others in every matter. Obeying him is obeying Allah, and disobeying him is disobeying Allah. Whoever follows him (and his sayings) is a believer under the guardianship of Allah, and whoever turns away from him (or his sayings) is a disbeliever under the guardianship of Satan.

Guardianship (Al-Walaya) expresses a bilateral relation between the guardian and the people. Observing Al-Walaya by people means adhering to the guardian and acknowledging his authority by heart, tongue, and action. On the other hand, the action of Al-Walaya by the guardian means offering protection from evil, spiritual assistance, care, support, and guidance for his adherents.

A divinely appointed guardian guards his adherents from misguidance, spiritual destruction, wrongdoing, and sin as much as they adhere to him and his commands. Establishing Al-Walaya has been the ultimate goal of religion and the fruit of the entire efforts of Prophet Muhammad (S) during his mission.

One who submits to Allah’s representative and adheres to him has indeed acknowledged Allah’s authority and guardianship and is a true monotheist in obeying Allah. Acknowledging the guardianship of the leaders that Allah Appointed and submitting to them is the greatest pillar of faith. It safeguards the followers from the wrath and punishment of Allah.

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (‘a) said:

بُنِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: عَلَى الصَّلَاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصَّوْمِ وَالْحَجِّ وَالْوِلَاَيَةِ، وَلَمْ يُنَادِ بِشَيْءٍ كَمَا نُودِيَ بِالْوِلَاَيَةِ فَأَخَذَ النَّاسُ بِأَرْبَعِ وَتَرَكُوا هَذِهِ- يَعْنِي الْوِلَاَيَةَ.

“Islam is established by five things: prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage, and Al-Walaya (adhering to the guardians authorized by Allah). None (among them) was called for as (emphatically as) Al-Walaya was called for. However, people accepted the first four and abandoned Al-Walaya.”3

People who refused to submit to the leaders that Allah Appointed resemble Satan who refused to submit to the viceregent of Allah, Adam (‘a), and consequently, became an outcast and went forever under the curse of Allah as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.4

It is narrated that Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said:

وَمَثَّلَ الْمُؤْمِنَيْنِ فِي قَبُولِهِمْ وَلَاَءِ أَميرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي يَوْمِ غَدِيرِ خُمٍّ كَمِثْلُ الْمَلَاَئِكَةِ فِي سُجُودِهِمْ لِآدَمَ وَمَثَّلَ مِنْ أَبِي وَلَاَيَةِ أَميرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي يَوْمِ الْغَدِيرِ مِثْلُ إبْلِيسِ.

“The similitude of the believers in accepting the guardianship of the Commander of the Believers (Ali) on the day of Ghadir Khumm is that of the angels in prostrating before Adam (i.e., submitting to him), and the similitude of those who turned away from the guardianship of the Commander of the Believers on the day of Ghadir is that of the devil (Iblis).”5

In one of his speeches on the anniversary of the day of Ghadir, Imam Ali (‘a) said:

وَلَا يَقْبَلُ دَيْنًا إِلَّا بِوَلَاَيَةٍ مِنْ أَمْرٍ بِوَلَاَيَتِهِ، وَلَا تَنْتَظِمْ أسْبَابَ طَاعَتِهِ إِلَّا بِالتَّمَسُّكِ بِعُصُمِهِ وَعُصُمِ أهْلِ وَلَاَيَتِهِ، فَأَنْزَلَ عَلَى نَبِيهٍ ص وآله فِي يَوْمِ الدُّوحِ مَا بَيْنَ بِهِ عَنْ إِرَادَتِهِ فِي خُلَصَائِهِ وَذَوِي اجتبائه، وَأَمَرَهُ بِالْبَلَاغِ وَتَرْكِ الْحَفْلِ بِأهْلِ الزَّيْغِ وَالنِّفَاقِ وَضِمْنَ لَهُ عِصْمَتُهُ مِنْهُمْ … فَكَمَّلَ اللهُ دِينِهِ وَاُقْرُ عَيْنَ نَبِيِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُتَابِعِينَ وَكَانَ مَا قَدْ شَهِدَهُ بَعْضُكُمْ وَبَلَغَ بَعْضُكُمْ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ اللهُ الْحُسْنَى عَلَى الصَّابِرِينَ…

“Allah does not Accept the faith (of an individual) except after he acknowledges the guardianship of whom He Required. He does not Arrange the means of His obedience (for an individual) except after he adheres to His ropes and the ropes of His authorized people. Thus, Allah Sent down to His Prophet (S) on the day of the large trees6that which explained His will for His sincere and chosen servants. Allah Commanded him to convey (the message) without being concerned about the hypocrites or the deviants, and Guaranteed him protection against their evil... By that, Allah Completed His religion, and Delighted the eyes of His Prophet (S), and the believers. Some of you witnessed this event and some received its news. This (appointment) concluded the beautiful word of Allah for those who observe patience…”7

• 1. The acronym “S” refers to phrase: “Peace be upon him and his family”.
• 2. al-Tafsir, Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, vol. 1, p. 162, under the commentary of Verse 5:3; al-Tafsir, al-Ayyashi, vol. 1, p. 292, under the commentary of Verse 5:3; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 112, Hadith 5, vol. 37, p. 138, Hadith 27.
• 3. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 18, Hadith 3.
• 4. Refer to: the Holy Qur’an, 38:73-78.
• 5. Iqbal al-A'mal, p. 465.
• 6. This phrase refers to the day of Ghadir Khumm as there had been some large trees beside the pond at the time.
• 7. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 94, p. 115, Hadith 8.