In the name of Allah
Salam brothers and sisters,
This is a response to TSN and Youpuncturedtheark:
A number of polemicists claim that the declaration at Ghadeer Khumm was in response to an issue Ali b. Abi Talib had with some small battalions predominantly of sent to Yemen. They were sent there to take hold of the last few strongholds in Arabia who had not submitted to Islam, and the men sent comprised of small battalions of those from Medina numbering around 300. Initially Khalid bin Walid was put in charge of trying to call the people of Yemen towards Islam, but failed despite spending a lengthy period of time there. The Prophet (saw) at this point decided to send Ali b. Abi Talib, and Imam al-Tabari records in his Tarikh:
“The Messenger of God sent Khalid b. al-Walid to the people of the Yemen inviting them to Islam, and I was among those who went with him. He persisted in the matter for six months, but they did not respond, so the Messenger of God sent ‘Ali b. Abi Talib and ordered him that Khalid and those who were with him should return, but if any of them would like to follow him he should allow them. Al-Bara’ said, “I was one who followed ‘Ali, and as we reached the borders of the Yemen the people got the news. They gathered around him and ‘Ali led us in the morning prayer. When he had finished [the prayer], he lined us up in one row. Then he moved before us, praised and extolled God, then read to them the letter of the Messenger of God. All of Hamdan embraced Islam in one day, and he wrote to the Messenger of God about it. When the Prophet read ‘Ali’s letter he fell down, prostrating himself to God. Then he sat up and said, ‘Peace be upon Hamdan, Peace be upon Hamdan’ [After the conversion of Hamdan] the people of the Yemen followed in succession with their acceptance of Islam.” [Tarikh al-Tabari, The last years of the Prophet]
After the success of Ali b. Abi Talib, Khumms was given and Ali b. Abi Talib was to join the Prophet (saw) in Makkah for the Hajj. However, whilst doing so, he took a portion of the Khums, and Tirmidhi records:
Abdullah bin Abi Ziyad narrated to us: Al-Ahwas bin Jawab narrated to us, from Yunus bin Abi Ishaaq, from Abi Ishaaq, from Al-Baraa’ that he said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent two armies and placed Ali bin Abi Talib in charge of one and Khalid bin Al-Waleed in charge of the other. He said, “If there is a battle, then Ali (shall lead).” He (Al-Baraa’) said: Ali then conquered a fort and took a slave-girl. Khalid then wrote to the Prophet (peace be upon him) a complaint. He (Al-Baraa’) said: I came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and read it. His face changed and he said, “What is your issue with a man that loves Allah and His prophet and is loved by Allah and His prophet?” I (Al-Baraa’) said: “I seek refuge by Allah from the anger of Allah and His messenger, and I am but a messenger.” He then became quiet. [Al-Tirmidhi narrated in his Sunan (3725)]
And Tirmidhi also records:
“Then, four of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) agreed and said, “When we go back to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) we will tell him about what Ali did.”[Al-Tirmidhi (3712)]
Bukhari also records:
The Prophet (ﷺ) sent `Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (of the booty) and I hated `Ali, and `Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave-girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, “Don’t you see this (i.e. `Ali)?” When we reached the Prophet (ﷺ) I mentioned that to him. He said, “O Buraida! Do you hate `Ali?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Do you hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumlus.” [Saheeh Bukhari]
Nasai’ Records:
“…When the above mentioned group of army return back they went to see the Prophet, one companion stood up among those four and he complained about Ali ibn Abi Talib. The Prophet turn his face on the other side then second companion stood up and also complained, then the third companion stood up and complained, the same thing to the Prophet then the forth one stood up and complain the same thing. The Prophet look towards then and we could see from the facial expression of the Holy Prophet that he was angry. The Prophet said “What made you to complain about Ali ibn Abi Talib, surely Ali is from me and I am from Ali and he is the Wali(Master) of all the believers after me.” [Khasa’is Ali]
The above traditions are indicate that some among the army question Ali’s judgement and approached the Prophet (saw). What is note-worthy is that at first, a few individuals approach him and write to him, and he addresses those individuals empathically and individually. The Prophet (saw) would not have left a matter like this unresolved to act as a distraction before the Hajj, only to allegedly address it nearly two weeks later at Ghadir Khumm.
After addressing individuals, and as more men of the small battalion began to ride into densely packed Makkah, with pilgrims surrounding the Prophet (saw) and ready for the Hajj, the Messenger of Allah (saw) decided to deliver a Khutbah and address a larger group, among whom were many companions already in Makkah but in the vicinity where they were able to hear this sermon. In an authentic narration found in Ibn Ishaq, and the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, Abu Said al-Khudri who was one of the many companions witnessing this sermon narrates:
اشتكى علي ا الناس، قال: فقام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فينا خطيبا، فسمعته يقول: أيها الناس لا تشكوا عليا، فوالله إنه لأخيشن في ذات الله أو فيسبيل الله.
“The people complained about ‘Ali. The Messenger of Allah stood up and delivered a khutbah (sermon). I heard him saying, “O people! Do not complain about ‘Ali. For, by Allah, he is scrupulous (i.e. he does not make concessions for anyone) regarding the matters of Allah’s (religion), or in the path of Allah.” [Ibn Ishaq, Musnad Ahmad b. Hanbal, declared authentic by al-Albani]
After the sermon of the Prophet (saw), there was a clear message and call sent out that the judgement of Ali b. Abi Talib was just. The very fact he stood up and delivered a sermon , heard even by people such as Abu Said al-Khudri who were not part of the battalion, adressing them as ” أيها الناس ” is compelling evidence he addressed a larger group. As already stated, Makkah would have been packed with many Sahaba in close proximity to the Prophet (saw) and this sermon and call would likely have spread by many curious bystanders not least the men from the battalion who comprised of men from Medina and were already aware of the status of Ali. After all, he was the hero of Badr, Uhud, and Khandaq, the one who conquered Khaybar, the son-in-law of the Prophet (saw) and one whose status, bravery, and justice according to authentic narrations were well known. They simply wanted the verdict of the prophet on the isolated issue of Khums, which they clearly received and the matter was over.
Thus, we find that after this sermon: “…Then the apostle continued his pilgrimage, and showed the men the rites..”(Ibn Ishaq, Seerah Rasool-Allah, p.650). The Prophet (saw) was satisfied he had made a clear defence of Ali b. Abi Talib to now allow this issue to not distract from the pertinent task of performing the Hajj and delivering important sermons.
Shia scholars do not deny this event, nor do they even regard it as remotely a threat to our interpretation of Ghadir Khumm. Shaykh al-Mufid writes:
“The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, said farewell to him and returned to his army. He met them nearby and found that they had put on the breastplates which they had had with them. He denounced them for that. “Shame on you!” he said to the man whom he had appointed as his deputy over them. “Whatever made you give them the breastplates before we hand them over to the Apostle of Allāh, may Allāh bless Him and His Family? I did not give you permission to do that.” “They asked me to let them deck themselves out and enter into the state of consecration in them, and then they would give them back to me,” he replied. The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, took them off the people and put them back in the sacks. They were discontented with him because of that. When they came to Mecca, their complaints against the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, became numerous [many complained, but this does not imply the whole army or most]. The Apostle of Allāh ordered the call to be given among the people: “Stop your tongues (speaking) against ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib, peace be on him. He is one who is harsh in the interests of Allāh, the Mighty and High, not one who deceives in His religion.” At this the people refrained from mentioning him and they realised the high position he enjoyed with the Prophet, may Allāh bless Him and His Family, and his anger against anyone who wanted to find fault with him.” [al-Irshad]
Thus, after the Messenger of Allah addressed individuals and then a larger group, among his general companions gathered in a densely packed Makkah for Hajj, anyone claiming the Prophet (saw) did not in his mind adequately address the matter to avoid it being a distraction before the very important final Hajj is lying upon Allah and lying upon his Messenger. During the Hajj as part of the sermon itself, the Prophet (saw) reminded the companions witnessing that they were brothers of one another, and to harbour that sense of mercy and forgiveness for one another and anyone who regarded the Prophet as Awla and Mawla and had even a shred of respect for him would have clearly understood the message.
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September 11, 2014, 06:13:34 AM
