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Khutba  #12

Imamah and Wilaayah

 

May I ask you to hold to Taq’wa, meaning piety and righteousness, and to envision Allah with awe and obey His Commands!  Let us make our choices wisely and heed the consequences of these choices in the hereafter.  Let us be aware of our eventuality and departure into the everlasting life.

 

Piety is of pivotal importance in Islam, Allah (swt) says in Surah 65 (al-Talaaq), Ayah 4:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا

“…and to whoever practices Taq’wa, Allah will make his affairs easy.”

Sooner or later everyone can face a problem if not a myriad of problems.  These can be on daily basis or accumulating but suddenly thrust on him.  Problems can be educational, financial, social, or in the family.  In such situations Taq’wa (piety) can help in many ways.  For instance:

Practicing Taq’wa can enhance the power of decision-making.

Practicing Taq’wa can improve the personal resolve in facing problems

Practicing Taq’wa can provide strength to resist sin when facing a sinful situation.

Practicing Taq’wa as described in the Holy Quran is the power that gives one stronger insight to better understand the facts and what goes on around that person.

 

Such people can be visionary.  God Almighty says in Surah 65 (al-Talaaq), Ayah 2-3 about a person of Taq’wa:

 

وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ

إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا

“…Allah will make an outlet for him and provide for him from where he expects not.   And he who relies on Allah, Allah is sufficient for him. 

Surly Allah attains His purpose; Allah sets a measure for everything.”

As a word, Taq’wa or Piety means protection and shielding the self against sinful deeds.  When Taq’wa is practiced a person can:

  1. Control his passions and lustful desires,

  2. Refrain from being involved in an act of harm, wrong-doing, and oppression,

  3. Refrain from trampling on the rights of fellow man,

  4. To be fully obedient to God,

  5. To invoke God in all his dealings, at all times,

  6. To follow God’s order at the personal, religious, and public matters.

  7. To worship God with all his heart and with sincerity,

  8. To hold his parents in honor and with the highest respect and be very kind and loving to them,

  9. To take distance from bad actions such as deceiving, rudeness, lying, not keeping his promises, backbiting, any form of corruption; these are but a few examples of bad qualities.

 

Allah (swt) said in Surah 5 (al-Maa’ida), Ayah 55:

 

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ

وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

“Verily, verily, your Wali [Guardian] is Allah and His Messenger, and those who believe and establish prayer who give Zakat while in state of Rukoo [kneeling in prayer]”

Both Shi’a and Sunni commentators agree that the above verse was revealed concerning Imam Ali, and many Shi’a and Sunni Traditions support this view.  Abu Dhar al-Ghifari,[1] (a revered Companion of the Prophet) gave an account about this matter as follows: “One day we performed Dhuhr Salat with the Prophet, a poor man came to the mosque and solicited people for money, but nobody helped him.  So he raised his hands to the sky saying, ‘Oh God! Be witness that in the mosque of the Prophet no one gave me a thing’”.  Ali was in Rukoo position in prayer.  Ali (a.s.) pointed his ring finger to the person, who upon seeing that the person approached him right away and took the ring from his finger, then left the masjid.  The Prophet of Allah observed this action, and when done with the Prayer he raised his head toward heaven and said, “Oh Allah!  My brother Moses said to you “expand my breast, make my tasks easy, and make my tongue eloquent so people will comprehend my words, and make my brother Haroon my helper and Wazir (deputy)”. “Oh God I am also your Prophet; expand my breast and make easy my tasks and make Ali my Wazir and helper”.  Abu Dhar says, “The words of the Prophet had hardly been spoken before Gabriel came to him with Surah 5 (al-Maa’ida), Ayah 55: [2]

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ

وَهُمْ رَاكِعُون

“Verily, verily, your Wali [Guardian] is Allah and His Messenger,

and those who believe and establish prayer who give Zakat while in state of Rukoo [kneeling in prayer]”

The verse is started with the word “Innama” which is double emphasis in Arabic, a very powerful indication.  As to the meaning of the “Wali” it means Guardian or Being completely in charge of affairs of the person, and “Wilaayah” means being in complete charge over you and your affairs, or guardianship and master of protection.

 

Therefore what this verse means is: People’s guardian or patron is God, as well as His Messenger and believers who keep prayer and pay the charity while they are bowing.

 

There is no disagreement about this matter between the Shi’a and Sunni.  Both branches ascertain that this verse was revealed in regards to Ali.  We need to notice that since giving charity during prayers (in Rukoo position) is not an Islamic obligation, this verse becomes especially specific, for it refers to the very person [Ali] who did this action while in Rukoo, and in acknowledgment the Quran introduces him as the Wali or the Guardian or Authority of Muslims.  This incident was narrated by several Sahaaba; like Ibn-Abbas, Ammar ibn Yasir, Anas ibn Malik and others.  In a reference book called Ghaayatul Maraam there are 24 narrations about the Wilaayah of Imam Ali as reported both by Shi’a and Sunni sources, all of which are authentic ones.[3]  In the Quran the guardianship and leadership of Imam Ali are not limited to only one verse, there are other verses besides, like Surah 5 (al-Maa’ida), Ayah 3:

 

الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلاَ تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِينًا

“This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [ever] harming [your religion];

so fear them not, but have the fear of Me [Allah]. 

This day I have perfected your religion for you,

and have completed my favor unto you,

and have chosen for you Islam [as your] Religion”

According to Shi’a the above verse was in regard to Ghadeer Khum event.  The verse starts with assurance that beforehand the infidels had hoped for a future day when Islam would die out, but Allah has made them forever lose that hope, assuring us Islam would never be destroyed.

 

This very event was the cause of strength and perfection of Islam, being of such importance that the continuation of Islam depended on it.  This verse is related to another verse, which comes toward the end of the same chapter:  this verse is also about the Ghadeer Khum event.  In this verse God is telling His Messenger in Surah 5 (al-Maa’ida), Ayah 67:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ

وَاللّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ

“O ye Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do not, then, [it will be as if] you have not delivered His Message;  and surely Allah will protect you from [mischief] of men;  verily Allah does not guide disbelieving people.”

This indicates that God commanded a mission of such great concern and importance to the Prophet that if it were not accomplished, it would endanger the very basis of Islam and Prophethood.  The matter was so important that the Prophet feared strong opposition and conflict; therefore he waited for suitable timing.  Now there came a definite yet urgent Directive from God to immediately execute this command, and to fear nothing, since Allah would protect the Prophet (pbuh).

 

Al-Maa’ida chapter of the Quran was the final chapter revealed to the Prophet, according to both the Shi’a and Sunni. This means that this verse was revealed to the Prophet at a time when all other Islamic teachings had already been revealed during the past 23 years; and the time had become suitable to acknowledge the completion of Divine revelation.  According to the Shi’a it must relate to the subject of Imamah and leadership of Muslim Ummah, which the Shi’a consider it pivotal in their teachings.

 

We ask Allah (swt) to support us in understanding His straight path.  The path that has been described by His Messengers, and we ask Him to help us stay in this path, until a society full of justice is created. Amin.

 

For the end of the 1st part of the Khutba, read Surah Al-Asr, take a short intermission, then start the 2nd part of the Khutba with a short Du’aa.

 

In the first part of this Khutba we dealt with Imamah and Wilaayah in Islam.  To continue, in the Farewell pilgrimage, a special Ayah was revealed, Surah 5 (al-Maa’ida), Ayah 67:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ

وَاللّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ

“O ye Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do not, then, [it will be as if] you have not delivered His Message;  and surely Allah will protect you from [mischief] of men;  verily Allah does not guide disbelieving people.”

With this commanding Ayah, the Prophet gathered the pilgrims with him immediately, in one place.  The place is called Ghadeer Khum.   The Prophet seemed uneasy and anxious about what would the events be after his departure from this world.  He had to perform the mission of God as handed to him, meaning in connection with Ali.  The call of the revelation was as if resonating in his heart: “You have a critical mission ahead, if you fail to deliver it then you have not done your duty as a Prophet.”

 

Thus, the Prophet decided to declare the message then and there, as the Ayah had requested so as to complete Islam.  Thus the celebrated day of Ghadeer became a day when God gave the good news to the Prophet by saying in Surah 5 (al-Maa’ida), Ayah 3:

 

الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلاَ تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِينًا

“This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [ever] harming [your religion];

so fear them not, but have the fear of Me [Allah]. 

This day I have perfected your religion for you,

and have completed my favor unto you,

and have chosen for you Islam [as your] Religion”

“Ghadeer-Khum” event took place at “Juh'fa”, an area halfway between Mecca and Medina, being a great intersection of travel roads in those days. The Prophet ordered them to stop.  People wondered, “There must be a pressing matter to be had”.  They built a mount of camel saddles as the Prophet (pbuh) had ordered.  Surrounded by friends, the Prophet (pbuh) went to the top of the elevation and said,

 

معاشر الناس ما قصرت فی تبلیغ ما انزل الله تعالی الی...

فاعلموا انی تارک فیکم الثقلین کتاب الله وعترتی ...

 “Oh people! I have well performed the mission [of my Prophethood],

and put the maximum energy I possess. 

You should know that I leave two valuable (weighty) matters among you after my death. 

These two will never separate from each other.

They are: The Holy Quran (the book of God), and My household, Ahlul Bayt.

 

Then the Prophet (pbuh) took Ali’s hand, so all people could see, and said to the anxious expecting faces:

 

الله اکبر علی ا کمال الدین  واتمام النعمة  ورضی الرب برسالتی وبالولایة لعلی (ع ) من بعدی ثم قال:

من کنت مولاه فعلی مولاه

اللهم وال من والاه

وعاد من عاداه 

وانصر من نصره

واخذل من خذله

 “Allaahu Akbar, religion is finalized and I am the Mowla [Guardian] over you.   For whoever I am his Mowla [with authority over him], so is Ali as his Wali [with authority over him].

 

Oh God! Befriend the person who befriends Ali,

and antagonize the one who antagonizes Ali;

Support those who support Ali, and detract the ones who detract him. 

 

Oh people!  Convey my words to the ones not present here. I hope they will lend ears and accept it.  

Allaahu Akbar that religion has become perfected and God’s bounty completed, and His satisfaction attained, and the Wilaayah [Guardianship] of Ali has been achieved.” [4]

 

Then Omar Ibn al-Khattab said to Ali, “Congratulations, congratulations, for in this day you have become my Mowla and the Mowla of each believer, man or woman [Guardian and Master of all believers].

 

In Ghadeer Khum the Prophet presented Ali as the Wali, the guide and leader of Islam after his departure from the world.  And after Ali this heavy yet essential duty (to be in charge, guide and lead) was to be left upon the shoulders of his lineage.

 

There is no doubt that the high character of fourteen Ma’soomeen is a model and pattern for us.  It is not easy to talk about such high authorities.  Ali was a luminous personality in the history of mankind.  Ali was always in the company of the Prophet, he did not retreat in any battle nor did he turn his face away from any enemy.  He never disobeyed the Prophet, so the Prophet said about him [5]:  

علي مع الحق   والحق مع علي

Ali is with the Truth and the Truth is with Ali

 

 

According to the testimony of friends and foes, Ali had no shortcomings and his character was unparalleled.   In Islamic virtues Ali was best in upbringing and training, for it was given by the Prophet (pbuh).

 

According to both Shi’a and Sunnis, and members of other religions, Ali’s personality is unparalleled and unequaled compared to any other personality in history.   In science and knowledge Imam Ali was the most learned of the companions of the Prophet, and of Muslims in general.  In his learned discourses Ali was the first in Islam to open the door for logical demonstration and proof and to discuss the sciences of metaphysics and Irfan. 

 

At the end we ask Allah (swt) to help us learn the Divine teachings of Islam, and support us in providing this knowledge and information to lovers of science, wisdom and other interested individuals.

 

Finally, let us read Surah Al-Nasr with a short Du’aa to close the Khutba.

 


 

[1] Muraja’at, by Sharafud’din, Page 155.  Also Al-Durr Al-Manthoor, Vol. 2, Page 393.  Also Kanz Al-Ummal, Vol. 6, Page 391.

[2] Same as footnote above: Muraja’at, by Sharafud’din, Page 155.  Also Al-Durr Al-Manthoor, Vol. 2, Page 393.  Also Kanz Al-Ummal, Vol. 6, Page 391.

[3] Minhaaj Al-Bara’a, Vol. 2, Page 350.

[4] Dhakha’ir al-Uqba, al Tibari, Page 67.  Also Ghaayat Al-Maraam, Page 336.

[5] Ghaayat Al-Maraam, Page 539.  Also Yanabi’ Al-Mawadda Page 104.  Also Manaaqib Ali, Vol. 3, Page 62.

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