Issue No: 246
2nd October 2015
17th Dhul Hijjah 1436 A.H.
Salamun alaykum,
Heartiest Felicitations on the Blessed and Auspicious Occasion of Eid ul Ghadeer.
The Noble Prophet is challenged:
After the important message had been delivered by the Noble Prophet at the junction of Ghadeer Khum , on the 18th Dhulhijjah 10 A.H, the news of formal declaration of Amiral Muminin as mawla - master - of the believers quickly spread over all urban and rural areas.
When Harith ibn Nu'man al-Fahri came to know of it, he rode his she-camel and came to Madina to see the Noble Prophet. On reaching his destination he made the she-camel sit, alighted from it, approached the Noble Prophet and said: "You commanded us to testify that there is no god but Allah and that you are the messenger of Allah. We obeyed you. You ordered us to say prayers five times a day and we obeyed. You directed us to pay charity and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during Ramadan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to perform pilgrimage to kabah and we obeyed. But you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by the hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying: 'Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla'. Is this imposition from you or from Allah?"
The Noble Prophet said: "By Allah who is the only God, this is from Allah, the Mighty, the Glorious."
He asked for a chastisement:
On hearing this Harith turned back and proceeded towards his she-camel saying, "O Allah, if what Muhammad says is true, then fling on us a stone from the sky and make us suffer severe pain and torture."
He had not yet reached his she-camel when a stone came at him and struck him on his head, penetrating into his body leaving him dead.
It was on this occasion that Allah revealed the verses of Suratul Ma-arij (70:1): "He (the questioner) demanded for a chastisement which must befall."
How do you take the news?
We are fortunate to once again celebrate the auspicious occasion of Eid ul Ghadeer in our lifetime. Bihamdillah, to be from the ummah which has received the news of Ghadeer is indeed an invaluable blessing for us. We do hold dearly to the message of wilayah and celebrate this in our daily lives. One way of reviving this news of wilayah in our daily lives is by the recitation of the shahada of Amiral Muminin in the Kalimah, Adhan and Iqamah. Our majlis gatherings are adorned with the remembrance of the virtues of Imam Ali. Numerous manqabat/qasida poems are passionately recited and accompanied with loud slogans of Naare Hydery.
The questions:
Some points to reflect upon are:
- How do you take the news of Ghadeer?
- What is the essence of message of Ghadeer?
- Is the declaration of shahada of Amirul Muminin and celebrations of Eid ul Ghadeer only that is required from us?
- What more is expected of one who submits to news of Ghadeer to lead in your daily life?
- How do you act upon the instruction of the Noble Prophet to convey this message?
Alhamdulillahil ladhi ja'alana minal mutamassikina bi wilayati amiril m'uminina wal aimmati 'alayhimus salaam.
(All praise is due to Allah for having enabled us to be from those who hold to the leadership of Amirul Muminin and the Imams a.s.)
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah
Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat