Issue No: 176
25th October 2013
19th Dhulhijjah 1434 A.H.
Salamun alaykum,
The Noble Prophet is interrogated:
After the Noble Prophet had delivered the important message of Ghadeer Khum, on the 18th Dhulhijjah 10 A.H. News of the appointment of Amiral Muminin Imam Ali bin Abi Talib to the wilayah –leadership- of the ummah, spread quickly over all urban and rural areas.
When Harith ibn Numan al-Fahri came to know of it, he rode his she-camel and headed 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 zakat and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during Ramadan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to perform pilgrimage to K’abah 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?"
In response 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 striking him on his head and penetrating into his body leaving him dead.
It was on this occasion that Allah SWT revealed the verses of Sura Al Ma-arij was revealed: “He (the questioner) demanded for a chastisement which must befall.” (70:1)
How do we take the news of Ghadeer?
Yesterday we were fortunate to once again celebrate the auspicious occasion of Eid ul Ghadeer in our lifetime. Bihamdillah it is an invaluable blessing to be from the ummah which has received the news of Ghadeer. We hold dearly to the message of wilayah and celebrate this in our daily lives. The recitation of the shahada of Amiral Muminin in the Adhan and Iqamah is a form of reviving this news in our daily lives. Our majlis gatherings are adorned with the remembrance of the virtues of Imam Ali. We passionately recite numerous manqabat/ qasida poems accompanied with slogans of Naare Hydery.
The question:
A point to reflect upon is that: How do you take the news of Ghadeer?
Is the declaration of shahada of Amirul Muminin and celebrations of Eid ul Ghadeer only that is required from us?
Is there more to what is expected of us who submit to news of Ghadeer to lead in our daily lives?
Heartiest Felicitations on the Happy and Auspicious Occasion of Eid ul Ghadeer
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