Al-A'raf Verse 43 and Ghadir

caption=Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf

Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf is a verse in the al-Ghadir Sermon for thanking for the paradise granted to the believers of Ghadir for accepting the guardianship of the Imams (a). This verse is from Surah Al-A'raf, it is Verse forty-three, and is located in Juz' eight. Its place of revelation was Mecca.

The position of Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon has been depicted by some researchers as follows: At the end of the al-Ghadir Sermon, the topic of fulfilling a duty as a thanksgiving to God was raised. This verse describes the people of paradise who, upon entering Paradise, utter a thanksgiving that indicates divine guidance and an acknowledgment of His guidance.

Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf is a paradisiacal verse that the Prophet (s) implicitly interpreted in the Ghadir address. The content of this verse is a thanksgiving for the blessing of Paradise, which refers back to its cause, and that is what was presented to the people of the world at Ghadir: the guardianship of the Infallibles (a).

A Verse Related to Divine Commands Regarding Guardianship at Ghadir

Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf is among the verses mentioned in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon. The context for the use of this verse has been depicted as follows: Ghadir was as much a belief as it was a command; a command encompassing its various aspects, which included a collection of faith, obedience, and covenant on one side, and praise and thanksgiving for this blessing on the other. These specific commands given to the people at Ghadir defined their duties at that particular juncture as a prelude to the future.

The verses supporting the Ghadiri commands are directly mentioned in the words of the Prophet (s). Ten verses are seen in the words of the Prophet (s) at Ghadir in this context, as a combination and inclusion.

One of these verses is Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf: وَ نَزَعْنا ما فِی صُدُورِهِمْ مِنْ غِلٍّ تَجْرِی مِنْ تَحْتِهِمُ الْأَنْهارُ وَ قالُوا الْحَمْدُ للَّه الَّذِی هَدانا لِهذا وَ ما کُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِیَ لَوْ لا أَنْ هَدانَا اللَّه، لَقَدْ جاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنا بِالْحَقِّ وَ نُودُوا أَنْ تِلْکُمُ الْجَنَّةُ أُورِثْتُمُوها بِما کُنْتُمْ تعلمون,We shall strip away whatever rancor there is in their breasts. Rivers will run beneath them, and they will say, 'All praise belongs to Allah who guided us to this, and we would not have been guided had not Allah guided us. The apostles of our Lord had certainly come with the truth.' And they will be called, 'This is paradise, which you have inherited for what you used to do.'

Text of the al-Ghadir Sermon

The text of the al-Ghadir Sermon in which Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf is mentioned has been reported as follows: مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ، قُولُوا الَّذى قُلْتُ لَكُمْ وَ سَلِّمُوا عَلى عَلِىٍّ بِامْرَةِ الْمُؤْمِنينَ …، وَ قُولُوا: «الْحَمْدُ للَّه الَّذِى هَدانا لِهذا وَ ما كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْ لا أَنْ هَدانَا اللَّه: O people, say what I told you and greet 'Ali as the Commander of the Faithful..., and say: Praise be to God who guided us to this, and we would not have been guided had not God guided us..

Position of the Verse in the Sermon's Text

The position of Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon has been depicted by some researchers as follows: At the end of the al-Ghadir Sermon, the topic of fulfilling a duty as a thanksgiving to God was raised. This important matter is presented by incorporating Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf into the words of the Prophet (s). What is mentioned in the Prophet's words is a part from the middle of the verse, which in this case the Qur'an also presents with the expression "qālū" (they said) and which has been changed in the Prophet's words as a command to "qūlū" (say).

Quranic Position

In the Qur'an, from Verse thirty-eight to forty-one of Surah Al-A'raf, God addresses the people of hell. In the same surah, from Verse forty-two, the people of Paradise are addressed, who, upon entering, utter a thanksgiving and praise that indicates divine guidance and an acknowledgment of His guidance.

Doctrinal Analysis of the Verse: Thanksgiving for the Blessing of Ghadir's Guidance

Some researchers have provided the following doctrinal analysis of Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon: Verse 43 is a paradisiacal verse that the Prophet (s) implicitly interpreted in the Ghadir address. The content of this verse is a thanksgiving for the blessing of Paradise, which refers back to its cause, and that is what was presented to the people of the world at Ghadir: the guardianship of the Infallibles (a).

The Prophet (s), by citing Verse 43 of Surah Al-A'raf and the concept derived from its combination with the entirety of section eleven of the sermon, has conveyed three important points to us:

• First: We must not only accept the guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), but also be thankful for this blessing.
• Second: God has bestowed this blessing upon us, and we must always be grateful for this special favor from Him.
• Third: If God had not guided us to this blessing, we would not have been guided ourselves, and this necessitates double thanksgiving.

References

• Asrar Ghadir; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Tehran: Nashr-e Tak, 1384 SH.
• Ghadir in the Qur'an, the Qur'an in Ghadir; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Qom: Intishārāt-e Dalīl-e Mā, 1387 SH.