Verse 137 of Sura al-Nisa and Ghadir
Verse 137 of Sura al-Nisa is an interpreted verse concerning the usurpers of Ghadir's right, describing their continuous process of apparent faith and inner disbelief.
Sura An-Nisa, Verse 137 is considered among the verses interpreted regarding Ghadir. The context for the interpretation of this verse by some researchers has been outlined as follows:[1]
One of the characteristics of the lives of the Infallibles (a) is the propagation of Ghadir in various forms. This includes the propagation of Ghadir with Sura An-Nisa, Verse 137, which has been interpreted concerning the usurpers of Ghadir's right: 
إِنَّ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ کَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ کَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا کُفْرًا لَمْ یَکُنِ اللَّهُ لِیَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِیَهْدِیَهُمْ سَبِیلاً,Indeed, those who believed, then disbelieved, then believed, then disbelieved, and then increased in disbelief – never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way.
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a) interpreted this verse concerning the first usurpers of Ghadir's right: This verse is about Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman. They initially (outwardly) embraced the religion of the Prophet (s), but then when wilaya was presented to them and the Prophet (s) said: “Whoever I am his master, then 'Ali is his master,” they disbelieved. Then they outwardly acknowledged the wilaya of Amir al-Mu'minin (a), but when the Prophet (s) passed away, they disbelieved and did not remain steadfast in their bay'a. Then they increased their disbelief and took bay'a for themselves from those who had pledged allegiance to 'Ali (a). These are the ones for whom nothing of faith remains.[2]
Footnotes
References
- Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan, Ithbāt al-Hudā bi-l-Nuṣūṣ wa-l-Muʿjizāt, ed. ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn ʿĀlamī, Beirut: Muʾassasat al-Aʿlamī li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1425 AH.
- Anṣārī, Muḥammad Bāqir, Asrār-i Ghadīr, Tehran: Nashr-i Tak, 1384 SH.
- Anṣārī, Muḥammad Bāqir, Tablīgh-i Ghadīr dar Sīra-yi Maʿṣūmīn ʿalayhim al-salām, Qom: Intishārāt-i Dalīl-i Mā, 1391 SH.
- Anṣārī, Muḥammad Bāqir, Chahārdah Qarn bā Ghadīr (Itmām-i Ḥujjat-hā, Baḥth-hā-yi ʿIlmī, Munāẓarāt, Mīrāth-i Maktūb, Shiʿr va Adab, Yādgārhā va Yādbūd-hā), Qom: Intishārāt-i Dalīl-i Mā, 1379 SH.