Verse 24 of Sura Luqman and Ghadir
Verse 24 of Sura Luqman is a verse that considers the fate of hypocrites conspiring against the life of the Prophet (s) during the event of Ghadir to be respite in this world and a painful punishment in the hereafter.
According to some researchers, verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman was cited regarding the conspiracy to assassinate the Prophet (s) by the hypocrites at Ghadir; when their conspiracy was neutralized and the Prophet (s) introduced them all to Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman al-Yamani relying on this verse, predicting severe punishment for them in the Hereafter.
What has been used as the exegesis of verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman by applying it to al-Sahifa and the conspiracy to assassinate the Prophet (s) is a single point: that God grants the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt (a) respite in this world for a while and then afflicts them with severe punishment. This punishment of theirs begins from the moment of death and continues in the realm of barzakh until they receive their ultimate recompense for their deeds on the Day of Judgment.
A Verse about the Enemies of Ghadir
Verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman is among the verses utilized in the event of Ghadir. The context of the utilization of this verse has been outlined by some researchers as follows: Ali b. Abi Talib (a) is that Imam whom the Prophet (s) made the cause of testing the ummah: لَوْ لا انْتَ يا عَلِىُّ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ بَعْدى. [1]
শিয়া احادیث... (Note: preserved as per prompt requirements, but translate content accurately). The Prophet (s) dedicated a part of the Ghadir ceremony to describing the enemies of the Imams (a) and their future. Adapting several verses and guaranteeing other verses for this purpose placed a total of fifteen verses under the title of this section. In these verses, on the one hand, the characteristics and behavior of the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt (a) in this world are discussed, and on the other hand, the recompense for their belief and action in this world and the hereafter is stated, among which is the devaluation of their deeds. [2]
These verses are fifteen verses, among which is verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman: 
نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلیلاً ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ اِلی عَذابٍ غَلیظٍ
.
Historical Context of the Utilization of the Verse
According to some researchers, verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman was cited in the story of the conspiracy to assassinate the Prophet (s) by the hypocrites at Ghadir; when their conspiracy was neutralized and the Prophet (s) introduced them all to Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman al-Yamani relying on this verse. [3]
Reliant upon sources, this event has been described as follows: After the conspiracy was neutralized, Hudhayfa asked the Prophet (s): Who are these people? The Imam (a) replied: Hypocrites in this world and the hereafter. Hudhayfa suggested sending a group after them to kill them. The Imam (a) replied: "God has commanded me to turn away from them."
Then, the Prophet stated the reason for this concealment and non-exposure as follows: I do not like people to say about me: "He invited a group of his people and companions to his religion and they accepted. Then with their help he fought until he triumphed over his enemy, and then he turned against them and killed them." Then, pointing to verse fourteen of Sura Fajr, he said: "O Hudhayfa, leave them be, for God is in ambush for them." Then, pointing to verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman, he introduced them as being subject to one of the divine traditions: that during the short period of worldly life they enjoy its limited blessings, and then they will be afflicted by the long and severe punishment of the hereafter. [4]
Quranic Position of the Verse
The Quranic position of verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman has been described as follows: In terms of conceptual context, understanding the meaning of this verse begins from verse twenty-two, where God introduces people into two groups: one is مَنْ یُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَی الله , who has held fast to al-'Urwa al-Wuthqa (the firmest handle); the second group is the disbelievers about whom He stated in verse twenty-three that "let not his disbelief grieve you" and "their return is to Us." Then in verse twenty-four He states: "We grant them enjoyment of provisions for a little while, then We drive them to a harsh punishment." [5]
A Narration from Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman: Historical Analysis of the Event
Historical analysis of the event leading to the application of Sura al-Baqara, verse 140 in a narration from Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman is as follows: The hypocrites conferred among themselves until they agreed to frighten the camel of the Prophet (s) atop Mount Harsha. This was while they had executed a similar plot during the Battle of Tabuk, but God had averted their evil from His Prophet. Thus, they had repeatedly conspired to assassinate the Prophet (s). Present in that gathering of hypocrites and enemies of the Prophet (s) were the freedmen of Quraysh and certain Arabs of Medina and its surroundings who harbored apostasy in their hearts. They—numbering fourteen individuals—swore an oath to frighten the camel of the Prophet (s).
The Prophet (s) continued the journey for the rest of that day and night until he approached the pass of Harsha. There, those fourteen individuals had gone ahead and hidden at the peak of the mountain, making their camels lie down behind boulders. They had brought cylindrical vessels with them, filled with pebbles, so that upon the arrival of the Prophet (s) they would roll them toward the camel's legs.
Hudhayfa states: The Prophet (s) called me and Ammar and instructed him to guide the camel from behind, and commanded me to take hold of the camel's halter. When we reached the mountain peak, those fourteen individuals released the pebble-filled vessels and pre-prepared boulders from behind us between the camel's legs. The camel was startled and nearly bolted, taking the Prophet (s) back and forth with it. The Prophet (s) said to the camel in a loud voice: Calm down, for there is no trouble upon you. God enabled the camel to speak, and it said in eloquent Arabic: O Messenger of God, by God, I will not move my hand from its place nor my foot from its position as long as you are upon my back.
Then those fourteen individuals rushed toward the camel to frighten it. Ammar and I stood facing them and attacked with our swords. That night was very dark, and they fled from before us, hiding behind the boulders in despair over their plot. Hudhayfa says: I submitted: O Messenger of God, who are these people who intended such a thing? He replied: O Hudhayfa, these are the hypocrites in this world and the hereafter. I submitted: Will you not send a group to them to sever and bring their heads? He replied: God has commanded me to turn away from them. I do not like people to say: This prophet invited a group of his people and companions to his religion and they accepted, then fought with their aid until he overcame his enemy, and upon gaining victory, put his companions to death. O Hudhayfa, leave them alone فَانَّ الله لَهُمْ بِالْمِرْصادِ، وَ سَيُمْهِلُهُمْ قَليلاً ثُمَّ يَضْطَرُّهُمْ الى عَذابٍ غَليظٍ.[6]
Theological Analysis of the Verse
What is derived as the exegesis of verse twenty-four of Sura Luqman from its application to the Sahifa and the plot to assassinate the Prophet (s) is a single point: that God grants the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt (a) respite in this world for a while and then subjects them to severe punishment. This punishment of theirs begins from the moment of death and continues in the realm of barzakh until they receive the true retribution for their deeds on the Day of Judgment.
Accordingly, it is reported in sources that Abu Bakr and Umar at the time of death saw the Prophet and Amir al-Mu'minin (a) saying to them: "Glad tidings be to you of the fire in the lowest grade of hell." Later, when they fell into the state of dying, they informed of entering the fire and going into a coffin, describing it as follows: a coffin of fire fastened with a lock of fire in which there are twelve people. That coffin is in a well at the bottom of hell, whenever God wishes to ignite hell, He removes the rock from the door of that well.[7]
In the realm of barzakh as well, sometimes Amir al-Mu'minin (a) or one of the Imams (a) show themselves to them, and they plead from the bottom of the fire, but they hear nothing except a rejection. In this regard, an incident from the life of Amir al-Mu'minin (a) is narrated on a day when he was with Harith b. 'Abd Allah al-Hamdani. The Imam (a) stated: "Do you see what I see?" He replied: "How can I see what you see, while God has given luminosity to your eyes and bestowed upon you what He has not bestowed upon anyone?" He stated: "This is the first oppressor who says at a gate of the fire: 'O Abu l-Hasan, forgive me.' May God not forgive him." Then the Imam (a) paused for moments and stated again: "O Harith, do you see what I see?" Then he stated: "This is the second oppressor who says at one of the gates of the fire: 'O Abu l-Hasan, forgive me.' May God not forgive him."[8]
Notes
- ↑ Manaqib Al Abi Talib, vol. 3, p. 206.
- ↑ Ghadir fi l-Qur'an, vol. 2, p. 361.
- ↑ For more complete information, see: Waqi'at al-Qur'ani Ghadir, pp. 161–166; Asrar Ghadir, p. 76; Sokhanrani-ye Istithna'i Ghadir, p. 29; Awwalin Mirath-i Maktub Darbara Ghadir, p. 31.
- ↑ Tafsir al-Qummi, vol. 1, pp. 174–175; Iqbal al-a'mal, vol. 2, pp. 230–249; Irshad al-qulub, vol. 2, pp. 197–198; Bihar al-anwar, vol. 28, pp. 97–101; Bihar al-anwar, vol. 31, pp. 632–635; Bihar al-anwar, vol. 37, pp. 115–116; Awalim al-13 'ulum, vol. 2/15, pp. 165–166; Ithbat al-hudat, vol. 3, p. 553; Regarding the plot to kill the Prophet in Tabuk: Bihar al-anwar, vol. 21, pp. 185–252.
- ↑ Ghadir fi l-Qur'an, vol. 2, pp. 406–407.
- ↑ Irshad al-qulub, vol. 2, pp. 195–200; Bihar al-anwar, vol. 28, pp. 97–111.
- ↑ Kitab Sulaym b. Qays al-Hilali, p. 185.
- ↑ Bihar al-anwar, vol. 40, p. 185, h 68.
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