Verse 285 of Sura al-Baqara and Ghadir
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| Ayah Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Surah Name | Sura al-Baqara |
| Ayah Number | 285 |
| Juz' | 3 |
| Ayah Content | |
| Place of Revelation | Medina |
| Topic | Faith and acknowledgement of what has been brought by the Prophet |
Verse 285 of Sura al-Baqara was used by the Prophet (s) within the al-Ghadir Sermon to elicit people's acknowledgement of the promulgation of the Ghadir command.
The use of Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara in the al-Ghadir Sermon is depicted by some researchers in two instances: first, the final part of the first section of the al-Ghadir Sermon was a lengthy praise in which Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara was incorporated; second, in the concluding parts of the al-Ghadir Sermon, as a final acknowledgement, the Prophet (s) asked the people to repeat what he said. To ensure this acknowledgement stemmed from heartfelt faith, he explicitly incorporated the latter part of Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara into his speech.
From a theological perspective, the use of Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon has been analyzed as follows: Ghadir was both a belief and a command; a comprehensive command encompassing faith, obedience, and covenant on one side, and praise and gratitude for this blessing on the other. It is stated that a part of the people's acknowledgement at Ghadir, relying on Verse 285 of al-Baqara, pertains to obedience to the wilāya and authority of the Twelve Infallible Imams (a) as a command established by God for the people.
Instances of the Verse's Use in the al-Ghadir Sermon
The use of Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara in the al-Ghadir Sermon is depicted by some researchers in two instances:
First Instance
One of the monotheistic issues that the Prophet (s) expressed at the end of the first section of the al-Ghadir Sermon was Gratitude to God. The final part of the first section of the al-Ghadir Sermon was a lengthy praise in which Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara was incorporated. In this part, the Prophet (s) combined the phrase I praise Him abundantly and thank Him perpetually[notes 1] with Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara. He then made it a prelude to the specific divine command for the declaration of wilāya at Ghadir, and with an imperceptible reference to the Verse of Tablīgh, he said: I praise Him abundantly and thank Him perpetually, in ease and in hardship, in severity and in comfort. I believe in Him, His angels, His scriptures, and His messengers. I listen to His command and obey, and I hasten to all that pleases Him, and I submit to His decree, out of desire for His obedience and fear of His punishment, for He is Allah whose cunning cannot be escaped, and whose injustice is not feared (meaning He does not commit injustice).[notes 2][1]
Second Instance
In the concluding parts of the al-Ghadir Sermon, as a final acknowledgement, the Prophet (s) asked the people to repeat what he said. To ensure this acknowledgement stemmed from heartfelt faith, he explicitly incorporated the latter part of Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara into his speech, which is expressed in the Qurʾān with the term 
قالُوا
(they said), and in the sermon with the term قُولُوا (say): O people, say what I have told you and greet ʿAlī as «Amīr al-Muʾminīn» and say:[notes 3] «We hear and obey. Our Lord, we seek Your forgiveness, and to You is the return»[notes 4].[2]
A Verse Pertaining to Divine Commands Regarding Wilāya at Ghadir
From a theological perspective, the use of Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon has been analyzed by some researchers as follows: Ghadir was both a belief and a command. A comprehensive command encompassing faith, obedience, and covenant on one side, and praise and gratitude for this blessing on the other. The commands given to the people at Ghadir defined their duties. The verses of the Qurʾān support these Ghadiri commands, which are directly found in the speech of the Prophet (s).
The verses that appear in this context in Ghadir, combined and incorporated into the Prophet's speech, are known to be ten verses, one of which is Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara:
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَیْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ کُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّه وَ مَلائِکَتِهِ وَ کُتُبِهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ، لا نُفَرِّقُ بَیْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَ قالُوا سَمِعْنا وَ أَطَعْنا غُفْرانَکَ رَبَّنا وَ إِلَیْکَ الْمَصِیرُ- The Apostle has faith in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and [so do] the faithful. They all have faith in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, and His apostles. ‘We make no distinction between any of His apostles,’ and they say, ‘We hear and obey. Our Lord, we seek Your forgiveness, and to You is the return.
Quranic Context of the Verse
Verse 285 of Sūrat al-Baqara is located at the end of the longest sura of the Qurʾān. In this verse, after mentioning the principle of faith (complete acceptance of what has been revealed by God and that there is no distinction between any of God's messengers), it summarizes faith from the perspective of the believers as being inherent in hearing and obedience, and its final endorsement is achieving this point. For this reason, it is stated that the believers say: سَمِعْنا وَ أَطَعْنا (We hear and obey).
Acknowledging the Acceptance of the Wilāya of the Twelve Imams (a)
The citation of Verse 285 of al-Baqara occurred at a point in the al-Ghadir Sermon where the Prophet (s), from the beginning of section eleven of the sermon – which is the final section – summarized almost the entire sermon and elicited acknowledgement from the people regarding all of it. This acknowledgement was requested from the people with various expressions, beginning with Indeed, we are hearers, obedient, pleased, submissive...[notes 5]. It was then affirmed with the phrase We pledge allegiance to you on that with our hearts, our souls, our tongues, and our hands[notes 6]. Subsequently, it was reinforced with the phrase And we will not change or alter, nor doubt or deny or be suspicious, nor will we return from the covenant or break the pact[notes 7].
In the next part, more precise words regarding this acknowledgement are stated: So the covenant and the pact for them are taken from us, from our hearts, our souls, our tongues, our consciences, and our hands[notes 8], and following it, the phrase And we do not seek an alternative for that, and Allah will not see any turning away from us[notes 9] made it more precise. The final acknowledgement is making God and His Messenger witnesses: We make Allah witness to that..., and you are a witness over us concerning it.[notes 10] After all this emphasis, the Qurʾānic verse is brought forth, and it is in this way that the word We hear and obey[notes 11] in it refers back to obedience to the wilāya and authority of the Twelve Infallible Imams (a) as a command established by God for the people.
Footnotes
- ↑ اَحْمَدُهُ كَثيراً وَ اَشْكُرُهُ دائِماً
- ↑ اَحْمَدُهُ كَثيراً وَ اَشْكُرُهُ دائِماً عَلَى السَّرّاءِ وَ الضَّرّاءِ وَ الشِّدَّةِ وَ الرَّخاءِ، وَ اُومِنُ بِهِ وَ بِمَلائِكَتِهِ وَ كُتُبِهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ. اَسْمَعُ لاَمْرِهِ وَ اُطيعُ وَ اُبادِرُ اِلى كُلِّ ما يَرْضاهُ وَ اَسْتَسْلِمُ لِما قَضاهُ، رَغْبَةً فى طاعَتِهِ وَ خَوْفاً مِنْ عُقُوبَتِهِ، لاَنَّهُ اللَّهُ الَّذى لا يُؤْمَنُ مَكْرُهُ وَ لا يُخافُ جَوْرُهُ
- ↑ مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ، قُولُوا الَّذى قُلْتُ لَكُمْ وَ سَلِّمُوا عَلى عَلِىٍّ بِإِمْرَةِ الْمُؤْمِنينَ، وَ قُولُوا
- ↑ سَمِعْنا وَ أَطَعْنا غُفْرانَکَ رَبَّنا وَ إِلَیْکَ الْمَصِیرُ
- ↑ انّا سامِعُونَ مُطيعُونَ راضُونَ مُنْقادُونَ…
- ↑ نُبايِعُكَ عَلى ذلِكَ بِقُلُوبِنا وَ انْفُسِنا وَ الْسِنَتِنا وَ ايْدينا
- ↑ وَ لا نُغَيِّرُ وَ لا نُبَدِّلُ، وَ لا نَشُكُّ وَ لا نَجْحَدُ وَ لا نَرْتابُ، وَ لا نَرْجِعُ عَنِ الْعَهْدِ وَ لا نَنْقُضُ الْميثاقَ
- ↑ فَالْعَهْدُ وَ الْميثاقُ لَهُمْ مَأْخُوذٌ مِنّا، مِنْ قُلُوبِنا وَ انْفُسِنا وَ الْسِنَتِنا وَ ضَمائِرِنا وَ ايْدينا
- ↑ وَ لا نَبْتَغى بِذلِكَ بَدَلاً وَ لا يَرَى اللَّه مِنْ انْفُسِنا حِوَلاً
- ↑ نُشْهِدُ اللَّه بِذلِكَ …، وَ انْتَ عَلَيْنا بِهِ شَهيدٌ
- ↑ سَمِعْنا وَ أَطَعْنا
References
- Asrār Ghadīr'; Muḥammad Bāqir Naṣṣārī, Qom: Nashr Mawlūd Kaʿba, 1420 AH.
- Ghadīr in the Qurʾān, the Qurʾān in Ghadīr; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Qom: Intishārāt Dalīl Mā, 1387 SH.