Verse 36 of al-Ahzab and Ghadir
Verse thirty-six of Sūrat al-Aḥzāb is a verse that indicates that the selection of Ghadir was a divine choice, beyond human power, will, and selection. This verse was used by Imam al-Rida (a) to prove this truth regarding Ghadir.
Verse thirty-six of Sūrat al-Aḥzāb is considered among the verses through which Ghadir was propagated by some of the Infallibles (a). Some researchers have described this matter as follows:[1]
One of the hallmarks of the lives of the Infallibles (a) is the propagation of Ghadir in various forms. Among these instances of Ghadir propagation is Imam al-Rida (a)'s reliance on verse thirty-six of Sūrat al-Aḥzāb to prove the divine nature of imamate at Ghadir: 
mā kāna li-muʾminin wa-lā muʾminatin idhā qaḍā Allāhu wa-rasūluhu amran an yakūna lahumu l-khiyaratu min amrihim,It is not for any believing man or believing woman, when Allah and His Apostle have decreed a matter, to have any choice in their matter;
When it comes to disseminating the teachings of Ghadir and comparing it with Saqifa, the support of Quranic verses for Ghadir demonstrates its prominent position. One such instance occurred in the early days of Imam al-Rida (a)'s arrival in the city of Marw in Khurasan. On that day, people in the city's congregational mosque were discussing the issue of imamate and related disagreements. A man reported the mosque's discussions to the Imam. The Imam smiled and said:
God, the Blessed and Exalted, did not take His Prophet (s) from this world until He had perfected the religion for him. On the one hand, He revealed the Quran to him… and on the other hand, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, which was at the end of his life, He sent down this verse: "Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have chosen Islam as your religion."[2] The issue of imamate is the perfection of religion. The Prophet (s) did not depart from this world until he had clarified the teachings of their religion for his community, specified their path, entrusted them to the word of truth, and appointed 'Ali (a) as a banner and Imam for them, and explained everything the community needed.
Whoever presumes that God has not perfected His religion has rejected the Book of God and is an unbeliever in it… Do they know the value of the station of imamate and its position in the community, that they should have the right to choose an Imam? Imamate has a higher status, a grander dignity, a loftier rank, more precise boundaries, and a deeper inner dimension than what people can grasp with their intellects or attain with their opinions, or wish to establish an Imam for themselves through their own choice… They have set aside the choice of God, His Prophet (s), and his Ahl al-Bayt, and have turned to their own choice, while the Quran has called out to them: "Your Lord creates whatever He wishes and chooses; they have no choice..."[3] And He has also said: mā kāna li-muʾminin wa-lā muʾminatin idhā qaḍā Allāhu wa-rasūluhu amran an yakūna lahumu l-khiyaratu min amrihim,It is not for any believing man or believing woman, when Allah and His Apostle have decreed a matter, to have any choice in their matter;.[4]
Notes
References
- _Tablīgh Ghadīr dar Sīra-yi Maʿṣūmīn (a)_; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Qom: Intishārāt-i Dalīl Mā, 1391 Sh./2012.
- _al-Ghayba_; Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm al-Nuʿmānī, research by: 'Alī Akbar Ghaffārī, Tehran: Maktabat al-Ṣadūq, 1397 AH/1977.