Verse 46 of Sura Saba and Ghadir
Verse 46 of Sura Saba is a verse revealed during the Hajat al-Wida', indicating that the wilaya of Amir al-Mu'minin (a) is the last legislated divine decree.
The historical context of the revelation of verse forty-six of Sura Saba' has been outlined by some researchers as follows: At the end of the Hajat al-Wida', people wanted to know what else remained of the rulings of Islam. Hypocrites also wanted to use this situation to pretend that with the completion of the hajj rituals, all divine rulings had ended and nothing else remained. Their goal was to erase the importance of wilaya of the Imams (a) in Ghadir. They kept asking how long they had to wait for one ruling after another, and in response to them, verse forty-six of Sura Saba' was revealed, meaning that only one ruling remained, and that was wilaya.
Some researchers, through a doctrinal analysis of verse forty-six of Sura Saba', have also presented other points, including regarding the word nadhir (warner) in the verse: One of the motives that drives human beings to accept the words of prophets is their station of indhar (warning). When a person feels trust toward someone, if that person issues a warning to them, they cannot ignore it. Regarding Ghadir, this issue would mean that if you have trusted the Prophet (s) until now and accepted his word as a divine warner, how is it that you do not accept this warning aspect of his in the matter of wilaya?
A Verse Concerning the Actions of the Hypocrites in Ghadir
Verse forty-six of Sura Saba' is considered one of the verses revealed to the Prophet (s) during the journey of the Hajat al-Wida' and after the completion of the hajj rituals. Since the hypocrites began their sedition and conspiracy from the very first hours of the journey of Ghadir and implemented their plots on numerous occasions, alongside the verses revealed concerning the actions of the Prophet (s) in Ghadir, many verses were also revealed to him regarding the instigations and plots of the hypocrites. Narrations concerning these verses have clarified their context of revelation and their direct connection to Ghadir. These verses number one hundred and four, revealed on 39 occasions.[1]
Among these verses is verse forty-six of Sura Saba': 
قُلْ إِنَّما أَعِظُکُمْ بِواحِدَةٍ أَنْ تَقُومُوا للَّه مَثْنی وَ فُرادی ثُمَّ تَتَفَکَّرُوا ما بِصاحِبِکُمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍ إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ نَذِیرٌ لَکُمْ بَیْنَ یَدَیْ عَذابٍ شَدِیدٍ,Say, “I just advise you on one thing: that you rise up for Allah’s sake, in pairs or individually, and then reflect: there is no madness in your companion; he is just a warner to you before a severe punishment.”
.[2]
Historical Context of Revelation
The historical context of the revelation of verse 46 of Sura Saba' has been depicted by some scholars as follows: With the conclusion of Hajdat al-Wida', the beginning of the Ghadir journey, and the awareness of the approaching martyrdom of the Prophet (s), people wanted to know what else remained of Islamic rulings.
Meanwhile, the hypocrites took advantage of this intellectual situation among the people to pretend that with the performance of Hajj rituals, all divine rulings had ended and nothing else remained. Their goal was to erase the importance of wilayat, which the Prophet (s) was expected to announce regarding the promise of Ghadir. To stir up sedition, they would ask how long they had to wait for one ruling after another, and they raised the same question to the Prophet (s) as to whether any other ruling remained after Hajj. In response to them, verse 46 of Sura Saba' was revealed, meaning that only one more ruling remained, and that was wilayat.[3]
Quality of the Revelation of the Verse in the Words of Imam al-Baqir (a)
Imam Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Baqir (a) described the revelation of verse 46 of Sura Saba' during the event of Ghadir as follows: Almighty God revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (s) and commanded him to perform prayer, zakat, fasting, Hajj, and jihad. After performing these deeds, it was time for the last of them, which was Hajj along with the Prophet (s). The Prophet (s) stood up among them for the wilayat of 'Ali (a). A group said, "How long will Muhammad obligate these duties upon us one after another?" It was then that God, the Exalted, revealed this verse: "Say, 'I just advise you to one thing'," meaning the wilayat of Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali (a).[4]
Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali (a) presented the question of the hypocrites to the Prophet (s) as follows: God revealed the important rulings of the sharia and the verses concerning obligatory duties at various times..., and the first thing He made people bound to was affirming His oneness and lordhood and testifying to "La ilaha illa Allah". When they affirmed these, He raised the affirmation of His Prophet's prophethood and his mission. And when they accepted that, He obligated prayer upon them, and then fasting, Hajj, jihad, zakat, charities, and whatever is related to this from the spoils of war. The hypocrites said, "After these rulings that you obligated upon us, is there anything else remaining for your Lord to obligate upon us? Mention it too so our hearts may find peace that nothing else remains!" God revealed regarding this: "Say, 'I just advise you to one thing'," meaning wilayat.[5]
Theological Analysis One: Wilayat as the Last Divine Ruling
Regarding the theological analysis of the revelation of verse 46 of Sura Saba' during the event of Ghadir, it has been stated: According to the hadith of Imam Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Baqir (a), the hypocrites used every excuse to obstruct matters. They expected that in response to their question, the Prophet (s) would say: No, no other ruling remains, and they would immediately spread among the people that the designation of a successor and the announcement of wilayat would not take place. However, the Prophet (s) reminded them precisely of that single remaining item (wilayat).
Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (a) stated the reason for the repetition of verse 46 of Sura Saba' after the announcement of wilayat as follows: When the hypocrites showed their inner nature through objecting questions and it became clear that they were displeased with the caliphate of Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali (a), the Prophet (s), by reciting this verse once again, made them understand that wilayat, as the final divine ruling, is more important than the rest of the rulings: When the Prophet (s) appointed 'Ali (a) for wilayat and said, "Whoever I am his master, 'Ali is his master," a group created doubts and said, "Muhammad invites us to a new matter every now and then, and now he has begun concerning his Ahl al-Bayt to place our authority in their hands." The Prophet (s) recited this verse: قُلْ إِنَّما أَعِظُکُمْ بِواحِدَةٍ , and then said: I have fulfilled what your Lord has obligated upon you, أَنْ تَقُومُوا للَّه مَثْنی وَ فُرادی,that you rise up for Allah, two by two and individually .[6]
Second Doctrinal Analysis
Considering that the subject of verse 46 of Sura Saba' is, according to researchers, about the wilaya of Amir al-Mu'minin (a), the rest of the verse must also be explained from this perspective, and four points have been derived:
Concept of "Innama" in the Verse
Among the meanings of "inna-ma" (only in Persian) in Arabic literature is "exclusivity". Two contexts were mentioned for using the word "inna-ma" in the verse: one was that the wilaya was the final divine decree; the other was that they would ask the Imam (a), "Is there anything else left?" and the Imam (a) would reply in response to this question, "Only the wilaya is left." Therefore, the sentence قُلْ إِنَّما أَعِظُکُمْ بِواحِدَةٍ can be translated as follows: "Only one more decree remains from God, which I am commissioned to guide you to." The word إِنَّما combined with أَعِظُکُمْ in this sentence can also have another meaning: among the numerous divine decrees, the issue that I chose to admonish you and emphasize upon is "wilaya".[7]
Concept of "Lillah" in the Verse
(For God) and its concept is sincere work for the pleasure of the Lord. Following that, the phrase مَثْنی وَ فُرادی,two by two and singly appears, and it is limited to this number. The combination of this phrase indicates the estrangement of wilaya and the oppression of the owner of wilaya, because since supporting it must be sincere, its supporters will also be few in number, and the meaning of this part of the verse becomes: "Rise and take action to help 'Ali (a) for the sake of God and sincerely—even if it be singly or in pairs."
This verse recalls the days of the usurpation of the caliphate, when Amir al-Mu'minin (a), at night, took Fatima al-Zahra, Imam Hasan, and Imam Husayn (a) with him to the doors of the houses of the Muhajirun and Ansar and asked for their help, and said: "Help God and the daughter of your Prophet. The day you swore allegiance to the Prophet, you swore to support him and his children and to defend them from what you defend yourselves and your children from. Come and fulfill your allegiance to the Prophet."[8]
This is the very concept of "for God" mentioned in the verse. Some of them would reply in response, "What can one person of us do?!" while this verse had already told them that even if there are one or two people, they must rise.
Concept of "Tatafakkaru" in the Verse
Commanding reflection after commanding sincere uprising for God is an indication of a conscious approach to religion and a scholarly understanding of it, so that in practice the results of the work are acceptable and baseless doubts do not affect it. According to some traditions, when the turn came to announce the wilaya, some people said: "Muhammad invites us to a new matter every now and then, and now he has started regarding his Ahl al-Bayt to place our authority in their hands,"[9] and another group said: "How long will Muhammad make these obligatory duties incumbent upon us one after another?"[10]
In response to this inappropriate approach to the station of prophethood, God says: ثُمَّ تَتَفَکَّرُوا ما بِصاحِبِکُمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍ,Then reflect: there is no madness in your companion (the Prophet (s)) ; meaning, how is it that you did not doubt the origin of his prophethood and the decrees legislated by him, but you have approached the wilaya of Ahl al-Bayt (a) with denial? Do you not know that this is the very same Prophet? So if the Prophet is the same Prophet of yesterday...[11]
Concept of "Nadhir" in the Verse
One of the motives that drives human beings to accept the words of the prophets is their station of nindhara (warnship). When a person finds a sense of trust in someone, if that person warns them, they cannot remain indifferent and not listen to them; therefore, regarding Ghadir, this issue will be such that if you have trusted the Prophet (s) until now and accepted his word as a divine warner, how is it that in the matter of wilaya you do not accept this aspect of his being a warner? Not only do you not accept it, but you rise against him and support Saqifa.[12]
Notes
- ↑ Ghadir fi l-Qur'an, vol. 1, pp. 213–214.
- ↑ Ghadir fi l-Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 38.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Quran, vol. 1, p. 299.
- ↑ Sharh al-akhbar, vol. 1, p. 236.
- ↑ Bihar al-anwar, vol. 90, p. 122; Al-Ihtijaj, vol. 1, pp. 254–255.
- ↑ Tafsir Furat al-Kufi, p. 346, h 471; Manaqib Al Abi Talib, vol. 3, pp. 37–38; Ta'wil al-ayat al-zahira, p. 466–467; Bihar al-anwar, vol. 23, p. 391, h 2; Bihar al-anwar, vol. 37, p. 160; Awalim al-ulum, vol. 2/15, p. 141, h 209.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 302.
- ↑ Bihar al-anwar, vol. 29, p. 191.
- ↑ Bihar al-anwar, vol. 23, p. 391, h. 2.
- ↑ Sharh al-akhbar, vol. 1, p. 236.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, pp. 303–304.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, pp. 304–305.
References
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- Wāqi'a-i Qur'āni-i Ghadir: Guzārish-i safar-i yak-māha-i Payambar barā-i i'lān-i wilāyat dar sāyah-i āyāt-i Qur'āni; Muḥammad Baqir Ansari, Qom: Dalil-e Ma Publications, 1386 SH.