Verse 82 of Sura al-An'am and Ghadir
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| Ayah Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Surah Name | Sura al-An'am |
| Ayah Number | 82 |
| Juz' | 7 |
| Ayah Content | |
| Place of Revelation | Mecca |
| Topic | The friends of Ghadir are in security and among the guided |
| Ayah Recitation Audio Translation | |
Verse 82 of Sura al-An'am is a verse interpreted in the al-Ghadir Sermon which describes the situation of the friends of Ghadir, for whom there is security and who are among the guided.
The historical context for the interpretation of Verse eighty-two of Sūrat al-Anʿām is outlined as follows: In a part of the Prophet's (s) sermon, in describing those who accept the guardianship of Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a), this verse is referenced, which describes the faith of Prophet Abraham (a) in the face of polytheists. This description is applicable to the friends of ʿAlī (a) in contrast to his enemies. In this verse, Abraham (a) rises to argue with his people and declares: 'I have accepted the One God and I do not accept any polytheism concerning Him.'
The conclusion drawn from this Abrahamic culture in Verse eighty-two of Sūrat al-Anʿām is that the Prophet (s) stated in describing the Shiʿa of ʿAlī (a) that it is a pure faith, without doubt or injustice, maintained with fair thought and correct judgment deep within, whose intellectual security and guidance are both guaranteed.
A Verse Explicitly Interpreted in Ghadir
Verse eighty-two of Sūrat al-Anʿām is considered among the verses explicitly interpreted in Ghadir. According to some researchers, eighteen Quranic verses were explicitly interpreted in Ghadir; meaning that the Prophet (s) recited the text of the verse separately in the sermon and then proceeded to interpret it before or after. These instances are in contrast to verses that were incorporated as allusions in the speech and citations in the Prophet's address.[1]
One of these verses is Verse eighty-two of Sūrat al-Anʿām:
الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا وَ لَمْ یَلْبِسُوا إِیمانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولئِکَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَ هُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ
- Those who have faith and do not tarnish their faith with wrongdoing—for them is security and they are the [rightly] guided.[2]
The Verse in the Text of the Sermon
Verse eighty-two of Sūrat al-Anʿām is reported in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon as follows: Know that the friends of the Ahl al-Bayt are those whom God, Almighty and Glorious, has described and said: Those who have faith and do not tarnish their faith with wrongdoing—for them is security and they are the [rightly] guided.[notes 1].[3]
Historical Context of the Verse's Interpretation
The historical context for the interpretation of Verse eighty-two of Sūrat al-Anʿām is outlined as follows: In a part of the Prophet's (s) sermon, in describing those who accept the guardianship of Amīr al-Muʾminīn (a), this verse is referenced, which describes the faith of Prophet Abraham (a) in the face of polytheists. This description is applicable to the friends of ʿAlī (a) in contrast to his enemies. In this verse, Abraham (a) rises to argue with his people and declares: 'I have accepted the One God and I do not accept any polytheism concerning Him.'
Then he says to them: 'How is it that in your opinion I should fear your fabricated gods that you have associated with the One God, while you have no apprehension about associating partners with the One God without any proof? Which of us is closer to peace of mind and security?'[4]
Theological Analysis of the Verse
Regarding the theological analysis of the interpretation of Verse eighty-two of Sūrat al-Anʿām in the text of the al-Ghadir Sermon, it has been stated: According to the Prophet's (s) interpretation in the al-Ghadir Sermon, the believers in Ghadir say: 'O believers of Saqifah, we have accepted the One God and His commands regarding imamate and caliphate, by which He appointed ʿAlī (a). How is it that we should fear opposing Saqifah, while you do not fear that you set aside the explicit divine command regarding guardianship and innovated Saqifah in defiance of God's command? Judge for yourselves which of our two groups will have peace in the face of divine judgment.'
The conclusion drawn from this Abrahamic culture in the verse is that the Prophet (s) stated in describing the Shiʿa of ʿAlī (a) that it is a pure faith, without doubt or injustice, maintained with fair thought and correct judgment deep within, whose intellectual security and guidance are both guaranteed.[5]
Footnotes
- ↑ الا انَّ اوْلِيائَهُمُ الَّذينَ وَصَفَهُمُ اللَّه عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقالَ:الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ لَمْ یَلْبِسُوا إِیمانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولئِکَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَ هُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ
References
- Asrār Ghadīr; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Tehran: Tak Publishing, 1384 SH.
- Ghadīr dar Qurʾān, Qurʾān dar Ghadīr; Muḥammad Bāqir Anṣārī, Qom: Dalīl Mā Publications, 1387 SH.