Verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas and Ghadir
Verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas are verses that are considered to describe some enemies of Ghadir after the declaration of the wilaya of Amir al-Muʾminin, who tried to cast doubt on the divine choice of Ghadir.
Verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas are among the verses used on the Day of Ghadir to describe the enemies of Ghadir. The historical context of their use is depicted as follows: After the conclusion of the Ghadir sermon and the people's anticipation for the one hundred and twenty thousand-strong allegiance ceremony with Amir al-Muʾminin (a), a group, led by the second caliph, began spreading rumors and creating doubts. The hypocrites, angered by the allegiance ceremony, also became active in spreading these rumors.
Imam al-Sadiq (a) explains this part of the Ghadir event while interpreting verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas as follows: When the Prophet (s) appointed Amir al-Muʾminin (a) for the people on the Day of Ghadir, the second one began to sow discord. When he found some people in private, he would tell them: “He will spare no effort to humiliate Quraysh for the son of Abu Talib and his children.” And this is the meaning of: “(I seek refuge in God) from the evil of the whispering, receding (from the remembrance of God) whisperer, who whispers in the hearts of people.”
Verses Describing the Enemies of Ghadir
Verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas are among the verses used on the Day of Ghadir for the enemies of Ghadir. The context of using these verses is described as such: 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a) is the Imam whom the Prophet (s) made the cause of the nation's test: “O 'Ali, if it were not for you, the believers would not have been recognized after me.” The Prophet (s) dedicated a part of the Sermon of Ghadir to the enemies of the Imams (a) and outlining their future. Fifteen verses were included in this section as quotations and inclusions.
In these verses, on one hand, the description of the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) in this world is presented, mentioning their instability in faith, their inappropriate conversations, and their arrogance. On the other hand, the recompense for their belief and actions in this world and the hereafter is stated, which includes the nullification of their deeds and their deserving of eternal hellfire without reduction or respite and without intercession, and that too an extraordinary torment in the lowest degree of hell, hearing its boiling sound and seeing its flames.[1]
Among these verses are verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas: 
مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْواسِ الْخَنَّاسِ، الَّذِی یُوَسْوِسُ فِی صُدُورِ النَّاسِ,(I seek refuge in God) from the evil of the whispering, receding (whisperer), who whispers in the hearts of people
.
Text of the Verses in the Narration
In sources, the text of verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas in the narration is as follows: مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْواسِ الْخَنَّاسِ الَّذِی یُوَسْوِسُ فِی صُدُورِ النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْغَديرِ لَمّا اقامَ اميرَالْمُؤْمِنينَ عليه السلام النَّبِىّ صلى الله عليه وآله لِلنّاسِ، وَ كانَ (عُمَرُ) اذا خَلا قالَ لِلنّاسِ: ما يَأْلُو انْ يُذِلَّ قُرَيْشَ لابْنِ ابى طالِبٍ وَ وُلْدِهِ: Verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas are about the Day of Ghadir when the Prophet (s) appointed Amir al-Muʾminin (a) for the people. There, 'Umar, in private, would say to the people: He spares no effort to humiliate Quraysh for the son of Abu Talib and his children.[2]
Historical Context of Using the Verses
The historical context of using verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas is depicted as follows: After the conclusion of the Ghadir sermon and the people's anticipation for the one hundred and twenty thousand-strong allegiance ceremony with Amir al-Muʾminin (a), a group, led by the second caliph, began spreading rumors and creating doubts. The hypocrites, angered by the allegiance ceremony, also became active in spreading these rumors. They adopted several methods to corrupt people's minds and disrupt the Ghadir program: The first method was to sow discord in people's hearts, which could be carried out throughout the desert of Ghadir among the gatherings of people. At the head of this conspiracy was 'Umar b. al-Khattab, who, whenever he found a group of people away from the sight of the Prophet (s) and his loyal companions, would say to weaken their faith: “He spares no effort to humiliate Quraysh for the son of Abu Talib and his children.” Verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas are about him, which state: “Say, I seek refuge in God from the evil of the whisperer who is held back from the remembrance of God and whispers in the hearts of people.”[3]
Doctrinal Analysis of Verses in a Narration Using the Narration of Imam al-Sadiq (a)
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a) explains this part of the Ghadir event while interpreting verses 4 and 5 of Sura al-Nas as follows: When the Prophet (s) appointed Amir al-Muʾminin (a) for the people on the Day of Ghadir, the second caliph began to sow discord. When he found a group of people in private, he would tell them: “He will not fail to humiliate Quraysh in front of the son of Abu Talib and his children.” And this is the meaning of: “(I seek refuge in God) from the evil of the whispering, the slinking (who shrinks from the remembrance of God), who whispers into the hearts of men.”[4]
In this statement, Imam al-Sadiq (a) refers to two aspects of the second caliph's characteristics: one is وَسْواس (whisperer) and the other is خَنّاس (slinker). Creating doubt among people, spreading rumors, and raising suspicions were tools that hypocrites, led by 'Umar, used throughout their lives to divert people from *wilaya*. This is because explicitly stating disbelief always harms the reputation of a hypocrite, but creating doubt in hearts is an effective strategy. The attribute “khannas,” which is also used for Satan, means someone who shrinks and loses composure when hearing the remembrance of God. This is an attribute that Imam al-Sadiq (a) attributed to the second caliph and interpreted the Quranic verse in relation to him. His hatred for the name of 'Ali (a), Ghadir, religion, and the completion of blessings is found in no one else. The best evidence for this claim are the words he and his companions uttered at Ghadir:
Footnotes
- ↑ Ghadir dar Quran, vol. 2, p. 367.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Quran, vol. 2, p. 429.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Quran, vol. 2, p. 429.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Quran, vol. 2, pp. 429–430.
- ↑ Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 154.
- ↑ Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 160; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 172.
- ↑ Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 163.
- ↑ Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 111.
References
- Bihar al-Anwar al-Jami'a li-Durar Akhbar al-A'imma al-Athar; Muḥammad Baqir b. Muḥammad Taqi Majlisi, Beirut: Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1403 AH.
- Ghadir dar Quran, Quran dar Ghadir; Muḥammad Baqir Ansari, Qom: Intisharat Dalil Ma, 1387 SH.