Verses 8 to 15 of Al-Baqara and Al-Ghadir

Verses 8 to 15 of Al-Baqara and Al-Ghadir

Personal Information
Academic Information
cultural information
Reason for Notability	Verses regarding the behavior of the hypocrites toward al-Ghadir and their mocking of the believers of al-Ghadir, which were answered with God's promise of punishment.

Verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara are verses revealed regarding the behavior of the hypocrites (munafiqin) toward al-Ghadir, which was accompanied by their duplicity and mocking of the believers of al-Ghadir. Because of this behavior, God promised them punishment after granting them respite to sink further into their sins.

The historical context of verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara has been described as follows: After the al-Ghadir caravan returned to Medina, those who had signed the Cursed Scroll were commanded by the spirit of hypocrisy to bring their serious plots against al-Ghadir closer to implementation through dual behavior and deception. The Prophet (s) intended to make them understand that he was aware of their hypocrisy, informed of their plots, and capable of neutralizing all their conspiracies, and that the leniency and freedom granted to them was merely for the purpose of testing the people and was a matter ordained by the Lord. The hypocritical statements of the hypocrites on one hand, and the serious and profound confrontation by the Prophet (s) on the other, created an event about which eight verses of the Quran were revealed, serving as a final argument (itmam al-hujja) for the hypocrites of that day and their followers until the Day of Judgment.

In a long narration from Imam Musa al-Kazim (a), the occasion of the revelation of these verses and their connection to the hypocrites and their leaders is clarified. The sequence of events in this narration, based on verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara, is depicted as follows: the beginning of the line of hypocrisy after the al-Ghadir allegiance; God's informing of the hypocrisy of the hypocrites and examples of the hypocritical statements of the leaders of the Scroll; divine notification of the hypocrites' deception; a divine miracle before the eyes of the hypocrites regarding the truthfulness of al-Ghadir; the reaction of the hypocrites to the miracles, which was an increase in the disease of their hearts; the hypocrites' treatment of the companions of al-Ghadir, which involved mocking them; and God's account in response to the mocking of the hypocrites, which is their being mocked by God and being granted respite to remain bewildered in their rebellion.

Verses Regarding the Actions of the Hypocrites at Al-Ghadir

Verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara are considered among the verses revealed regarding the actions of the hypocrites at al-Ghadir. Since the hypocrites began their sedition and conspiracy from the first hours of the al-Ghadir journey and acted upon their plans in many instances, many verses were revealed regarding the provocations and plots of the hypocrites against the Prophet (s), alongside the verses revealed about the Prophet's (s) actions at al-Ghadir. The narrations related to these verses have clarified their occasion of revelation and their direct connection to al-Ghadir.

These are 104 verses that were revealed in 39 instances; among these are verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara: And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers.(8)They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not.(9)In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.(10)And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers."(11)Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.(12)And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.(13)And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with their devils, they say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers."(14)Allah mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression [while] they wander blindly.(15)

Historical Context

The historical context of verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara is described as follows: After the failure of the hypocrites' plot to assassinate the Prophet (s) at the mountain pass (al-'Aqaba), the al-Ghadir caravan returned to Medina. The al-Ghadir program, which was the declaration of the wilaya and the official appointment of the Commander of the Faithful (a), had concluded with the people's allegiance. It should be noted that in that situation, those who had signed the Cursed Scroll and had drawn up successive plans had already implemented many of their schemes. In those conditions, the spirit of hypocrisy commanded them to bring their serious plots against al-Ghadir closer to implementation through dual behavior and deception.

The Prophet (s) intended to make them understand that he was aware of their hypocrisy, informed of their plots, and capable of neutralizing all their conspiracies, and that the leniency and freedom granted to them was merely for the purpose of testing the people and was a matter ordained by the Lord. The hypocritical statements of the hypocrites on one hand, and the serious and profound confrontation by the Prophet (s) on the other, created an event about which eight verses of the Quran were revealed, serving as a final argument for the hypocrites of that day and their followers until the Day of Judgment.

In this event, it is explicitly stated that verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara were revealed in such a situation, and that the core of the story was the al-Ghadir allegiance and its violation by the hypocrites. Imam al-Kazim (a) says in this regard: "When the Prophet (s) introduced the Commander of the Faithful (a) to everyone on the day of al-Ghadir in that famous and well-known position, a group of rebellious hypocrites conspired among themselves... God was aware of this conspiracy by them and informed His Prophet Muhammad (s) about them and said..." Here, the Imam (a) recited verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara and explained their occasion of revelation in this regard.

Detailed Account

Some researchers have presented the details of the events related to the revelation of verses eight to fifteen of Surah al-Baqara, based on certain sources, derived from a narration by Imam Musa al-Kazim (a) as follows:

Beginning of the Line of Hypocrisy After the Ghadir Allegiance

After the Prophet (s) introduced Amir al-Mu'minin (a) to the position of imamate on the day of Ghadir, he took the allegiance (bay'a) for the Imam from nine people before anyone else. The first of these individuals were Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa and 'Umar b. al-Khattab. Then, he ordered the leaders of the Muhajirun and Ansar to pledge allegiance, and they all did so. Among them, 'Umar b. al-Khattab stood up and said: "Congratulations to you, O 'Ali, for you have become my master (mawla) and the master of every believing man and woman." They left the presence of the Prophet while he had taken firm covenants from them.

However, a group of arrogant hypocrites conspired among themselves that if something were to happen to the Prophet, they would divert the matter of the caliphate away from Amir al-Mu'minin and not leave it in his hands. God was aware of this conspiracy, yet they would hypocritically come to the Prophet (s) and declare: "You have appointed over us the most beloved of God's creation to God, to yourself, and to us, and by this, you have relieved us from the evil of those who oppress us and those who transgress in our politics." This was while God knew their hearts and knew that they had conspired with one another to remain steadfast in their enmity against the divine command and would not stop at any action to divert the caliphate from the one who is entitled to it.

God's Revelation Regarding Their Hypocrisy

It was in these circumstances that God informed the Prophet (s) about them: O Muhammad! "And among the people are those who say, 'We have faith in Allah,'" whom He has commanded you to appoint 'Ali to the imamate and as the policymaker of your ummah and the manager of their affairs, "but they do not have faith" in what they say with their tongues; rather, they conspire to destroy you and 'Ali, and they prepare themselves to disobey the commands of 'Ali if something were to happen to you.

Alongside the divine revelation, reports also reached the Prophet (s) concerning the conspiracies of the hypocrites, their statements about 'Ali (a), and their assassination attempts against him. The Prophet summoned them and rebuked them. In response, they swore firm oaths denying those reports.

Examples of Hypocrisy Before the Prophet (s)

Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa said: "O Messenger of God! By God, I have not attached importance to anything as much as I have to this allegiance. I hoped that God would reserve for me a spacious place in the palaces of Paradise through this allegiance and make me among the best of those who enter and dwell therein."

'Umar said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of God! I did not find peace of mind regarding entering Paradise and salvation from the Fire except through this allegiance. By God, after this covenant I have pledged, the breaking of this oath and opposition to it will never be pleasing to me, even if the space from the earth to the Throne were filled with fresh pearls and precious jewels and given to me to violate this allegiance."

The third one said:Template:Note "By God, O Messenger of God, I became so joyful with this allegiance and hoped for such a spacious place in God's Paradise of Ridwan that I became certain that if the sins of all the people of the earth were upon me, they would be wiped from my record of deeds through this allegiance!" Then, he swore an oath once more on his statement and cursed anyone who had brought a report to the Prophet (s) contrary to this claim.

Divine Notification of the Hypocrites' Deception

After these three individuals, a number of other hypocrites offered similar excuses, but God Almighty said to the Prophet (s): "They seek to deceive God," meaning they deceive the Prophet of God with oaths that contradict their inner selves; "and those who have faith," meaning the companions of the Prophet (s), the most excellent of whom is 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a). "But they deceive none except themselves," and through this deception, they harm no one but themselves; for God is independent of them and their support; and were it not for the respite God has granted them, they would not have attained the power for the transgression and rebellion they have committed. "But they do not perceive" that the matter is such, and that God has informed His Prophet of their hypocrisy, lies, and disbelief, and has commanded him to curse them alongside the curse upon the oppressors and the covenant-breakers. This curse is one that shall not be separated from them: in this world, the righteous servants of God curse them, and in the hereafter, they shall be seized by severe divine punishments.

Miracle Against the Line of Hypocrisy

When these hypocrites confronted the Prophet (s) with such excuses, the Prophet (s) graciously accepted their outward words and entrusted their inner state to God. However, Gabriel descended upon him and said: O Muhammad, the Exalted God sends you greetings and says: Take these arrogant ones—about whom you have received news regarding their breaking of the covenant with 'Ali and their readiness to oppose him—to the outskirts of the city of Medina; there, you shall show them the wonders of what God has bestowed upon 'Ali as a grace, for He has now placed him in your position and made him your successor on earth, and has placed the mountains, the heavens, and all else that God has created in obedience to him. This is so they may know that the vicegerent of God is independent of them. And He does not withhold His retribution from them except by the command of the God who has a plan regarding him and them, which He shall fulfill, and who has a wisdom by which He acts and through which He carries out His will.

Following this divine instruction, the Prophet (s) ordered that group to move to the outskirts of Medina. They accompanied the Prophet until they settled at the foot of one of the mountains surrounding Medina. The Prophet (s) said to the Commander of the Faithful (a): "O 'Ali, God Almighty has commanded these people to support you, to be ready in your service, and to be diligent in their obedience to you. If they obey you, it is better for them, and they shall be eternal kings in the Paradise of God, immersed in blessings; but if they oppose you, it is evil for them, and they shall go to Hell, where they shall be eternal and tormented."

Then, the Prophet (s) turned to the group of hypocrites and said: "Know that if you obey 'Ali, you shall be prosperous, and if you oppose him, you shall be wretched. God has made him independent of you through those whom He will show you and through the things He will show you." Then the Prophet (s) said: "O 'Ali, ask your Lord, by the station of Muhammad and his pure progeny—of whom you are the master after Muhammad—to transform these mountains for you into whatever you wish." The Commander of the Faithful (a) made this request to the Lord, and those mountains turned into silver and called out to him: "O 'Ali, O successor of the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, God has prepared us for you so that if you wish, you may spend us in the matter of your caliphate. Whenever you call us, we are at your disposal with a positive response, so that you may execute your command regarding us and fulfill your purpose concerning us."

Then, all those mountains turned into red gold and repeated the same words. After that, they turned into musk, ambergris, perfume, jewels, and rubies, and as they transformed into each, they called out to the Commander of the Faithful (a) saying: "O Aba l-Hasan, O brother of the Prophet, we are subservient to your command. Whenever you wish to spend us for any purpose, call us so that we may respond to you and transform into whatever you desire." At this point, the Prophet (s) said to them all: "Did you realize how God Almighty has made 'Ali (a) independent of your wealth with what you see?"

Then He said: "O 'Ali, ask God, in place of the station of Muhammad and his pure family—of whom you are the master after Muhammad—to transform the trees of this land into men armed to the teeth, and its rocks into lions, leopards, and vipers." The Commander of the Faithful (a) made this request to God, and those mountains, hills, and the surface of the earth were filled with men armed to the teeth, against whom ten thousand of those hypocrites could not stand. It was also filled with lions, leopards, and vipers in such a way that no empty space remained on those mountains, lands, and hills. They all called out: "O 'Ali, O successor of the Messenger of God, we are ready, and God has placed us at your disposal and commanded us to obey you whenever you call upon us to submit anyone whom you empower us over. So, whenever you wish, call us so that we may answer you, and command us to do whatever you desire so that we may obey you."

"O 'Ali, O successor of the Messenger of God! You possess such a magnificent station before God that if you were to ask Him to place the entire earth and its regions at your disposal like a sealed bag, He would accept; or if you were to ask Him to bring the sky down to the earth for you, He would do so; or if you wished for Him to take the earth up to the sky, He would perform it. If you wished for Him to transform its salty seas into sweet water, or jasmine oil, or the fragrant oil of the *ban* tree, or any other beverage or oil you might desire, He would do so. If you wished for Him to freeze the seas and turn the rest of the earth into seas, He would do it."

Therefore, do not be saddened by the rebellion of these insurgents and the opposition of these dissenters. When their world comes to an end, it will be as if they had never been in this world, and when the afterlife comes upon them, it will be as if they had been there from the beginning. O 'Ali, that which has granted these people respite in their infidelity, wickedness, and rebellion against your obedience is the same as the respite granted to Pharaoh, the lord of the stakes, and Nimrod b. Kan'an, and those rebels who claimed divinity, as well as the most rebellious of all rebels, namely Iblis, the leader of all misguidance. Neither you nor they were created for the transient abode; rather, you were all created for the eternal abode, and you are being transferred from one house to another. Your Lord also does not see a need for anyone to take charge of the politics of these hypocrites and the regulation of their affairs. God willed to prove your nobility over them and that you are distinct from them by your merit, and if He wills, He will guide them.

Reaction of the Hypocrites to the Miracles

Upon seeing these scenes, the hearts of the hypocrites became even more diseased, beyond the envy they already felt toward the Prophet and 'Ali (a). It was here that God said: "In their hearts is a disease"; meaning, a disease was created in the hearts of these rebellious, oath-breaking doubters regarding the allegiance you took for the Commander of the Faithful. "And God increased their disease" in such a way that their hearts became bewildered upon seeing these signs and miracles. "And for them is a painful punishment because of what they used to lie about," for they deny the Prophet (s) and lie in their claim when they say: "We are steadfast in our allegiance and our covenant."

When these oath-breakers of the Ghadir are told: "Do not cause corruption on the earth" by manifesting their oath-breaking before the oppressed servants of God, thereby disturbing their religion in their hearts and making them bewildered in their beliefs, "they say: 'We are but reformers,'" because we believe neither in the religion of Muhammad nor in anyone else, and we are bewildered in matters of religion. Outwardly, we show our satisfaction with Muhammad by expressing acceptance of his religion and law, but inwardly, we act according to our own desires. We utilize the amenities of life and its comforts, and we liberate our souls from the servitude of Muhammad and free ourselves from the obedience of his cousin 'Ali, so that if he finds victory in the world, we may be held in high regard by him, and if his affair leads to destruction, we may remain safe from being taken captive by his enemies.

God, the Almighty and Exalted, says: "Beware, it is they who are the corrupters" with these things they say about their own affairs; for God has made their hypocrisy known to His Prophet, and he curses them and commands the believers to curse them. The enemies of the believers also no longer trust them, for they assume that they treat them with hypocrisy as well, just as they treat the companions of the Prophet (s) with hypocrisy. Hence, they have no status before them, and they do not hold a place in their hearts as trustworthy individuals.

This word of God, which states: "And when it is said to them, 'Believe as the people have believed,' they say, 'Shall we believe as the foolish have believed?' Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not," concerns the time when the chosen believers, such as Salman, Miqdad, Abu Dharr, and 'Ammar, say to these oath-breakers: "Believe in the Prophet and in 'Ali, whom he has placed in his stead, granted him his position, and made him the criterion in all matters of religion and the world. You too, like the rest of the people, believe in this Prophet and submit to this Imam in both appearance and essence." They do not provide an answer to these believers, for they lack the courage to tell them the truth; however, to the hypocrites who come to them and are their confidants, as well as to the weak believers whom they are certain will keep their secret, they say: "Shall we believe as the foolish have believed?" By "the foolish," they mean Salman and his companions, who have offered sincere love and absolute obedience in the presence of 'Ali (a), and have made public their allegiance to the friends of 'Ali and their enmity toward his enemies.

They are considered "the foolish" because, with their extreme approach against the enemies of Muhammad (s), when his command fades, his enemies destroy them, and other leaders and opponents of Muhammad (s) annihilate them. "Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish," and their intellect and judgment are base, for they have not paid the necessary attention to the matter of the Prophet (s) to attain knowledge of his prophethood and to grasp the validity of establishing 'Ali (a) as the criterion in matters of religion and the world. By failing to carefully consider God's conclusive arguments, they have remained ignorant and are afraid of the Prophet (s) and his companions, as well as their opponents; for they are not secure as to which side will prevail and fear that they might be destroyed along with them. Therefore, they are foolish because, through their hypocrisy, neither the love of the Prophet (s) and the believers nor the love of the Jews and other disbelievers can be realized for them.

Through their hypocrisy, they express allegiance to the Prophet (s) and his brother 'Ali (a) and enmity toward the Jews, the Christians, and the Nasibis, just as they express enmity toward the Prophet and 'Ali (a) and allegiance to their enemies when in the presence of these enemies. By this method, the enemies of the Prophet (s) also imagine that their hypocrisy toward them is the same as their hypocrisy toward Muhammad and 'Ali (a). "But the hypocrites themselves do not realize this truth," and God informs His Prophet of their secrets, humiliates them, curses them, and deems them worthless.

The Hypocrites' Encounter with the Companions of Ghadir

God's word, which states in verse 14 of Surah al-Baqara: "And when they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe'; but when they are alone with their devils, they say, 'Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers.' [But] Allah mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression [while] they wander blindly," concerns the time when these oath-breakers, who had conspired to oppose 'Ali (a), would meet the believers and say: "We have believed just as you have believed."

When they met Salman, Miqdad, Abu Dharr, and 'Ammar, they would say to them: "We have believed in Muhammad and have submitted to the allegiance of 'Ali and his excellence, and we follow his instructions just as you do." In particular, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and the remaining nine who were more prominent in hypocrisy, would feel revulsion toward them when they encountered Salman and his companions, saying: "These are the companions of the sorcerer and the fool," by which they meant the Prophet and 'Ali (a). Then they would say to one another: "Beware of them, lest they become aware of the implications of your words regarding the disbelief of Muhammad and what you have said about 'Ali, and carry the news to him, causing your destruction."

Then Abu Bakr would say to his hypocritical companions, "Watch me now as I mock them and ward off their evil from you." When they approached them, Abu Bakr would say, "Welcome, Salman, son of Islam, about whom Muhammad, the master of the people, has said: 'If the religion were suspended from the Pleiades, men from the Persians would attain it, and this Salman is the best of them,' and he meant you. Welcome to you, for he said about you, 'Salman is from us, the Ahl al-Bayt,' and with this statement, he has linked you with Gabriel, who asked the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, on the Day of the Cloak: 'Am I also from you?' The Prophet replied, 'You are also from us.' Then Gabriel ascended to the highest realm and boasted to the other angels, saying, 'Who is like me? Glory be to me, for I am of the Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad.'"

Then Abu Bakr turned to Miqdad and said, "Welcome to you, O Miqdad! You are the one about whom the Prophet said to 'Ali: 'O 'Ali! Miqdad is your brother in religion, and because of the intensity of his love for you, his enmity toward your enemies, his friendship with your friends, and his hostility toward your foes, he is as if he were a part of your own body.' However, the angels of the heavens have an even greater love for 'Ali, and their enmity toward his enemies is even more intense. So, congratulations to you, O Miqdad, congratulations to you!"

Then Abu Bakr turned to Abu Dharr and said, "Welcome to you, O Abu Dharr! You are the one about whom the Prophet said: 'The earth has not carried, and the sky has not shaded, a speaker more truthful than Abu Dharr.' They asked the Prophet, 'By what has God granted him virtue and nobility?' He said, 'Because he is an eloquent speaker through the blessing of 'Ali, my brother; he is his eulogist in various circumstances, a reproacher of those who mock him and his enemies, and a friend to his friends. And God will soon place him in Paradise among its best inhabitants, and a number of heavenly women and boys, the count of which none knows but God, will be his servants.'"

Then Abu Bakr said to 'Ammar, "Welcome, 'Ammar, and greetings to you! By your friendship with the brother of the Prophet—despite being a person who seeks peace and comfort and performs only the obligatory and recommended acts of worship—you have reached a degree that those who exhaust their bodies in worship day and night, spending the night in prayer and the day in fasting, have not attained; and you have reached a degree that those who are generous with their wealth have not attained, even if all the wealth of the world were at their disposal and they gave it away. Greetings to you! The Prophet has chosen you as a sincere companion and defender of his brother 'Ali, to the extent that he has foretold that you will soon be killed in the path of your love for him and will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection among his best companions. May God grant me success in deeds like yours and your companions', so that it may be possible for me to serve Muhammad, the Messenger of God, and his brother 'Ali, the Wali of God, and also to be hostile to their enemies and sincere to their friends by accepting his wilaya and following him. In this way, God will soon make us prosperous when we meet."

Salman and his companions would accept their outward behavior, just as God had commanded, and would pass by them. Then Abu Bakr would say to his companions, "How did you see my mocking of them? And how did I ward off their evil from myself and from you?" They replied, "May you always follow the path of goodness as long as you live!" Abu Bakr answered them, "Your dealings with them must be like this until you find an opportunity, for the wise and intelligent person is one who suppresses his grief until he can seize an opportunity."

The Account of God Regarding the Peak of Hypocrisy of the Enemies of Ghadir

The enemies of Ghadir then returned to their like-minded associates, the hypocrites and the rebellious; those who were their partners in denying the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, for they denied what the Prophet had brought regarding the virtue of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, and his appointment by God as the Imam over all. When they went to their friends, they said, "We are with you," according to what they had plotted together, that if something were to happen to Muhammad, they would prevent 'Ali from this matter. "So do not be deceived or terrified by what you hear from us in their support, and what you see of us speaking with boldness in our dealings with them, for by doing this, we are mocking them."

It was here that God said: O Muhammad! "Allah shall mock them," and as a penalty for their mockery, He shall punish them in this world and the hereafter, "and He leaves them bewildered in their rebellion," and grants them respite, treating them gently with His forbearance, and invites them to repentance; and if they seek forgiveness, He gives them good promises. However, they are bewildered and do not desist from their vile deeds, and they do not spare any effort in causing harm to Muhammad and 'Ali (a) whenever possible.

Historical Analysis of the Occasion of Revelation of the Verses in Three Stages

Some researchers, by carefully examining the path taken in the event of the occasion of revelation of verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara, have formulated its three important stages as follows:

Stage One: Intensification of Hypocrisy After Ghadir

The hypocrites (munafiqun), after signing the First Cursed Scroll, began to act in a two-fold manner: on one hand, they devised plans and implemented them according to the circumstances, while reserving some for the future; on the other hand, to conceal their actions, they intensified their hypocritical behavior before the Prophet and the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali (a), and their special companions, praising the pledge of Ghadir and its sincere pledgers at every opportunity. The Prophet (s), by God's command, did not react and did not reveal his knowledge of their inner selves and their plots.

Stage Two: Final Completion of Argument with the Hypocrites

There was a specific command from the Lord that the argument must be completed with the hypocrites and all those who hear this story. Thus, the Prophet and the Commander of the Faithful (a), with divine backing, were capable of neutralizing all the plots of the hypocrites and destroying them. This means that Abu Bakr and 'Umar were not geniuses of their time who could devise such plots that the Prophet and 'Ali (a) would be unable to confront them. It was merely a divine command, both during the lifetime of the Prophet (s) and after his demise, to exercise patience and silence in the face of what was being done by the hypocrites, so that God could conduct a complex test of the people of that time and all those who would come after in history.

With a single gesture from the Commander of the Faithful (a), this stage was completed, and the hypocrites saw that in terms of both army and wealth, a massive force was at his disposal that no human power could withstand; therefore, it was proven to them and every listener that God's representatives exercise patience despite their power. However, the opportunistic representatives of Satan, because they know of their patience, have dared to act this way; otherwise, they are the most cowardly of all.

Stage Three: The Peak of the Hypocrisy Line's Actions

In this long hadith, the spirit of hypocrisy and the mentality of the hypocrite have been shown in the clearest form by citing their own behavior and speech. They have explicitly stated that the correct way of life is hypocrisy! To secure this method, actions such as mockery, false oaths, false praise, rumor-mongering, and opportunism yield favorable results for hypocrisy. All these cases have been depicted in this story and in the light of Quranic verses.

First Theological Analysis

Some researchers, by considering the entirety of this event under the verses eight to fifteen of Surah al-Baqara, have presented three fundamental points regarding the enemies of Ghadir:

First: An Understanding of the Spirit of Hypocrisy

It must be acknowledged that a true believer, due to the sincerity of their intention and the purity of their heart, finds it difficult to conceive of the spirits and intellectual foundations of a hypocrite. God and the Infallibles (a) have attempted in the Quran and hadiths to make the essence of hypocrisy understood by believers through various means, so that on one hand, they may recognize ways to confront them, and on the other, not be surprised by their actions or compare them to themselves. This long hadith is among the exceptional hadiths in this regard, which analyzes the states of hypocrites and presents them in three aspects:

A. The Disease of the Hypocrites' Hearts

An autopsy of the heart of the hypocrite shows that an incurable disease lies within it. This disease is such that even what is a cure for others causes the disease to intensify in them, and in the final stage, beyond the severity of the disease, God also adds to their illness, to the point that they themselves despair of curing their condition. These stages are observed in three important parts of this hadith, which depicts the state of the hypocrites after showing them those miracles as follows:

The hearts of those hypocrites became diseased upon witnessing those miracles, in addition to the disease of envy they held in their hearts toward the Prophet and 'Ali (a)... God also increased their disease such that their hearts became bewildered, and this was the recompense for those miracles that were shown to them, yet they did not learn a lesson.

We see that they go to witness a miracle with a heart diseased by envy, and upon seeing the miracle, instead of turning back from their falsehood and being cured, they find more audacity. The miracle not only has no effect on their diseased hearts, but their hardness and disbelief, as well as their perception of the miracle as sorcery, increase. God also places such a seal of bewilderment upon such dark hearts that wherever they look, they see nothing but darkness and ignorance.

B. The Intellectual Foundations of the Hypocrites

The mode of thinking governing the life of a hypocrite, which has become internalized in them, returns in a summary to the fact that, firstly, they consider the path of hypocrisy to be correct and have accepted that one must live this way to remain safe under the rule of both truth and falsehood; secondly, the interpretation they have of hypocrisy in their minds returns to a lack of belief in all involved parties, meaning they believe neither in Islam nor in disbelief. Thirdly, they consider sincere faith and true love and inclination toward the truth to be a foolish act that, in their view, naive people suffer from. These three stages are mentioned in the text of this hadith:

1. Considering Hypocrisy Correct

When it is said to these oath-breakers of Ghadir: "Do not cause corruption on the earth for the oppressed servants of God by manifesting the breaking of your oath..." they say: We are reformers... We declare our satisfaction with Muhammad in appearance by accepting his religion and his sharia, and in private, we act according to our own desires and enjoy the life of this world and live in comfort, and alongside that, we have freed ourselves from the bondage of servitude to Muhammad and have escaped the obedience of his cousin 'Ali, so that if he is victorious in the world, we are recognized by him, and if his affair perishes, we are safe from being taken captive by his enemies.

2. Disbelief

We believe in neither the religion of Muhammad nor the religion of anyone other than Muhammad, and we are bewildered regarding religion and have not reached a result or a decision.

With this hypocrisy of theirs, neither the love of Muhammad and the believers is correct for them, nor the love of the Jews and the rest of the disbelievers.

3. Considering Sincere Faith Foolish

Shall we believe as the foolish have believed? By which they meant Salman and his companions. Those who entrusted their sincere love and complete obedience to 'Ali and acted explicitly in friendship with his friends and enmity with his enemies. This behavior of theirs causes that whenever the government of Muhammad is dismantled, his enemies destroy them, and other kings and opponents of Muhammad annihilate them; therefore, they are ignorant and foolish for such explicit confrontation with the enemies of Muhammad.

C. Hypocritical Behaviors of the Hypocrites

This hadith mentions eight behaviors stemming from hypocrisy among the hypocrites, some of which are practical while others are internal and hidden states. Feelings of disgust upon seeing the believers, mocking them, deceitfulness in speech with them, inciting the thoughts of the oppressed, concealing plans from the Prophet (s) and the believers, opportunism, the decision to rebel if the opportunity arises, and the decision to kill the Prophet and 'Ali (a) are examples of the hypocrites' interactions with the believers mentioned in this hadith, which are pointed out below:

1. Disgust toward the believers: Whenever they met Salman and his companions, they were disgusted by the sight of them.
2. Mocking behavior: Abu Bakr would say: "Watch me as I mock them and ward off their evil from you." Abu Bakr would say to his companions: "How did you find my mocking of them? And how did I ward off their evil from you?" They would say to their friends: "We are with you, according to what we plotted with you... We were mocking the believers." God Almighty also said regarding them: "O Muhammad, God mocks them, and in return for their mocking, He punishes them in this world and the hereafter."
3. Deceitfulness in speech: They deceive the Prophet (s) by swearing oaths contrary to what is in their hearts; and they also deceive the believers.
4. Disturbing the thoughts of the oppressed: They are told: "Do not cause corruption on the earth by expressing your breach of allegiance to the oppressed servants of God, for as a result, you disturb their faith in their hearts and confuse them regarding their religion..."
5. Concealment from the believers: The hypocrites say to one another: "Be careful of the believers, lest they become aware of snippets of your speech regarding the kufr of Muhammad in what he said about 'Ali and report it, for your destruction will lie in that."
6. Opportunism: Abu Bakr would say to the other hypocrites: "Your interaction and behavior with the believers must be with deceit and hypocrisy so that such opportunities may arise for you regarding them, for the wise person is one who swallows the bitter gulps of grief until an opportunity is attained."
7. Decision to rebel: The hypocrites prepare themselves to rebel and disobey 'Ali (a) if something were to happen to you.
8. Decision to kill: But they have conspired to destroy you and 'Ali.

Second: The Impotence of the Hypocrites

Both the believers and the hypocrites must know that the vicegerent of God, under the shadow of divine power, is too strong for a few hypocrites to be able to render him impotent and seize power from him, and the enemy of the vicegerent of God is, under the dominion of divine power, too impotent to be able to prevail over the Hand of God and the Eye of God; for if God sends a representative on His behalf to the people, He never leaves him without support against his enemies. This is while He is the Absolute Power and prevails over all; therefore, if in some instances the enemies of God advance and the vicegerent of God does not take action, it is only because of the divine command, and it returns to the trial of the people and the interests that God has ordained.

Respite, Power, Patience

In this narration, three important aspects of this issue are depicted in the most detailed and beautiful form: on one hand, God granting respite to them, examples of which were stated in past nations in the likes of Pharaoh; on the other hand, the divine nature of the power of the vicegerent of God is raised, and then calculated examples of it are displayed. In the latter stage, it is explicitly stated that what prevents confrontation with them is nothing but the divine command. These three important points are stated in the text of the hadith as follows:

1. God's Respite to the Enemies

God is independent of them and their support; and were it not for the respite He has granted them, they would not have found the power for any of the transgression and tyranny they have committed.

O 'Ali, do not let the rebellion of these insolent ones and the opposition of these opponents of yours sadden you... The God who has granted these people respite in their disbelief, wickedness, and rebellion against your obedience is the same God who granted respite to Pharaoh, the owner of the stakes, to Nimrod, to those who claimed divinity, and to the most tyrannical of tyrants—that is, Iblis.

God does not prevent them in their tyranny, and with His forbearance, He grants them respite and invites them to repentance, and in the event of their return, He promises them forgiveness.

2. The Divine Power of the Wali Allah

Gabriel came to the Prophet (s) and said: "O Muhammad, the Exalted God sends you greetings and says: Take these defiant ones—about whom you have received news regarding their breaking of the pledge to 'Ali and their readiness to oppose him—outside the city of Medina, so that the wonders of what God has honored 'Ali with, from the obedience of the earth, the mountains, the heavens, and other creatures of God, may be manifested."

Then the Prophet (s) said to the hypocrites: "...God has made 'Ali needless of you through those whom He will soon show you."

3. The Patience of the Wali Allah by God's Command

So that they may know that the Wali of God does not withhold his retribution from them except by the command of the God who has a plan regarding him and them, which He will implement, and who has a wisdom that He will bring to fruition, and according to which He advances His will.

Economic and Military Powers

What is noteworthy in the presentation of the power of the Wali Allah to the hypocrites is its comprehensiveness, intended to erase any possibility from their minds. On one hand, there is the economic aspect, where by transforming mountains into silver, red gold, musk, amber, and jewels, it was made clear that the most precious objects in the world are within the power of the Wali Allah at a single gesture. Higher than that is their speaking, as they said: "We are subservient to you. Whenever you intend to use us for what you wish, we are ready, and we will transform into whatever you desire."

On the other hand, the military aspect was demonstrated to the hypocrites, where the transformation of trees into fully armed men—each as effective as ten thousand people—and the transformation of rocks into lions, leopards, and vipers were displayed. All of them called out: "God has made us subservient to you and has commissioned us to fulfill your command whenever you call upon us to subdue anyone over whom you empower us. So whenever you wish, call us so that we may respond, and command us to do whatever you wish so that we may obey you."

With such a background that Abu Bakr and 'Umar had in mind, they later seized Fadak from the possession of Lady Fatima (a) to empty the hands of the Commander of the Faithful (a) economically, lest he use its income to gather supporters and purchase weapons. Even more strange than that, having seen that vast army at the disposal of the Commander of the Faithful (a), is how they attacked the door of the House of Revelation with four thousand people—those who were the first to flee in all battles—set it on fire, martyred the lady of the house while she was pregnant, and placed a rope around the neck of 'Ali (a) to take him for the pledge of allegiance. This hadith illustrates a glimpse of the power of the Wali Allah, such that if he ever deems it appropriate to use them, no power would be able to resist him.

Third: Cursing the Hypocrites

The hypocrites who usurped the caliphate are the most deserving of God's curse and distance from His mercy, for they made a mockery of the foundation of the divine religion, namely the wilaya, committed such audacity against the position of the wilaya of the Commander of the Faithful (a), and led people into misguidance until the end of time. In this long hadith, the command of God and His Messenger to curse them, the specific identification of their leaders in a way that remains hidden to no one, and the permanence of this curse in this world and the hereafter, without it ever being suspended, are explicitly mentioned.

1. God's Command to Curse the Hypocrites

God informs His Prophet of their hypocrisy, lying, and disbelief, and commands him to curse them along with all the oppressors and those who break their pledges.

God the Exalted informs His Prophet of their secrets, and the Prophet humiliates them, curses them, and considers them worthless.

2. The Prophet's (s) Command to Curse the Hypocrites

God the Exalted makes their hypocrisy known to His Prophet. He then curses them and commands the believers to curse them as well.

God commanded the Prophet (s) to introduce the hypocrites to the believers through allusion, in such a way that it would not remain hidden from his sincere companions who was meant, and then he commanded them to be cursed.

3. The Eternal Curse of the Hypocrites

That curse does not depart from them: in this world, the chosen servants of God curse them, and in the hereafter, they will be afflicted with the severe punishments of God.

Fourth: The Mockery of the Hypocrites in the Hereafter

It is evident that the mockery of the hypocrites in the hereafter, as a retribution for their mockery in this world, is unrelated to the various punishments they receive for their other conspiracies and deeds. Imam Kazim (a), in the continuation of his explanation of verse fifteen of Surah al-Baqara, states: "After God places those hypocrites in the place of curse and humiliation and punishes them with strange types of torment, and on the other hand, establishes the believers in Paradise in the presence of the Prophet (s), He places the believers in a position where they can see these mockers and their punishments. One of their delights will be the gloating over the hypocrites, just as they enjoy the blessings of Paradise, while they recognize those disbelieving hypocrites by their names and attributes!"

The believers observe them in Hell, while some of them are caught in the fangs of the vipers of Hell, others are played with in the claws of its predatory beasts, a group is being struck under whips and maces, and some are submerged in the boiling sea of Hell, and the flames of Hell torment them, and each is caught in a specific punishment.

On the other hand, the hypocrites, from within the fire, observe those very believers whom they used to mock in the world because of the wilaya of the Ahl al-Bayt. They see them as a group sitting on heavenly carpets, another group enjoying its fruits, and some enjoying themselves in its palaces, gardens, or recreational areas, while heavenly women and youths stand in their presence to serve them and revolve around them. Furthermore, the angels of God bring them gifts from the Divine Presence and say: 'Peace be upon you for your patience, and how excellent is the final abode.'

In such a situation, those believers who are overlooking these hypocritical disbelievers say: 'O Abu Bakr, O Umar, O so-and-so...'—calling them all by their names—'why have you remained in this humiliating condition? Come to us so that we may open the doors of Paradise for you, so you may be delivered from your torment and come to us in the blessings of Paradise.' They reply: 'Woe unto us! How is such a thing possible for us?' The believers say: 'Look at these doors.' The hypocrites look from Hell at the doors of Paradise that have been opened, and it appears to them that those doors lead toward the Hell in which they are being punished.

They think they are capable of coming out of Hell and reaching Paradise. They swim toward those doors in the boiling sea of Hell, but the agents of punishment reach them from behind and strike them with maces and whips, yet they continue to move forward. When it seems to them that they have reached those doors, they find them closed upon them, and all that remains for them are the flames of fire that descend upon their heads with maces and send them to the depths of Hell.

Upon seeing this scene, those believers, out of joy, fall back laughing on the carpets upon which they are sitting and mock them; this is the meaning of 'God mocks them,' and this is what God states (Verses 34 and 35 of Surah al-Mutaffifin): 'So today those who have faith will laugh at the disbelievers, while they look on from the couches.'

Second Theological Analysis

In addition to the theological analysis of the occasion of revelation for verses 8 to 15 of Surah al-Baqara, two other theological points have been raised by some researchers:

1. Imam Ali (a) as the Criterion for Religion and Worldly Affairs

The term wilaya has a very precise meaning, which is on one hand laden with many details and on the other hand, with slight negligence, deviates from its original meaning. This is why numerous explanations have been provided in hadiths to clarify this word. The phrase that appears in two instances of this long narration is one of the shortest and most profound sentences regarding the meaning of the absolute wilaya of Imam Ali (a):

• Ali (a), whom He placed in his rightful position, entrusted with His own station, and established as the criterion and standard for all matters of religion and the world.
• The hypocrites did not reflect upon the prophethood of Muhammad as they should have, in order to gain knowledge of his mission, and thereby realize the truth of the matter that the Prophet (s) had appointed Ali (a) as the criterion for the affairs of religion and the world.

In summary, these two expressions convey that for humanity to have complete assurance in every action taken in worldly or religious affairs, God has established a definitive criterion that must be the sole standard of measurement; that is the station of infallibility (ʿiṣma), whose possessor, after the Prophet (s), is Imam Ali (a), and after him, the eleven Imams (a). It is here that the meaning of "Ali is with the truth and the truth is with Ali" becomes clear, implying that one must recognize the truth through Ali (a), not Ali (a) through the truth. He is the criterion, the scale, the revealer, and the expounder of the truth.

2. Comparing the Usurpers of the Caliphate to Those Who Claimed Divinity

Throughout human history, Saqifa was not the first act of rebellion against God. The beginning of human creation coincided with Iblis's disobedience of the divine command, and after him, rebels such as Pharaoh and Nimrod asserted themselves in this world to the extent of claiming divinity. The same God who granted respite to Iblis, Pharaoh, Nimrod, and other tyrants of the world, granted respite to Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Mu'awiya, Yazid, and others, so that they could manifest themselves against His self-sufficient essence, issue commands in opposition to His, and oppress His fully authorized representative. The phrase that expresses this point in this long narrative is as follows:

O Ali, the One who has granted respite to them, despite this disbelief, wickedness, and the hypocrites' rebellion against your obedience, is the same God who granted respite to Pharaoh of the stakes, Nimrod, and the tyrants who claimed divinity, and the most tyrannical of all tyrants, Iblis—the leader of all heads of misguidance.

References

• Ithbāt al-Hudāt bi-l-Nuṣūṣ wa l-Muʿjizāt; Muhammad b. Hasan Hurr al-'Amili, edited by 'Ala' al-Din al-A'lami, Beirut: Mu'assasat al-A'lami li-l-Matbu'at, 1425 AH.
• Biḥār al-Anwār al-Jāmiʿa li-Durar Akhbār al-Aʾimma al-Aṭhār; Muhammad Baqir b. Muhammad Taqi Majlisi, Beirut: Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1403 AH.
• Al-Burhān fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān; Hashim b. Sulayman Bahrani, Qom: Mu'assasat al-Bi'tha (Markaz al-Tiba'a wa l-Nashr), 1415 AH.
• Taʾwīl al-Āyāt al-Ẓāhira fī Faḍāʾil al-ʿItra al-Ṭāhira; Sharaf al-Din 'Ali Husayni Astarabadi, edited by Husayn Ustadwali, Qom: Mu'assasat al-Nashr al-Islami, 1409 AH.
• Tafsīr al-Imām al-ʿAskarī (a); attributed to Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a), Qom: Madrasat al-Imam al-Mahdi (a), 1409 AH.
• ʿAwālim al-ʿUlūm wa l-Maʿārif wa l-Aḥwāl min al-Āyāt wa l-Akhbār wa l-Aqwāl; 'Abdallah b. Nurallah Bahrani Isfahani, edited by Muhammad Baqir Muwahhid Abtahi Isfahani, Qom: Mu'assasat al-Imam al-Mahdi (a), 1382 Sh.
• Ghadīr dar Qurʾān, Qurʾān dar Ghadīr; Muhammad Baqir Ansari, Qom: Intisharat-e Dalil-e Ma, 1387 Sh.
• Madīnat Maʿājiz al-Aʾimma al-Ithnā ʿAshar wa Dalāʾil al-Ḥujaj ʿalā l-Bashar; Sayyid Hashim b. Sulayman Bahrani, edited by 'Izzat Allah Mawla'i al-Hamadani, Qom: Mu'assasat al-Ma'arif al-Islamiyya, 1413 AH.