Verses 92 to 95 of Surah al-Hijr and Ghadir
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| Reason for Notability | The importance of announcing the wilaya of Amir al-Mu'minin (a) and protecting the Prophet (s) from the enemies of Ghadir |
Verses 92 to 95 of Surah al-Hijr are verses revealed during the event of Ghadir, the content of which emphasizes the importance of announcing the wilaya of Amir al-Mu'minin (a) and protecting the Prophet (s) from the enemies of Ghadir.
The revelation of verses 92 to 95 of Surah al-Hijr during the event of Ghadir has been analyzed from a theological perspective as follows: First, these verses emphasize with great intensity that on the Day of Judgment, the wilaya of 'Ali (a) is a matter that will be questioned; second, the Prophet (s) was commanded to announce the wilaya loudly as a divine mission, and this command from the Lord is so important that one should not pay attention to any reaction while performing it; third, in this verse, God explicitly promises His Prophet to neutralize the plots of the munafiqin, and in practice, holding the three-day ceremony in peace and protecting the Prophet (s) from the danger of assassination at Mount Harsha showed that when God's guarantee supports an action, no power can disrupt it.
Verses Related to the Actions of the Prophet (s) at Ghadir
Verses 92 to 95 of Surah al-Hijr are considered among the verses that were revealed to the Prophet (s) during the Hajjat al-Wada' pilgrimage, after the completion of the Hajj rituals, on the path from Mecca to Ghadir.[1]
Many verses of the Quran were revealed during the Prophet's journey from Medina to Mecca and his return, with 21 verses directly related to the subject of Ghadir and its message. These verses demonstrate the divine support and direct command of God during the Ghadir ceremony. Some verses point to the conclusion of the prophethood and the beginning of the wilaya, while others prepare the people for a great divine test. Furthermore, Ghadir is introduced as a great victory and the despair of the enemies, and the importance of conveying the wilaya is emphasized. Ultimately, these verses announce the perfection of religion and the culmination of God's grace through the wilaya. There are 49 such verses, revealed on 21 occasions.[2]
Among these verses are verses 92 to 95 of Surah al-Hijr: 
فَوَ رَبِّکَ لَنَسْئَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِینَ ﴿۹۲﴾ عَمَّا کانُوا یَعْمَلُونَ ﴿۹۳﴾ فَاصْدَعْ بِما تُؤْمَرُ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِکِینَ ﴿۹۴﴾ إِنَّا کَفَیْناکَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِینَ ﴿۹۵﴾,So by your Lord, We will surely question them all, about what they used to do. So proclaim what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists. Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers
.
Historical Context of Revelation
Some researchers have described the historical context of the revelation of verses 92 to 95 of Surah al-Hijr as follows: On the thirteenth of Dhu l-Hijja in Mecca, Bilal al-Habashi made a public announcement on behalf of the Prophet (s): Tomorrow, no one—except the disabled—should remain, and everyone must depart so that after traveling for four days, they could be present at Ghadir on the fifth day.[3] With this announcement, all the people prepared themselves. After a one-day stop, on the morning of the fourteenth, the caravan of pilgrims, accompanied by some people from Mecca and Yemen, set off toward Ghadir. Along the way, divine revelation continued to descend, supporting the event of Ghadir.
Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman al-Yamani, who provided a moment-by-moment report of this historic journey, describes the next stage of the revelation of the verses on the third day of the journey as follows: فَسارَ رَسُولُ اللَّه صلى الله عليه و آله يَوْمَيْنِ وَ لَيْلَتَيْنِ. فَلَمّا كانَ فِى الْيَوْمِ الثالِثِ اتاهُ جِبْرَئيلُ بِآخِرِ سُورَةِ الْحِجْرِ فَقالَ: اقْرَءْ: فَوَ رَبِّکَ لَنَسْئَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِینَ عَمَّا کانُوا یَعْمَلُونَ فَاصْدَعْ بِما تُؤْمَرُ وَ أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِکِینَ، إِنَّا کَفَیْناکَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِینَ. قالَ: وَ رَحِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّه صلى الله عليه و آله وَ اغَذَّ السَّيْرَ مُسْرِعاً لِيَنْصِبَ عَلِيّاً عَلَماً لِلنّاسِ: The Prophet (s) traveled for two days and two nights. When the third day arrived, Gabriel came to him with the end of Surah al-Hijr and said: Read: So by your Lord, We will surely question them all, about what they used to do. So proclaim what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists. Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers. He said: The Prophet (s) departed and quickened his pace to appoint 'Ali as a sign for the people.[4]
It was here that the Prophet (s) moved from that place and increased his speed to appoint Amir al-Mu'minin as a sign and marker for the people.[5]
Theological Analysis of the Revelation of the Verse
The revelation of verses 92 to 95 of Surah al-Hijr during the event of Ghadir has been analyzed theologically as follows: At a point when half of the journey from Mecca to Ghadir had been completed and the caravan was nearing its destination, signs of the Almighty's complete oversight of every moment of this theological program were evident. Three important points regarding Ghadir have been stated in this context:
Questioning All People Regarding Wilaya
"So by your Lord, We will surely question them all about what they used to do": God takes an oath and emphasizes His special concern for this matter with two linguistic markers, further reinforcing it by adding the word "ajmaʿīn" (all). All these emphases are because people will be questioned about their actions. What is important is the connection of these actions to the issue toward which the Prophet (s) was moving, and that is nothing but the announcement of the Wilaya of 'Ali (a). In another hadith, when the Prophet (s) was asked about this verse, he said: It will be asked about the Wilaya of 'Ali b. Abi Talib.[6]
Announcement of Wilaya, a Divine Mission with a Loud Voice
"So proclaim what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists." In this verse, four points regarding Wilaya can be observed:
- First point: The word "iṣdaʿ" (proclaim) has been used regarding Wilaya, whereas in most cases, the word "balligh" (convey) and its equivalents are used. "Iṣdaʿ" means to announce with a loud voice and to convey in a way that ensures the news reaches the audience; the Ghadir ceremony was announced in this manner, such that the news of it spread to the farthest points of the world of that day and today.[7]
- Second point: The word "tu'mar" (you are commanded) indicates the divine mission of Wilaya and is explicit in the revelation of the command of Wilaya from God to the Prophet (s).[8]
- Third point: Regarding "mushrikin" (polytheists), given that after the conquest of Mecca the Prophet (s) had no enemies among the polytheists, the term refers to either the hypocrites who maintained the essence of polytheism under the guise of Islam, or those who desired to have a share in the caliphate of the Prophet (s).[9]
- Fourth point: The word "aʿriḍ" (turn away) indicates disregard and paying no attention; meaning this command of the Lord is so important that one should pay no attention to any reaction while carrying it out.[10]
Promise of Protecting the Prophet (s)
"Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers": As stated in the beginning of the al-Ghadir Sermon, one of the major obstacles in the path of conveying the Wilaya at Ghadir was the presence of the mockers of Islam, who were the same hypocrites. The Prophet (s) said in the al-Ghadir Sermon: "I asked Gabriel to request God to exempt me from conveying this important matter, because... I am aware of the schemes of the mockers of Islam."[11]
In this verse, God explicitly promises His Prophet the neutralization of their plots and the repulsion of their danger. In practice, the holding of the three-day ceremony in peace and the protection of the Prophet from the danger of assassination at Mount Harsha[12] showed that when God's guarantee supports an action, no power can disrupt it. Another point in the text of the hadith is the phrase: اتاهُ جِبْرَئيلُ بِآخَرِ سُورَةِ الْحِجْرِ. From this sentence, it can be inferred that the verses revealed in this regard are all the final verses of Surah al-Hijr and are not limited to the few verses mentioned.[13]
Footnotes
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 25.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 25.
- ↑ Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 111.
- ↑ Irshad al-Qulub, vol. 2, p. 196; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 28, p. 98.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 69.
- ↑ Manaqib Amir al-Mu'minin (a), vol. 1, p. 156, hadith 90; Shawahid al-Tanzil, vol. 1, p. 423, hadith 452; Manaqib Al Abi Talib, vol. 2, p. 152; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 24, p. 271.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 70.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 70.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 70.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 70.
- ↑ For more information, see: Asrar-i Ghadir, p. 139, section 2.
- ↑ For more information, see: Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 108; Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 2, p. 101; Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 2, p. 406; Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 3, p. 77.
- ↑ Ghadir dar Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 71; Waqi'a-yi Qur'ani-yi Ghadir, p. 59.
References
- Irshad al-Qulub al-munji min 'amal bihi min alim al-'iqab; Hasan b. Abi l-Hasan Muhammad al-Daylami, edited by Sayyid Hashim Milani, Tehran: Uswah Publications, 1382 Sh.
- Asrar-i Ghadir; Muhammad Baqir Ansari, Tehran: Nashr-i Tak, 1384 Sh.
- Bihar al-anwar al-jami'a li-durar akhbar al-a'imma al-athar; Muhammad Baqir b. Muhammad Taqi Majlisi, Beirut: Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1403 Q.
- Shawahid al-tanzil li-qawa'id al-tafdil fi al-ayat al-nazila fi ahl al-bayt salawat Allah wa salamuhu 'alayhim; 'Ubayd Allah b. 'Abd Allah al-Haskani, edited by Muhammad Baqir al-Haskani, Tehran: Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (Printing and Publishing Institute), 1411 Q.
- Ghadir dar Qur'an, Qur'an dar Ghadir; Muhammad Baqir Ansari, Qom: Dalil-i Ma Publications, 1387 Sh.
- Manaqib Al Abi Talib; Muhammad b. 'Ali b. Shahrashub Mazandarani, edited by Muhammad Husayn Ashtiyani and Sayyid Hashim Rasuli Mahallati, Qom: 'Allameh Publishing Institute, 1379 Q.
- Manaqib al-Imam Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a); Muhammad b. Sulayman al-Kufi, edited by Muhammad Baqir Mahmudi, Qom: Majma' Ihya' al-Thaqafa al-Islamiyya, 1423 Q.
- Waqi'a-yi Qur'ani-yi Ghadir: Guzarish-i safar-i yek-mahe-yi payambar baraye e'lan-i wilaya dar saye-yi ayat-i qur'ani; Muhammad Baqir Ansari, Qom: Dalil-i Ma Publications, 1386 Sh.