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"Uncovering Ghadeer Khumm: The Historical Truth" is a historical documentary series that examines the momentous event of Ghadeer Khumm. This series explores the historical dimensions of Ghadeer with the help of distinguished scholars from Islamic seminaries and academia, while addressing related questions and misconceptions through historical evidence and reasoned analysis. Part 5 of the documentary explores how the ceremony of congratulations and the pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali (AS) took place following his appointment by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at Ghadeer Khumm. It also examines the third verse of Chapter Al-Ma’idah, commonly known as the “Verse of the Completion of Religion,” and addresses an important question: Why is the event of Ghadeer Khumm regarded as the point at which Islam was perfected and Allah’s blessings upon the Muslims were completed?
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00:22Uncovering Khadid Echom, The Historical Truth, Part 5, Khadid's Celebration
00:31After performing his final Hajj pilgrimage, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was returning
00:38to Medina. As commanded by God, the Holy Prophet suddenly redirected the caravan of Muslims.
00:46He instructed travelers behind the caravan and those ahead to change their route and
00:53instead follow him towards a remote pond called Khom.
00:59The Muslims set up their camps near the pond of Khom.
01:04After performing the noon prayer, the Holy Prophet ascended to the pulpit and delivered
01:09the final divine command, which was regarding leadership and succession so the Muslims would
01:15not be lost or confused after his demise. The Prophet first praised and glorified God.
01:24Then he announced to the people that he would soon be leaving them and heading to the hereafter.
01:32He then told the people, who were saddened and shocked by this news, that there was a way
01:38toward salvation. This way was to hold tightly to two precious things he was leaving behind.
01:46As long as they cling on to these two treasures, they would not go astray. These two treasures
01:54are the Qur'an and his family, Alulbayn.
01:58Then the Prophet raised Imam Ali's hand high for everyone to see. The people were watching and
02:06the Prophet said loudly three times, Whoever I am a master to, Ali is his master.
02:14The event of Ghadir and what took place there is unparalleled proof of Imam Ali's right to
02:21successorship. History does not recall any other event in which the Holy Prophet
02:27gathered a crowd in one place to highlight a virtue or give advice about one of his companions.
02:34Furthermore, the term Maulah or Master was only used by the Prophet in his lifetime solely for Imam Ali
02:44and not for anyone else. The Holy Prophet had just finished his speech and had not yet descended from
02:52the pulpit when the angel Gabriel revealed and presented verse 3 of chapter Al Maidah to him,
03:00known as the Verse of Completion of the Religion.
03:25Today, the unbelievers have lost hope in your religion.
03:29Do not fear them, but fear opposing me. Today, I have perfected your religion, completed my blessing
03:40on you and have chosen Islam as your religion. The Prophet was filled with great joy and excitement
03:52because God had declared his complete and total satisfaction with the announcement of the final
03:58divine command and therefore the completion of the Prophet's religious mission.
04:05The Prophet exclaimed Allahu Akbar and said, God is great to the perfection of religion and completion of
04:15the blessing and the pleasure of Allah with my prophethood and the mastership of Ali after me.
04:21Then, with joy, he turned to the people and said, O people, congratulate me,
04:29for God has chosen me for prophethood and my family for leadership.
04:36Answering the question of how the Verse of Completion of the Religion describes the event
04:41of Ghadid-e-Kham can help us understand why the Prophet's joy and excitement at the revelation of
04:47this Verse was so immense. The polytheists, disbelievers and hypocrites had grown tired and
04:55incapable of opposing the Holy Prophet. They realized that the Prophet's mission was reaching its peak.
05:01After the conquest of Mecca, when God revealed, Indeed, we have granted you a clear victory.
05:07Al-Fat, Chapter 48, Verse 1. The enemies of the Prophet and the hypocrites had hoped for his downfall.
05:16They had previously mocked him, saying he was just a poet, and awaited his death to end his mission
05:23as mentioned in Quran, Chapter 52, Verse 30. Do they say he is a poet, for whom we await a
05:35fatal accident?
05:37They also hoped to discredit the Prophet by claiming he was without his son, and therefore his message
05:44would vanish with him. But God responded to them in Quran, Chapter 108, Verse 3. Indeed, it is your enemy
05:54who is
05:54without posterity. They meant that this Prophet had no descendants, so after him, his culture, beliefs and
06:03religion would fade away. They were interested in the events after the Prophet, and hoped to eliminate
06:10Islam after him. However, the declaration of Imam Ali, as the rightful successor with clear divine
06:18instruction, ensured the continued survival and integrity of the Islamic message. The Verse,
06:27Today those who disbelieve have despaired of ever overcoming your religion. Al-Ma'idah, Chapter 5, Verse 3.
06:37Meant that the vain hopes of the polytheists, disbelievers and hypocrites, were utterly shattered,
06:45and their expectations were completely nullified. The concept of completion or perfection is used when
06:54referring to a phenomenon where the result or outcome is fully achieved. The perfection of something means
07:02that it delivers the expected and necessary results. God Almighty specifies that without the issue of
07:11leadership , all of the Prophet's efforts would be in vain. If after the Prophet the path is not
07:19followed as God intended with leadership in line with the Prophet's mission, Islam and all its teachings
07:27will not achieve the desired outcomes. Thus, the Day of Ghadir is the day of the completion of the Divine
07:38religion. It is the day when all the results of the Prophet's 23 years of efforts must be carried out
07:46by the
07:47rightful leader and brought to prosperity. Completion is used when a phenomenon reaches its full realization,
07:58meaning it is fully achieved and does not require anything else to be added. In other words,
08:06the blessings that God has bestowed upon humanity are only complete when the essential aspect of these blessings
08:14leadership or vilaya is present. This means that the concept of leadership should be integrated into all aspects of
08:25human life, and the divine guidance should be fully realized. In such a condition, God's coloring is truly realized as
08:34mentioned in the Quran, chapter 2, verse 138. God's coloring and who gives better coloring than God.
08:46The phrase completion of the blessing refers to how the blessing of leadership enhances and perfects all other
08:55divine blessings, making them truly meaningful and aligning them with the path of servitude to God.
09:04Today is the day when, due to this announcement, the religion is now as God originally intended and
09:13aimed for. The divine pleasure is achieved through this declaration and the appointment of the path for the
09:21Islamic community and humanity. The Islamic community can now reach the path where the purpose of human creation is fulfilled.
09:32As stated in chapter 51, verse 56, I did not create the jinn and the humans except to worship me.
09:43Therefore, as mentioned in chapter 5, verse 3, and have chosen Islam as your religion, Islam is now
09:53established as the divine approved path for humanity's eternity.
09:59Indeed, the Prophet's indescribable joy and excitement were well founded. The day of Khadid is a day of
10:07celebration and happiness. It marks the day when the final and most important divine command
10:14was fulfilled with the appointment of the Prophet's successor. This completed the religion of Islam.
10:22The Prophet, after years of intense and challenging missions since his prophethood, was honored and God
10:31was pleased with him. Lack of familiarity with the Quran's method of addressing various issues might raise a
10:40question in one's mind, which is, why is the verse of completion of the religion included as an interjected
10:49phrase within the third verse of the chapter of Al-Ma'idah rather than as a separate verse? And why
10:57does the
10:58first discuss hunting laws both before and after this interjected phrase, so that removing this
11:05interjection would not affect the meaning and flow of the verse? Those who deny the event of Khadid have
11:14taken advantage of this opportunity and have also denied the context for the revelation of this holy verse.
11:22But what is the answer to this doubt? This is an old doubt that even people with basic knowledge of
11:31the Quran reject. Generally, the style of the Quran is different from human writings. In divine speech,
11:40we see that the Quran is neither purely poetic nor purely prose. Sometimes it is more poetic than any poetry,
11:49and sometimes it is more precise and effective than any prose. The Quran has its own unique style
11:58that does not belong to any literary style, whether in Arabic literature or in other languages.
12:06Similarly, the verses of the Quran can have this characteristic. Sometimes a verse starts with one
12:13one topic, continues with another, and ends with yet another topic. We see many beautiful examples of
12:22this unique style in the Quran. For instance, in chapter Yusuf, chapter 12, verse 29, the verse starts with,
12:31O Yusuf, O Yusuf, turn away from this, addressing the Prophet Yusuf. But then the discussion shifts,
12:40and the tone changes to, O woman, ask forgiveness for your sin. Verily, you were of the sinful. Using a
12:50feminine
12:50form in addressing a woman. This sudden shift in address from Prophet Yusuf to Zulekha is a unique style of
12:59the Quran.
13:02Additionally, the Quran contains meaningful interjections with high purposes. For example,
13:09in chapter 16, verse 101, when we substitute a verse in place of another verse, it suddenly says,
13:18and God knows best what he reveals. This last phrase, and God knows best what he reveals,
13:25is an interjection. If we remove it, the verse becomes, when we substitute a verse in place of
13:32another verse, they say, you are indeed a fabricator. This interjection adds depth and beauty,
13:41and in literary terms, it is sometimes referred to as melodic redundancy. This is a style found in the
13:49Quran, where interjections are included between verses. Similarly, in verse 3 of chapter Al-Ma'idah,
13:56we see this style. Allah places a legal issue at the beginning, a theological issue in the middle, and a
14:04legal issue at the end.
14:06This creates a certain appeal, making the interjections stand out more and capture people's attention. It has a stronger
14:16impact than if the same topic were presented in a straightforward verse.
14:21So, to recap,
14:241. It is a style used in the Quran.
14:272. It increases attractiveness and beauty.
14:313. It captures attention.
14:354. It can be said that precious things are not usually presented plainly.
14:41Instead, they are wrapped in other content to preserve them.
14:47Allah keeps this important concept of leadership hidden between two legal discussions in the Quran
14:54to give it more protection and significance.
14:58Since the Holy Prophet's demise, up until today, there have been many efforts to deny and distort the
15:05event of Khadir-i Khul.
15:08Some people deny that the verse of completion of the religion is related to the event at Khadir-i Khul.
15:15They instead claim it is connected to the context of chapter Al-Ma'idah and events during Hajj.
15:23Some people might think that since Akmalto or perfected is in the past tense,
15:30it refers to something that has already happened.
15:33However, the word Al-Yaum, which means today, actually negates this idea.
15:40If it were referring to the past, there would be no need to use the word Al-Yaum.
15:46Why can't the word Al-Yaum, today, in the verse of completion of the religion,
15:52be understood to mean anything other than the day of Khadir?
15:59Chapter Al-Ma'idah was entirely revealed on the day of Arafah.
16:04Since this was during the Hajj season, it makes sense that the verse of completion of the religion
16:12would refer to a divine promise that is about to happen.
16:17The fact that the Prophet gave his sermon on the day of Khadir and fulfilled his mission there,
16:24shows that the promise made by Allah in this verse was actually referring to that day,
16:31which was about a week after the verse was first revealed.
16:35The use of the past tense here indicates a future event, whether it happens in a week, or a bit
16:43more, or less.
16:44This concept is explained in the study of Arabic rhetoric.
16:52One of the earliest places where these rhetorical points have been applied is in the Quranic verses.
16:59Rhetorical excellence is considered one of the miracles of the Quran.
17:05An example of this is verse 1 of chapter 111.
17:17Although tabbat or cut off appears to be in the past tense, historical evidence shows that at the time
17:26this chapter Al-Masad was revealed, Abu Lahab's hands had not yet been cut off.
17:33Therefore, in this context, the past tense is not used to indicate the past,
17:39but rather as a curse.
17:42And a curse is obviously something that will happen in the future.
17:47There are many such examples in the Quran.
17:51For any thoughtful and wise person, it is clear that mentioning a few religious rulings about hunting
17:58in verse 3 of chapter Al-Ma'idah cannot be a reason for the completion of Islam
18:04and God's satisfaction with this religion.
18:07It is obvious that the completion of the religion refers to what happened at Khadir,
18:14where the Prophet's presence was accompanied with feelings of joy and excitement.
18:20After the Holy Prophet delivered his sermon at Khadir-e-Khom and the angel Gabriel descended,
18:27it was now time for celebration and joy.
18:30This day marks the appointment of Imam Ali as the commander of the faithful.
18:35The Prophet was so happy and joyful that he placed his special white turban called Sahal,
18:43which means cloud, which he only used to wear on special occasions and holidays,
18:49on Imam Ali's head as a crown and gifted it to him.
18:54This crown truly suited Imam Ali, as he was soon to take on the leadership and guidance of the community
19:02after the Prophet's passing. He was to shine the light of guidance into the people's hearts
19:09and lead them away from paths of negligence and disobedience.
19:14At Khadir-e-Khom, amidst the celebration and joy, Hassan ibn-i-Saabith, the Prophet's special poet,
19:22approached him and asked if he could present a poem he had spontaneously composed
19:26to celebrate what had just occurred at Khadir. At a time when poetry was the most important tool for
19:34media and communication and had a strong social impact in Arab society, Hassan's poem marked the
19:42beginning of endless poems, later written about the event of Khadir-e-Khom. These poems serve as
19:50the most undeniable historical evidence of the truth and significance of this event and this blessed day.
19:57They also had a profound effect on preserving the importance of this event throughout history.
20:04On the day of Khadir, by the pond of Khom, the noble Prophet called out to the Muslims and said,
20:13Who is your Prophet and Master? Without hesitation or doubt, they replied,
20:21Our Master is Allah and you are our Prophet and you will not see any disobedience from us in this
20:31matter.
20:32The Prophet said to Ali, Rise, for you are the leader of these people after me.
20:41Whoever considers me his master, then Ali is his master as well. It is your duty to truly follow him.
20:51The Prophet then prayed, O Allah, be a friend to his friends and an enemy to his enemies.
21:02After reciting the poem, the Prophet said to Hassan, O Hassan, as long as you defend us,
21:10you will be supported by the confirmations of the Holy Spirit.
21:15It seems that with this conditional praise, the Prophet warned Hassan and others not to stray from the
21:22path of righteousness and truth. It seems the Prophet knew that like many other Muslims,
21:29Hassan might also deviate from the righteous path in the future and break his pledge.
21:36Therefore, he praised him conditionally rather than unconditionally.
21:42Years passed and exactly 25 years later, on the 18th of Zul Hijjah, the day of Khadir,
21:50in the year 35 Hijri, the third Caliph was assassinated.
21:57The people, regretting their past mistakes and disobedience, came to Ali ibn Abi Dalim,
22:05expressing their remorse and insisting that he accept the Caliphate.
22:10At this time, Hassan, who had greatly benefited from the unlawful gifts of the murdered Caliph,
22:18refused to pledge allegiance to Imam Ali as the new Caliph.
22:23The Prophet's words to Hassan had been clearly interpreted.
22:27He was no longer supported and confirmed by the Holy Spirit,
22:31and as a result, he did not pass away with righteousness.
22:37On the day of Khadir-e-Khom, after the greetings and congratulations to the Prophet,
22:43it was now time for every single person present to pledge allegiance to Imam Ali
22:48as the commander of the faithful.
22:51How beautiful and fitting is this title to be given to the first male Muslim believer in history,
22:57who, more than anyone else, had bravely sacrificed his life and remained steadfast in the way of Islam.
23:06No other Muslim can be compared to his virtues.
23:12By the Prophet's order, a tent was set up for Imam Ali to enter,
23:17and everyone came in groups to pledge allegiance to him.
23:21This allegiance meant submitting to the command of Allah and his messenger
23:25regarding the acceptance of Imam Ali as the leader and guide after the Prophet.
23:32The Prophet's instructions were clear and explicit.
23:36Everyone, without an exception, had to pledge allegiance to Imam Ali as the commander of the faithful,
23:45and be sincere in committing to his appointment as the Prophet's successor.
23:51Muslims entered the tent in groups, whether in count of three, five, seven, more or less, and greeted Imam Ali.
24:01The greeting was meant to acknowledge him as the commander of the faithful by the Prophet's command.
24:08The important thing was to greet Imam Ali by saying,
24:15Peace be upon you, O commander of the faithful, as instructed by the Holy Prophet.
24:23It is probable here that some, like Abu Bakr and Umar, the first and second caliphs,
24:30might have avoided the Prophet's specific command,
24:33and instead, according to both Shia and Sunni narrations, said to Imam Ali,
24:40Which is merely a term of praise.
24:43This suggests that they did not fully comply with the Prophet's command,
24:47as the title, Amir al-Muminin, was not used.
24:52The Pledge of Allegiance was completed with the quality that was already mentioned.
24:58Not over three days were all Muslims would individually pledge allegiance
25:03by putting their hands on the hand of Imam Ali.
25:07There is no credible evidence to support that it took that long.
25:11This misunderstanding is one of the issues some people have,
25:16and the answer to it was provided.
25:19The Prophet's instructions also included the women present at Qadid al-Khom.
25:25They too were required to go to Imam Ali and pledge allegiance to him as the commander of the faithful.
25:31This pledge highlighted the significance of the event that took place.
25:36Certainly, the matter of leadership, or imamat, is an essential religious issue,
25:42and following it is obligatory for every Muslim, whether male or female.
25:49For the women, a separate tent was set up next to Imam Ali's tent for their allegiance.
25:56This process was similar to how the Prophet conducted the pledge with women during the conquest of Mecca,
26:02as described in historical reports.
26:05There, the Prophet placed his hand in a pan of water,
26:08and the women placed their hands in the water from the other side of the pan.
26:14This method of allegiance has a scientific implication, as the water is a conductor of electricity and not an insulator.
26:22A similar method was used for the women's pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali.
26:28The pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali lasted long, and the Muslims had to stay there overnight.
26:36After everyone, both men and women, had pledged allegiance, the large caravan of Muslims packed their tents and belongings,
26:45returned to the main road, and continued their journey back to Medina.
26:49This pilgrimage was an eventful journey for the travelers from Medina.
26:55The Prophet had called them from their homes to purify themselves with the water of Samza,
27:01to come together around the Kaaba, the house of Allah, as a unified group,
27:06and to extend their hands in humility and obedience to their leader.
27:12Afterward, they would carry the blessed weight of allegiance on their shoulders,
27:17a pledge for their eternal happiness and the preservation of the unity of the Muslim community.
27:24They would then spread the news to those who were absent,
27:28informing them that the path of leadership would continue in the blessed presence of Imam Ali.
27:36The people returned to their cities and homes, but Ghedid was not forgotten.
27:43This location became blessed and sacred due to the presence of the Prophet and Imam Ali,
27:49and the vital covenant made there.
27:52Later, people built a mosque at the site of the Prophet's pulpit,
27:57where Imam Ali's hand was raised to serve as a reminder and commemoration of this profound and divine covenant.
28:06After the demise of the Holy Prophet of Islam, when it was expected that the Muslim community would turn
28:13to Imam Ali and find fulfillment in his presence, something different happened.
28:20Enemies blocked the path to the Islamic community's happiness and misled the people to oppose Ali ibn Abi Talib.
28:30Those who had called themselves loyal companions of the Prophet during his lifetime revealed their true colors and disrespected the
28:40Prophet's family.
28:41They abandoned the truth and took the leadership of the community away from the Prophet's family.
28:49Although Imam Ali withdrew from public affairs and was kept away from managing the community,
28:56his usurpers could not tolerate his virtues.
28:59They spared no effort to erase the memory of Ghedid from the people.
29:04The sacred mosque built at Ghedid-e-Rom was repeatedly destroyed by the enemies of Imam Ali throughout history.
29:12But each time, it was rebuilt by the supporters and lovers of the Prophet's family and Imam Ali.
29:20This situation has continued even today, to the extent that there is no trace of the sacred mosque of Ghedid
29:28-e-Rom nor its dried-up pond on geographic maps.
29:32The question is whether the destruction of the geographical features of Ghedid-e-Rom were deliberately intended to ensure
29:40that the Prophet's sermon and covenant in this land would be forgotten.
29:46But how short-sighted and limited was their vision?
29:51Centuries have passed since that event, and the location of Ghedid gradually faded from memory.
29:59However, the flame that was kindled in the hearts of the true believers, on the day of the pledge, never
30:08went out.
30:10The flame was passed from generation to generation, and one day it will be held high by those who, along
30:18with the Great Avenger, will rid the world of all darkness.
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