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What Happened at Ghadir Khumm?

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What Happened at Ghadīr Khumm?

At Ghadīr Khumm, shortly before his passing, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made one of the most significant announcements in Islamic history. In front of tens of thousands of Muslims returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage, he raised the hand of Imam ʿAlī (AS) and declared:

«مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلَاهُ»
“For whomever I am his master (mawla), ʿAlī is his master.”

This historic proclamation, reported in both Sunni and Shia sources, was more than a statement of friendship—it was a formal declaration of leadership, tied directly to verses of the Qur’an revealed on that very day.

 

Qur’anic Revelation at Ghadīr

The Prophet’s declaration was not delivered on his own accord. It came by divine command, with revelation surrounding the event to highlight its gravity.

Before the Declaration

Surah al-Mā’idah 5:67
“O Messenger, convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people.”

This verse commanded the Prophet ﷺ to proclaim a crucial message. According to many exegetes, this was the announcement of Imam ʿAlī’s (AS) leadership, despite the Prophet’s concern about possible rejection or resistance.

After the Declaration

Surah al-Mā’idah 5:3
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion.”

Immediately following the announcement at Ghadīr, this verse was revealed. It signified the completion of Islam, with the perfection of faith tied to the establishment of divine leadership (wilāyah).

 

The Gathering at Ghadīr Khumm

The event occurred in the year 10 AH, during the Prophet’s return from his Farewell Pilgrimage. As the caravan reached Ghadīr Khumm—a junction where Muslims were set to disperse to different regions—the Prophet ﷺ stopped everyone in the intense midday heat.

A pulpit was made from saddles, and the Prophet ﷺ stood with Imam ʿAlī (AS) at his side. Before delivering the declaration, he asked the people:

“Am I not more entitled to you than you are to yourselves?”

When the crowd responded yes, the Prophet ﷺ raised Imam ʿAlī’s (AS) hand and declared him mawla, establishing his guardianship and leadership over the believers.

 

Witnesses and Reactions

The announcement was made before an enormous gathering, with reports citing over 100,000 companions as witnesses. After the declaration, many companions congratulated Imam ʿAlī (AS). Among them was ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, who said:

“Congratulations, O son of Abū Ṭālib! Today you have become the mawla of every believing man and woman.”

This public acknowledgment shows that the companions understood the Prophet’s statement as more than mere affection—it was the appointment of authority.

 

The Significance of Ghadīr

For Shia Muslims, the event of Ghadīr Khumm marks the formal designation of succession. The Prophet ﷺ ensured that divine guidance would continue through the Ahlulbayt (AS), beginning with Imam ʿAlī (AS).

For this reason, the day is celebrated annually as ʿEid al-Ghadīr, a time of renewal of loyalty, unity, and commitment to leadership rooted in faith and justice.

For Muslims of all schools, the hadith of Ghadīr is among the most authentic and widely transmitted traditions, preserved in the works of both Sunni and Shia scholars. It stands as one of the most pivotal and defining moments in Islamic history.

 
Evidence

The Hadith of Ghadīr

Arabic:
«مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلَاهُ، اللَّهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالَاهُ، وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ، وَانْصُرْ مَنْ نَصَرَهُ، وَاخْذُلْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُ»

Transliteration:
Man kuntu mawlāhu fa-ʿAlīyun mawlāhu. Allāhumma wāli man wālāhu, wa ʿādi man ʿādāhu, wanṣur man naṣarahu, wakhdhul man khadhalahu.

English:
“For whomever I am his master (mawla), ʿAlī is his master. O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, oppose whoever opposes him, support whoever supports him, and abandon whoever abandons him.”

📌 This core wording is mass-transmitted (mutawātir) across Sunni and Shia collections.

Sunni Sources

  • Musnad Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal — multiple Ghadīr routes (e.g., #22945, #22436, and Musnad ʿAlī entries #950–952); regarded authentic by many scholars.
  • Sunan al-Tirmidhī — ḥadīth 3713 (ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ).
  • Al-Nasāʾī, al-Khaṣāʾiṣ al-ʿAlawiyyah — ḥadīth 79.
  • Al-Ḥākim, al-Mustadrak — vol. 3, p. 109; he authenticated it as ṣaḥīḥ.

➡️ Nuance: Sunni scholars unanimously accept the event and wording as authentic. The interpretation differs: many Sunnis see it as honouring ʿAlī (AS), while Shia see it as declaring his imāmah.

Shia Sources

  • al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī — vol. 1, p. 420.
  • ʿAllāmah al-Majlisī, Biḥār al-Anwār — vol. 37, p. 111.
 
Conclusion / Summary

The Hadith of Ghadīr is among the most mass-transmitted narrations in Islam, reported in both Sunni and Shia works. Qur’anic verses before and after confirm its importance. For Shia Muslims, Ghadīr was the Prophet’s final declaration that Imam ʿAlī (AS) was divinely appointed as his successor.

 
Quick FAQ

Q: Was Ghadīr only about friendship?
No. The Prophet was already loved by the Muslims; proclaiming ʿAlī (AS) as just a “friend” would not require Qur’an 5:67 or such a massive public event. Mawla here means authority and leadership.

Q: How many people witnessed it?
Historians report tens of thousands present (often cited around 100,000+) at Ghadīr Khumm after the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Q: Do Sunnis accept Ghadīr?
Yes. Sunni hadith collections preserve it as authentic. The difference lies in interpretation: Sunnis often see it as honouring ʿAlī (AS), while Shia see it as declaring his imāmah.

 
References
  • The Qur’an — King Fahd Complex / Quran.com (Sahih International translation).
  • Musnad Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal — multiple Ghadīr routes (#22945, #22436, #950–952).
  • Sunan al-Tirmidhī — ḥadīth 3713.
  • Al-Nasāʾī, al-Khaṣāʾiṣ al-ʿAlawiyyah — ḥadīth 79.
  • Al-Ḥākim, al-Mustadrak — vol. 3, p. 109.
  • al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī — vol. 1, p. 420; vol. 1, p. 289.
  • ʿAllāmah al-Majlisī, Biḥār al-Anwār — vol. 37, p. 111.
  • al-Suyūṭī, al-Durr al-Manthūr — vol. 2, p. 298.
  • al-Ṭabarsī, Majmaʿ al-Bayān — vol. 3, p. 117.
  • Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, Tafsīr al-Kabīr — vol. 11, p. 138.
  • Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, al-Tibyān — vol. 3, p. 165.

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