Challenge of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) on the day of Rahba

Bisme Ta’ala

When Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) learnt that they blame him for what is narrated about the precedence of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) in praising him and they dispute about his Caliphate, he was present among people in Rahba (An open space in front of the mosque where Imam Ali would deliver his sermons and judge cases) in Kufa. He challenged those, who disputed the matter of his Caliphate through the tradition of Ghadeer.

Such is the importance of this reasoning and challenge that a large number of companions of companions have mentioned it and it is quoted in books of numerous scholars. I (Allama Amini r.a.) have found it in the statements of four companions and fourteen companions of companions. Among them is Abu Sulaiman Muezzin, Abul Qasim Asbagh bin Nubata, companion Zaid bin Arqam Ansari.

Ibne Abil Hadeed in Sharh Nahjul Balagha, has through his authorities narrated from Abu Sulaiman Muezzin. Ali (a.s.) adjured the people: “Which of you have heard from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.): Of whomsoever I am the master, Ali is also his master?” A group of people replied in positive, but Zaid bin Arqam, in spite of knowing, refrained from responding and Ali (a.s.) cursed him to become blind, thus he became blind and after his blindness, he mentioned this tradition to people.

Event of Ghadeer

Ten years after the migration (Hijrat), the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) decided to perform the Hajj and a public announcement was made concerning this. People from all the tribes gathered in Medina to accompany the Prophet. This Hajj of the Prophet is referred to as the Farewell Hajj, Hajj of Islam, Complete Hajj, Perfect Hajj, Whole Hajj etc. It is so named, because it was the only Hajj, which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) performed after Hijrat. It was Saturday, five or six days before the end of the Zilqad month [five or six days before the new moon of Zilhajj], that he came out on foot.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) performed the ritual bath (Ghusl), massaged oil to the body, applied perfume, combed the hair and set out from Medina. When he came out of Medina, he wore only two pieces of cloth: one was a piece thrown around the shoulders and another piece tied around the waist; and accompanied by his wives and family members. All his family members, and Muhajireen and Ansar and other people accompanied him.

At that time there was an epidemic of small pox or measles, in Medina due to which a large number of people were deprived of the honor of accompanying the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.). In spite of this, tens of thousands of people accompanied him. Various historians have mentioned 90 thousand and more. In addition to this, there were people residing in Mecca and those who came from the surrounding areas and those who accompanied Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.) from Yemen and Abu Moosa.4 In this way, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) completed the rituals of Hajj and on his return journey, halted at a place from where the caravans of Medina, Egypt and Iraq diverged in different directions. On Thursday5, 18th of Zilhajj, when he reached the land of Johfa and the locality of Ghadeer Khum, the trustworthy angel of divine revelation, Jibraeel descended on His Eminence (s.a.w.a.) and conveyed to him the following message from Almighty Allah: