The members of the Islamic society think of the religion as the most primary principle in their life, and believe that if there is no religion, the life will be worthless. They believe that the only mean to glory and happiness in the world and the afterworld is religion and having relation with God. A Muslim tries to guide his path of life to the direction of religion and all his efforts are to apply the rules of God in his life.
The omniscient God has prescribed a thorough and perfect religion for guidance and growth of the people, and has introduced a leader to execute and explain this religion. Logically, this leader should be free from errors and faults, and on the other hand, he should be fully aware of all the truths and knowledge of the religion. Inevitably, this divine leader should have a comprehensive knowledge pertaining to the truths of the revelation and the Holy Quran. Since the Holy Quran is, in reality, the constitution of Islam and the source of the religious rules and knowledge.
By referring to the Holy Quran, we come across to cases that the meaning of the verses are not clear for the reader, and are somehow inexplicit and unspecific. Undoubtedly, many of the verses of the Quran about the rules of Islam are unspecific and general that no one can understand their meaning without an external help. For example, the statement:”Perform the Salat” (1) in the second chapter of the Holy Quran is unspecific. That means that no one can apprehend the details of performing the Salat (prayer), its conditions, the times of Salat, and the actions that will render it null, by himself, with only referring to this verse. Similarly, the verse “The right of God upon people is that they should intend for the house (and perform the Hajj)” (2) is unspecific as well. No one can apprehend the meaning of Hajj and its rituals that include hundreds of rules of Mighaat, Ihram, Tawaf (circumambulate), camping in Arafat, Mash’ar, and Mina, etc. Allah (SWT) has determined that the Holy Quran should be unspecific, and naturally its interpreter should be beside it, because the unspecific constitution would not be effective and useful without the interpreter beside it.
Now that the interpreter should be beside the Holy Quran as a clarification for its inexplicitness, obviously that person should be aware of all its truths and be free from error. During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), he was the interpreter of the Holy Quran himself. God addresses the Great Prophet (PBUH&HP) and says: “We descended the remembrance (the Quran) upon you, so that you explain it for the people.” (3) The Holy Quran is for all the people, and it is revealed for their guidance; however, people need the explanation of the Prophet to understand the unspecific rules of it. If the Holy Quran was explicit for all, there was no need for an interpreter, and the statement “to explain for the people” was redundant, and in another verse it would not say “…when you do not have the knowledge of the truths of Quran, ask those who know.” (4)
This means that the Holy Quran has its own experts and Muslims should refer to them in order to find out its meanings. The expert (Ahl) of the Holy Quran and its clarifier is Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) according to the statement “to explain for the people”.
According to the testimony of history and frequent (Mutawatir) narrations unanimously accepter by all Muslims, Eid al-Ghadir is the day in which the Great Prophet of Islam (PBUH&HP), who brought the Holy Quran and was its clarifier, introduced Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH) as the Master and ruler of the Muslims. (5), (6)
The Muslims used to refer to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) as their master and religious leader in order to comprehend the concepts of the verses of the Holy Quran during his lifetime, likewise after his demise they should refer to the master introduced by him to get to the purposes of the verses of the Holy Quran.
The history of Islam and Islamic narrations are full of instances which Imam Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (PBUH), explained and clarified the divine verses of the Holy Quran. (7) Therefore one of the results of Ghadir is definition of Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) as the clarifier of the Holy Quran after the Prophet and the necessity to refer to him in order to resolve ambiguities of the Holy Quran. Now how do we act in order to resolve the ambiguities of the Holy Quran?
(The above is a selection from “Ghadir, the Proof for the Mastership of Amir al-M’minin Ali (PBUH)” by Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Dia’ Abadi, with changes)
Roshd website congratulates all Muslims and especially you dear friend, upon 18th of Dhi al-Hijjah, the anniversary of assigning Imam Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (PBUH), as the Master and Leader of Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) said, “Indeed I am leaving with you two weighty things, the Book of Allah and my family.”
Considering the high position of the Holy Quran in Islam and its critical status among the Muslims, the Roshd website is planning to update a new section called Quran. We would like to ask you dear friend to inform us of your suggestions and comments via the Contact us section. We hope that we can present a better service with your valuable comments. So keep staying with us.
Footnotes:
1. The Holy Quran, (2:43)
2. The Holy Quran, (3:97)
3. The Holy Quran, (16:44)
4. The Holy Quran, (16:43)
5. You may refer to the article entitled as “The event of Ghadir and its Importance” if you are willing to know how the event and Hadith of Ghadir proves the Mastership of Imam Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH).
6. The Great Prophet of Islam (PBUH&HP) introduced Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) as his successor in clarifying the Holy Quran in many instances such as frequent Hadiths of Thaqalayn and Manzilah. Moreover, the Great Prophet (PBUH&HP) addressed the people in a part of his sermon on the day of Ghadir:
“I have left two precious things with you; one of them is more important than the other: the Book of Allah and my family. Then take care how you treat with them. Verily these two will never be separated till the resurrection day until they come to me at the pond (of Kawthar).” (Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihain, Hakim Neishaboori, vol. 9, The Section “Virtues of Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Hadith No. 4553)
This narration is also mentioned in the Shia narration books with the same concept. The Holy Prophet (PBUH&HP) introduced Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) as the knower of the Book of Allah and its interpreter and peer in different parts of his sermon on the day of Ghadir.
“By God whatever is deeply rooted in it (the Holy Quran), and the true meaning and the sense of it cannot be explained to man, except by this man that I am holding his hand high; now I announce that: ‘Whomsoever I am master to, so is this Ali to him master!’ And he is none but Ali, the son of Abi Talib, my brother, my successor and my help, whose Leadership’s Decree, has been sent to me from God, Almighty. O people! It is obvious that Ali and my pure descendants born in this family represent the minor precious thing, and the Qur’an represents major. Either of these two heralds, and relates to another, they are in harmony with one another: they will not separate from each other until they come to me at the pond of ‘Kawthar’ … O people! This is Ali, my brother, successor and so is he my [aide and] Knowledge keeper! And he is my successor for my people who, believe in me, and he is my successor who aids me in the interpretation of the Book of God, and he is the one who will invite people to that.” (Ihtijaj Tabarsi, vol. 1, p. 60)
7. Furthermore, Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) introduced himself as the owner of the knowledge of the Holy Quran. For example in one of his sermons he says:
“It is the Qur’an. If you ask it to speak it won’t do so; but I will tell you about it. Know that it contains knowledge of what is to come about, stories of the past, cure for your ills and regulation for whatever faces you.” (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 157: About the Holy Prophet and the Holy Qur’an, al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 61)