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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. In Part 2, we examine the measures taken by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during his Farewell Pilgrimage to prepare the Muslim community for leadership after his departure. We also address a common question: Why did the Holy Prophet not publicly announce his successor in Mecca during the Farewell Pilgrimage, despite the presence of a vast gathering of Muslims? Through historical sources and scholarly analysis, we explore the wisdom behind the proclamation at Ghadeer Khumm.
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00:22Uncovering the Vidae Home
00:24The Historical Truth
00:26Part 2
00:28Hajj and Preparing for Khadir
00:34In the final year of his life, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was assigned by God
00:40to carry out two remaining duties of Islam.
00:45The first duty was to teach Muslims how to correctly practice the Hajj,
00:50including the removal of pre-Islamic and pagan customs from this divine act of worship.
00:58The second duty was to announce and appoint his successor.
01:04And so, the Prophet invited all Muslims across the Arabian Peninsula to perform the Hajj.
01:11Eager to meet the Prophet and accompany him on this sacred journey, Muslims endured the hardships of traveling to Mecca.
01:21Soon after, a large crowd gathered in the city.
01:26The Prophet seized this opportunity of Muslim unity during his farewell Hajj pilgrimage,
01:32which was the most glorious religious, political, and social assembly of Muslims in his era.
01:39Not only did the Prophet teach the rules of Hajj, but he also prepared the groundwork for discussing his successor.
01:48As the days of Hajj, the Prophet, along with a great crowd of Muslims, gathered in the plains of Arafat.
02:00At a place now known as Al-Namra Mosque, the Prophet sat atop a camel to deliver a sermon to
02:07the congregation of Muslims.
02:09The Prophet asked the people to listen to him carefully, because he may no longer be with them in this
02:16place after this year.
02:19He then delivered a comprehensive sermon advising Muslims on various matters including piety, obedience to God,
02:28preserving each other's blood and honor, practicing honesty and trustworthiness, avoiding usury, and respecting women's rights.
02:38He also said,
02:40O people, be careful not to return to disbelief and the error of ignorance, and not to shed each other's
02:47blood.
02:48Be aware that I have left among you two weighty things, and if you hold on to them, you will
02:55never go astray.
02:56The Book of God, the Quran, and my family, the Al-Al-Bain.
03:02Have I conveyed the message of God?
03:04The people confirmed.
03:05And he said,
03:08O God, be a witness.
03:10The Holy Prophet used comparison to explain the weight of Islam.
03:16Similar to a load placed on an animal, which was commonly used for carrying things at that time,
03:22for the load to reach its destination safely, it had to be balanced and properly placed upon the animal.
03:29So for Islam, the Quran is one weight, and the other is the interpreter of the Quran.
03:37During the Prophet's time, he was the interpreter of the Quran, and after him, it would be his family.
03:45Specifically, certain, knowledgeable, and righteous members of his family.
03:51This matter is explained in scientific terms as the relation between the command and the subject.
03:59The command is that the Prophet's successor shall replace him in the interpretation of the Quran.
04:05The subject is that from the Prophet's family, there should be individuals who have the required qualifications to carry out
04:12this command.
04:13These individuals should be from the Prophet's family, possessing the necessary religious and Quranic knowledge.
04:20Thus, only those who meet this requirement from his family should bear the responsibility of interpreting the Quran and succeeding
04:29him.
04:29Therefore, this command does not apply to someone who is merely related to the Prophet, but is without divine, religious,
04:39and Quranic interpretation of this knowledge.
04:43This relation between the command and the subject made it necessary for certain scholars from the Prophet's household to succeed
04:52the Holy Prophet in his duty for interpreting the Quran.
04:57This was the purpose of the Hadith al-Saklain, or the Hadith of Two Precious Things, which emphasized the two
05:05ways of Islam, the Quran and the Al-Albayt.
05:08This is what the Prophet advised the Muslims to follow.
05:12This was essentially a preparation by the Prophet for appointing the first person to succeed him in this responsibility and
05:21mission.
05:24Continuing the Rituals of Hajj
05:27After the sunrise of the 10th of Zul-Hijjah, the Prophet, along with the Muslims, entered the land of Minna
05:35and performed the rituals of stoning the satanic symbol and offering sacrifice.
05:42On the second day of staying in Minna, the Prophet delivered another sermon for the Muslims,
05:48once again emphasizing the importance of remaining devoted to the Quran and his Al-Albayt after him.
05:56He said,
05:58Indeed, the all-knowing God has informed me that these two, the Quran and my Al-Albayt, will never separate
06:07from each other until they meet me by the pond of Al-Qasr.
06:13Know that whoever clings to them will be saved, and whoever opposes them will be doomed.
06:21O people, have I conveyed the message of God?
06:27The people affirmed and replied,
06:29Yes.
06:30The Prophet then turned to the sky and said,
06:34O God, be a witness.
06:39The Prophet then spoke words that shook the body of every true and pious Muslim.
06:45Know that soon, some of you will come to me in the hereafter, by the pond of Al-Qasr, but
06:54will be turned away.
06:55I will say,
06:59O God, these are my companions, and it will be said,
07:04O Muhammad, they introduced misguidance and altered your tradition after you.
07:12So I will say,
07:14May they be distanced from God's mercy.
07:18May they be distanced from God's mercy.
07:24On the third and final day of staying in Minna,
07:28the Prophet delivered a sermon at the Mosque of Khayf,
07:32once again reminding the Muslims of the significance of the two precious things,
07:37the Quran and his Al-Albayt,
07:41urging them to adhere and follow them.
07:45After three days of staying in Minna,
07:47the Hajj pilgrimage was completed.
07:50According to historical accounts,
07:53the Prophet spent only one day in Mecca after completing the Hajj
07:57and quickly returned towards Medina.
08:01Mecca was the land to which the Prophet belonged.
08:05Not only was he born and raised there,
08:07but he had also been appointed as a prophet
08:10and endured 13 years of hardship,
08:13preaching Islam in that land.
08:16Despite his attachment to Mecca,
08:19he left soon after the Hajj pilgrimage
08:21towards a place where he had to fulfill the final religious duty,
08:27appointing his successor.
08:30But the question is,
08:32why didn't the Prophet announce the appointment of his successor in Mecca
08:36in the presence of a large crowd of Hajj pilgrims?
08:40This has historically led to doubts for some,
08:43which deniers of the event of Hadid-e-Rom
08:46used to justify their denial.
08:49To address this doubt precisely,
08:52we need to understand the various groups of Muslims
08:55present at the Prophet's Farewell Hajj.
08:59A large portion of those present at the Farewell pilgrimage
09:02were members of the Quraysh tribe,
09:05the original residents of Mecca,
09:08who did not have to endure the hardships of the long journey
09:11to perform the Hajj.
09:14The Quraysh were the most influential and important Arab tribe
09:18in the entire Arabian Peninsula,
09:21controlling the strategic city of Mecca.
09:25Despite having family ties to the Prophet
09:28and belonging to the same tribe,
09:31the Quraysh were the main enemies of the Prophet.
09:34They had openly opposed the Prophet for over 20
09:38out of the 23 years of his Prophethood.
09:42Eventually, after Mecca was besieged
09:45and conquered by the Muslim army,
09:47the Quraysh reluctantly accepted Islam
09:49just to save their lives.
09:53Therefore, as per God's command,
09:56which is explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an
09:59in chapter 9, verse 60,
10:02part of the Muslim zakat or obligatory dues
10:06were distributed among those of the Quraysh
10:09who were likely to rebel or disobey.
10:12This was meant to appease
10:14and soften their hearts toward Islam
10:16and the Islamic government.
10:19From the beginning of the Prophet's mission,
10:22the Quraysh availed every opportunity
10:24to oppose the Prophet and Islam,
10:27making them the first and foremost enemies
10:30of this divine religion.
10:33During the 13 years of the Prophet's mission in Mecca,
10:37they harshly tortured new Muslims
10:40and did everything to support idolatry
10:43and to undermine Islam.
10:45This was to an extent that eventually,
10:48Prophet allowed some Muslims to migrate to Habasha,
10:52Abyssinia,
10:53to escape their persecutions.
10:55The ultimate cruelty and enmity
10:58against the Prophet
10:59and his entire clan of Banu Hashim
11:01was shown through the harsh
11:03and severe economic and social boycott
11:06that lasted three long years,
11:10which was one of the most difficult periods
11:13of the Prophet's mission.
11:16Ultimately,
11:17when the Quraysh planned to assassinate
11:19the Prophet at night,
11:21he secretly left Mecca
11:22and migrated to Medina.
11:25Even after migrating to Medina,
11:27the Quraysh did not leave the Prophet
11:29and the Muslims in peace,
11:31waging three major battles,
11:34Badr, Uhud, and Khandaq,
11:37in an attempt to eradicate
11:39this divine religion.
11:42It was during these battles
11:44that the exceptional bravery
11:46of a young warrior
11:47among the Muslim army
11:49gained widespread recognition.
11:52This young man
11:54was none other than
11:55Imam Ali alayhi salam,
11:58who was known for slaying
12:00many of the prominent Quraysh leaders
12:02and elders.
12:04In the Battle of Badr,
12:06for example,
12:07nearly half of enemy casualties
12:09were at the hands
12:11of Imam Ali alayhi salam alone,
12:14including many prominent leaders,
12:17tribal elders,
12:18and notable figures of the Quraysh.
12:21Imam Ali's courage,
12:23wisdom,
12:24and heroism
12:25were evident
12:26in the Battle of Uhud,
12:28which led the angel Gabriel
12:30to praise him
12:31and his sword,
12:32saying,
12:34There is no sword
12:36like Zulfiqar,
12:37which was the name
12:39of Imam Ali's sword,
12:41and no man
12:42like Ali.
12:43In the Battle of Khandaq,
12:46after Amr ibn Abdiwad,
12:48a renowned warrior
12:49among the Arabs,
12:51crossed the trench
12:52and challenged the Muslims
12:53to a battle,
12:54Imam Ali was the only one
12:57who rose each time
12:58the Prophet asked,
13:01Who will go out
13:02to fight him?
13:03Imam Ali then went to battle
13:05and defeated
13:07Amr ibn Abdiwad.
13:10The Prophet praised
13:11Imam Ali's heroism,
13:13saying,
13:14Ali's strikes
13:15in the Battle of Khandaq
13:16is higher than
13:17the worship
13:18of the worlds.
13:19Indeed,
13:20without the bravery
13:21and sword
13:22of Imam Ali alayhi salam,
13:24Islam would not have succeeded
13:26in these battles,
13:27and this divine religion
13:28would have been destroyed
13:30by the Quraysh.
13:31Unfortunately,
13:32the Arabs could not
13:34tolerate the presence
13:35of the man
13:35who had killed
13:36their fathers,
13:37tribal elders,
13:39and leaders,
13:40even if their blood
13:41was shed justly.
13:42They regarded this
13:43as an unforgivable crime.
13:45Therefore,
13:46the Quraysh were strictly
13:47unwilling to accept
13:48Imam Ali's leadership
13:50after the Prophet.
13:51They were waiting
13:51for the Prophet's death
13:52to abandon Islam
13:53and take revenge
13:55against this divine religion.
13:56The Quraysh coveted power
13:58and had always competed
14:00fiercely amongst themselves
14:01for leadership.
14:02They still remembered
14:03the historical rival
14:05between Banu Hashim
14:06and Banu Umayyad
14:07over key leadership roles
14:09during the Hajj
14:11in the pre-Islamic era.
14:12Hence,
14:13the Quraysh did not want
14:14their leadership
14:15to remain within
14:16the Prophet's family
14:17of Banu Hashim.
14:18They preferred
14:19that this position
14:20rotated amongst
14:21various Quraysh clans
14:23so that everyone
14:24could benefit from it.
14:25This matter,
14:27in essence,
14:27was natural
14:28and expected.
14:29The matter of succession
14:31of every political character
14:34throughout history
14:35at all places
14:37and times
14:38is a political issue.
14:40This is especially
14:41the case
14:42for the Holy Prophet
14:43who made extensive efforts
14:45during his prophethood mission
14:47to convert
14:48the people to Islam.
14:50This was
14:51a critical
14:52political matter
14:53that not all
14:54were neutral
14:55and obedient about.
14:57Every person
14:58had an opinion
14:59about this
15:00and not all
15:01were obedient,
15:02especially
15:03because the Quraysh
15:04had a long record
15:06of hostility
15:07against Islam
15:08and the Holy Prophet
15:10in Mecca.
15:11Even after
15:12the migration
15:13to Medina,
15:13they continued
15:14their hostilities
15:15and in total,
15:17they came to
15:18around 80 minor
15:19and major
15:21battles
15:22against
15:22the Holy Prophet
15:24and the Muslims.
15:25Therefore,
15:26the matter of succession
15:27was a very
15:29critical issue.
15:31There was also
15:32another group
15:33present at the
15:33Farewell Pilgrimage
15:34who had converted
15:35to Islam
15:36in Mecca
15:37due to the signs
15:38and prophecies
15:39they had heard
15:39from the people
15:40of the book
15:40regarding the
15:41awaited prophet.
15:42Their conversion
15:43was motivated
15:44by the desire
15:45for personal gain
15:46and benefit.
15:47Among them
15:48were individuals
15:49who pretended
15:49to be Muslims
15:50and had reluctantly
15:52accepted Islam
15:53in Medina
15:53to avoid
15:54direct confrontation
15:55with the newly
15:56established
15:56Islamic government.
15:58They did not
15:58publicly express
15:59their opposition
16:00to Islam
16:00but their intentions
16:02to believe in Islam
16:03were rooted
16:03in seeking protection
16:05under its rule.
16:06The Quran
16:06refers to these
16:07individuals
16:08as hypocrites
16:09and repeatedly
16:10warns of the threat
16:11they pose
16:12against Islam
16:12and the Muslim
16:13community.
16:14The existence
16:15of a whole chapter
16:16named
16:16Al-Munafiqun,
16:18the hypocrites,
16:19alone highlights
16:20the potential danger
16:21these individuals
16:22presented.
16:22The hypocrites'
16:24activity
16:24had widely
16:25expanded
16:26in Medina.
16:27They even
16:27built their
16:28own mosque
16:29as a means
16:29to cover
16:30their destructive
16:30anti-Islamic
16:31activities.
16:32Ultimately,
16:33the prophet
16:34followed the
16:34command of God
16:35as it was
16:36explicitly mentioned
16:37in the Quran
16:38in chapter 9
16:39verse 107
16:40and ordered
16:41the demolition
16:42and burning
16:43of this mosque
16:44which had been
16:44a center
16:45for misguidance
16:46and division
16:47amongst the Muslims.
16:48Like the
16:49Quraysh,
16:50the hypocrites
16:51had concealed
16:51deep animosity
16:53towards Islam
16:53and were unwilling
16:55to accept
16:55Imam Ali
16:56as the true
16:57successor
16:58of the prophet.
16:59They viewed
16:59his leadership
17:00as being aligned
17:01with the prophet's
17:02leadership,
17:03seeing it as a
17:04continuation
17:04of the true
17:05guidance of Islam
17:06and hence
17:07opposed his
17:08authority.
17:09Another major
17:10group of Hajj pilgrims
17:11were recent
17:12converts to Islam.
17:14These new Muslims
17:15had traveled to Mecca
17:16due to the prophet's
17:17public call for Hajj
17:18Their intention
17:19was to meet
17:20their prophet,
17:21benefit from his
17:22presence,
17:22and learn the
17:23Hajj rituals
17:24under his guidance.
17:26Following the
17:27conquest of Mecca
17:27in the 8th year
17:28of Hijri
17:29and the subsequent
17:30surrender of the
17:31Quraysh tribe
17:31which was the
17:32most important
17:33and influential
17:34Arab tribe
17:35in the Arabian
17:36peninsula,
17:37Islam expanded
17:38rapidly amongst
17:38the other Arab
17:39tribes.
17:40Therefore,
17:40the 9th year
17:41of Hijri
17:42became known
17:42as
17:43Am Al-Wufud
17:44the year
17:45of the delegations.
17:46Because various
17:47Arab tribes
17:48sent their
17:48representatives
17:49to Medina
17:50to embrace
17:51Islam.
17:52Soon,
17:52Islam spread
17:53quickly across
17:54the entire
17:55Arabian
17:56peninsula.
17:57This is
17:57mentioned in
17:58the Quran
17:58and you see
17:59people entering
18:00into the
18:01religion of
18:01Allah in
18:02multitudes.
18:03These recent
18:04converts were
18:05still in the
18:05process of
18:06learning about
18:06the Quran
18:07and Islamic
18:08laws.
18:08They were not
18:09yet familiar
18:09with the
18:10internal
18:10differences
18:11of the
18:11Muslim
18:12community.
18:13Any potential
18:13dispute over
18:14leadership
18:15could have
18:15jeopardized
18:16their face,
18:17leading them
18:17back to
18:17their
18:18pre-Islamic
18:18idolatry.
18:19Amongst
18:20such a
18:20vast gathering
18:21of tens
18:22of thousands
18:22of Muslims
18:23during the
18:24Hajj pilgrimage,
18:25including
18:25hypocrites
18:26and the
18:27Qurish,
18:27even minor
18:28opposition
18:29against
18:29Imam Ali's
18:30appointment
18:31as the
18:31successor
18:32could have
18:32led to
18:33significant
18:33divisions
18:34amongst
18:34the
18:35Muslims,
18:35undermining
18:36the unity
18:37of the
18:37Muslim
18:37community.
18:38This would
18:38then clearly
18:39contradict
18:40the Quranic
18:40command to
18:41avoid conflict
18:42and disputes
18:43during Hajj.
18:44To maintain
18:45unity and
18:46prevent division,
18:47the Holy Prophet
18:48wisely decided
18:49to postpone
18:50the announcement
18:50of Imam Ali's
18:51succession until
18:52later on his
18:53journey back
18:54to Medina.
18:55The people who
18:55gathered at
18:56Khadir-e-Khom
18:57to hear God's
18:58command regarding
18:59the Prophet's
18:59successor and
19:01pledge allegiance
19:01to him were
19:03actually those who
19:04were later involved
19:04in making decisions
19:06about the Prophet's
19:07succession in the
19:08political center of
19:09Islam in Medina.
19:10The Prophet made
19:11a clear declaration
19:12and took an oath
19:14from them to
19:14support and
19:15implement God's
19:16command after him.
19:17Furthermore,
19:18the Prophet ordered
19:19the people to
19:20pass on the news
19:21of Imam Ali's
19:22appointment as
19:23his successor
19:23and proliferate
19:25this divine
19:25message.
19:26Analyzing the
19:27social and
19:28political conditions
19:29at the time of
19:30the Prophet's
19:31farewell pilgrimage
19:32provides a clear
19:33and precise
19:34argument for
19:35those who
19:36attempt to
19:36justify their
19:37denial of
19:38Khadir.
19:38Any true
19:39Muslim with
19:40objective and
19:41fundamental
19:42historical knowledge
19:43surrounding the
19:44event of
19:45Khadir-e-Chom
19:45knows that the
19:47Prophet never
19:48made any
19:49decisions without
19:50divine guidance
19:51and always
19:52followed God's
19:53commands.
19:55I already
19:56mentioned that
19:57the issue of
19:58competing for
19:59power is
20:00natural.
20:01If a sensitive
20:02political matter
20:03similar to the
20:04one in question
20:05is not
20:06controversial or
20:08causing a debate
20:09among the audience
20:10and the followers,
20:11it would be
20:12unusual and
20:14against the
20:15natural course
20:16of things.
20:17Its significance
20:18makes it
20:19natural for
20:21it to be
20:22debated.
20:23This is why
20:24the Holy Prophet
20:25took his time
20:26and did not
20:27rush.
20:29He waited
20:30for an
20:30appropriate place
20:32and time to
20:33deliver this
20:33announcement.
20:34When they
20:36reached Khadir-e-Chom,
20:38the angel
20:38Gabriel descended
20:39and the
20:40Prophet delivered
20:41this message.
20:42It's important
20:44to note that
20:45any revelation
20:46from God
20:47delivered by
20:48the Prophet
20:48as God's
20:50messenger
20:50to the Muslims
20:52and their
20:53people is
20:54subject to
20:55the Prophet's
20:56discretion
20:57regarding the
20:58timing,
20:59place,
21:00and manner
21:01of its
21:01delivery.
21:01This is a
21:03well-established
21:04fact in
21:05Islam.
21:07No one
21:07has ever
21:08questioned
21:09or demanded
21:10evidence that
21:11the Prophet
21:12had the
21:13freedom to
21:14choose the
21:14right time
21:15and place
21:16for delivering
21:17God's
21:18message.
21:20So the
21:20Prophet delayed
21:21the announcement
21:22until the
21:22angel Gabriel
21:23descended,
21:24as mentioned
21:25in the
21:26narrations,
21:27and informed
21:28him that it
21:29was the right
21:30time to make
21:30the announcement
21:31as planned.
21:33And this
21:33delay was
21:34sufficient.
21:36Therefore,
21:37the Prophet
21:38informed the
21:39Muslims who
21:40had moved
21:41ahead to
21:41return and
21:42those who
21:43were behind
21:43to join the
21:45rest of the
21:46caravan at
21:46Khadir-i-Khum.
21:48This eventually
21:49led to the
21:50Prophet's
21:51sermon there.
21:53The Prophet
21:54made one
21:55final divine
21:56decree declaring
21:57Imam Ali
21:58as his sole
21:59successor
21:59at Khadir-i-Khum.
22:02This declaration
22:03was not a new
22:04appointment,
22:05but a formal
22:06affirmation of
22:08what had already
22:09been communicated
22:10multiple times
22:11before.
22:12The purpose
22:13of the event
22:14at Khadir-i-Khum
22:15was to solidify
22:17the commitment
22:17of the Muslims
22:18to this divine
22:19declaration and
22:21receive their
22:21allegiance.
22:23They swore an
22:23oath and with
22:25smiles on their
22:26faces, followed
22:27the Prophet's
22:28command and
22:29congratulated
22:30Imam Ali on
22:30becoming
22:31commander of
22:33the faithful.
22:33But it wasn't
22:34long before they
22:35whispered deceptions
22:36to one another,
22:38forgetting the
22:39pledge they had
22:39made and the
22:41greetings they
22:41had given.
22:42Indeed, the
22:44opinions and
22:45beliefs of the
22:46Quraysh tribe
22:47regarding who
22:48should lead the
22:49ummah were
22:50much more
22:51important to
22:51them than
22:52God's command.
22:53In the
22:54Prophet's
22:54revelation,
22:55O Allah,
22:57bear witness.
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