It was mentioned before that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) cursed those, who
refused to testify for the tradition of Ghadeer on the day of his protest in Rahba
and Rakban and they became afflicted with blindness, leprosy and apostasy1 and
other calamities and these were those, who were present in the gathering on the
day of Ghadeer (but they denied it).
Now is there any researcher, who thinks that it is possible that the Imam
would have cursed them with such intensity only for concealing the matter of
love and help, which prevailed among all people of the community in general?
If it were as such, there were many Muslims, who harbored malice towards
each other, they attacked and fought each other; completely disregarded love,
regard and mutual support – what to say about the concealing of those two
qualities among themselves – all of them should have been affected by the curse.
While we see that such a thing did not happen. On the contrary, there were
only a few individuals, who were branded by this chastisement forever, and who
became targets of the curse of Imam (a.s.), and it was not, except for concealing
that great truth from the specialties of this great Maula – peace be on him. And it
was nothing other than Imamate and precedence over others according to
numerous contexts.
The matter after that: concealment of testimony by those people was not for
an ordinary issue, in which Ali (a.s.) and others are equal; on the contrary it was
definitely about an excellence of Ali (a.s.), which is only for His Eminence and
they did not like that the Imam should be bestowed with it and that it should be
accorded importance; that is why they denied it; but cursing of the Imam exposed
them and made the truth clear and its disgrace remained visible on their face, sides and eyes as long as they lived; and after their death till the Almighty will
inherit the earth and whatever is in it, this report is recorded in all books and
narrated by people from mouth to mouth.
Eighteenth context
Hafiz Ibne Samman has narrated from Umar2 that two disputing Bedouins
came to him and he asked Ali (a.s.) to judge between them. One of them asked:
“Would this man judge between us?”
Umar came to him, caught his neck and said: “Woe on you, do you know
who he is? He is the master of me and all the believers and one, who does not
regard him as the master is not a believer.”
Also, a person disputed with Umar. He gestured to Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.)
and said: “This man seated here will judge between you and me.”
That man asked: “This man with a huge belly?”
Umar arose, caught his neck and lifted him saying: “Do you know whom
you have insulted? He is the master of me and all the Muslims.”
The mastership of Ali (a.s.) that Umar confessed for himself and all the
people just as he had confessed to it on the day of Ghadeer; and he negated the
faith of one, who did not regard him as Maula, whether mastership is in the
meaning of regarding discretional superiority or in the meaning of love and help
– it is not relevant, except in proving the Caliphate of His Eminence [and if
Caliphate is not proved for Ali (a.s.), the confession of Umar for mastership of
His Eminence will be incoherent] because love and friendship is customary and
common between all Muslims is not to the limit that without it faith will be
destroyed.
Since inspite of malice and hatred between the companions of the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and companions of companions which in some instances was
to the limit of abusing each other and accusing each other and fighting and
bloodshed; is it possible to confess to such statement? And so much so that some
of these instances and issues occurred in the presence of the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.), inspite of that His Eminence did not negate their faith and none of
those, who believe in the justice of companions, has doubted their justice as a
result of such differences.
On the basis of this, no meaning except that of Mastership (Wilayat)
remains, and Mastership (Wilayat) in this meaning is also like Imamate, which is
a necessary condition of absolute discretion. And it does not contradict what
Umar hints at the tradition of Ghadeer in these words. Thus, the report of Hafiz
Mohibuddin Tabari conveys the same and it should be regarded as such from all
aspects.
هَذَا بَيَانَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
“This is a clear statement for men, and a guidance and an admonition to those who guard (against evil).”3