Allah, the Mighty and the High has bestowed great fame to the tradition of Ghadeer: so much so that it is mentioned by all reporters of traditions continuously through the ages, so that it may be a firm evidence for the supporter of His religion, Ali (a.s.), and that he may be the Imam and chief of believers.
That is why, majority of the people, upon return of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) from the greater Hajj (Hajje Akbar) acquired a special condition till Almighty Allah made its announcement definite and His Messenger also hastened to implement it.
Groups of people had surrounded him from the Islamic territories; those gone ahead were called back and those left behind were waited for, and this tradition was conveyed to the ears of all.1 He ordered that those present should inform those, who are absent, so that all the people present in that gathering become reporters of this tradition, a gathering, which exceeded a hundred thousand persons.
Allah, the Mighty and the High did not rest content with this number; on the contrary He revealed verses regarding this, so that they may be recited day and night by new generations and Muslims remember this incident in every period; and created means of their guidance and a point of reference they can recognize, through which they may derive their religion.
Such attention was paid by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) to this matter that that year a large number of people were invited to perform Hajj and people joined in groups after groups, because he knew that at the end of this journey a great announcement was to be made.
A great news was completed from the citadel of faith, which exalted and pleased its community over other people and applied its command between the east and west; although if this Ummah understands where its well being lies and sees the path of its guidance through insight.2
With this aim, the Holy Imams (a.s.) have always mentioned this incident and through this, proved the Imamate of their ancestor, Imam Ali (a.s.). In the same way Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) himself protested through this tradition all his life and in every gathering, and made those companions remember it; those who were present in Ghadeer and heard the tradition directly from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).
All this was so that the event of Ghadeer, in spite of the passage of time, should remain fresh and due to this the Holy Imams (a.s.) ordered their Shia to celebrate the day of Ghadeer as Eid and customs of greetings and celebrations should be promoted, so that every year the greatness of this incident is renewed.
Shia Imamiyah also acted in the most excellent and incomparable way on the day of Eid of Ghadeer, and gathered at the tomb of Imam Ali (a.s.) and elders of tribes and leaders of country from far and near to spread the remembrance of this valuable day.
They recite3 a lengthy Ziyarat narrated from the Holy Imams (a.s.), which explains the articles of Imamate and quoting from the Quran and Sunnah is a firm evidence of Caliphate and successorship of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and which narrates the story of Ghadeer in detail. Especially the day of Ghadeer is also having recommended prayers, fasts and supplications, in which the reminder of Ghadeer day is mentioned. Shia have performed those acts in all centers, areas, cities and villages.
As for the books of Shia, including traditional, historical and scholastic, whichever of them is referred, it is seen brimming with points about Ghadeer.
I think Ahle Sunnat are not much behind the Shia Imamiyah in proving the Ghadeer tradition, acceptance of its veracity, reliance upon it, belief in its authenticity and confession of its being widely narrated4 . But few individuals, following the path of deviation, or with blind prejudice have turned the discussion on secondary and misleading meanings; and their view is not the expression of the view of scholars of the society in general; it is only their personal view.