Most of the contexts mentioned above are interpretation of the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) from his statements and after that are the statements of our master,
Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) which are similar.
Ali bin Hamid Qarshi says in Shamsul Akhbar1 quoting from the Salwatul
Aarifeen, written by Muafiqbillah Husain bin Ismail Jurjani, father of
Murshadbillah – from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that when the Prophet was
asked about the meaning of:
كَلَّا إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةً فَمَنْ شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُ فِي صُحُفٍ مُكَرَّمَةٍ
“Of whomsoever I am the master, Ali is (also) his master,” he said:
“God is my Master and has more discretion on me than I have on myself and
without Him, I am nothing. And I am the master of believers and I have more
discretion over them than they have on themselves; without me they are nothing;
and whoever’s master I am and I have more discretion over him than he has on
himself, Ali is also his master and is having more discretion on him than he has
on himself and without Ali (a.s.), he is nothing.”
Abdullah bin Ja’far while arguing against Muawiyah said:2 “O Muawiyah,
when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was on the pulpit and I, Umar bin Abu Salma,
Usamah bin Zaid, Saad bin Abi Waqqas, Salman Farsi, Abu Zar, Miqdad, Zubair
bin Awwam were in front on him, we heard him say:
‘Am I not more deserving with relation to believers?’
We said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).’
He asked: ‘Are my wives not your mothers?’
We replied: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).’
He said: ‘Of whomsoever I am the master, Ali is (also) his master. And he is
more deserving of them,’
And he tapped the shoulder of Ali (a.s.) and said: ‘O Allah, love those, who
love him and be inimical to those, who are inimical to him. O people, I have
more discretion on the people than they have on themselves and in my presence
they are nothing; and after me Ali (a.s.) is having more discretion on the people
than they have on themselves and without him they are nothing.’”
Then Abdullah said: “In Ghadeer and in other places, our Prophet appointed
one, who was the best, most deserving and most superior of people, and he appointed him as the Divine Proof on them; and commanded them to obey him;
and informed that Ali was in relation to him as Harun was to Moosa and that after
him, Ali was the Master (Wali) of all believers, whosever’s master the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is, Ali is also having absolute discretion on him and he is the
Caliph and successor of the Prophet.”
It is mentioned in the traditional report of Shaykhul Islam Hamwaini that
during period of Uthman, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) voiced a protest as follows:
“Then the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) delivered a sermon, and said: ‘O
people, do you know that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime is my master and I am
the master of believers and I have more discretion on them than they have on
themselves.’
They replied, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).’
He said: ‘O Ali, stand up.’
And I stood up. Then he said: ‘Of whomsoever I am the master, Ali is (also)
his master. O Allah, love those, who love him and be inimical to those, who are
inimical to him.’
At that moment Salman arose and asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.),
what kind of Mastership (Wilayat)?’
He replied: ‘A Mastership (Wilayat) like my Mastership. All on whom I am
having precedence, Ali (a.s.) is also having precedence.’”
After the mention of the tradition of Ghadeer, Imam Hafiz Wahidi says:
“The Mastership (Wilayat), which the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) declared
would be asked about on Judgment Day and in the interpretation of the verse:
وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ
“And stop them, for they shall be questioned:”3
It is mentioned in a traditional report that the interrogation shall be about the
Mastership (Wilayat) of Ali (a.s.). In such a way that they would be asked
whether according to recommendation of Prophet, they observed the right of
Mastership (Wilayat) or trespassed and abandoned it, as in that case they would
be interrogated and they will have to accept its retribution.4
Previously, it was narrated from Umar bin Khattab that he said: “One whose master (Maula) Ali is not, isn’t a believer.”
Alusi in his Tafseer5, under the interpretation of the verse:
وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ
“And stop them, for they shall be questioned:”6
After the mention of statements, says:
“The best statement is that they would be asked about the beliefs and deeds
and the chief of them being: There is no god, except Allah and the most
important and greatest of them being the Mastership (Wilayat) of Ali Karramallah Wajha.”
I don’t think that your liberated conscience would dictate something other
than the meaning of Caliphate and absolute discretion, and in that condition he
regarded it to be a principle of faith and deemed it to be an article of belief and
connected it to the correctness of deeds.
وَهَذَا صِرَاطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا قَدْ فَضَلْنَا الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذْكُرُوْنَ
“And this is the path of your Lord, (a) right (path); indeed We have made the communications clear for a people who mind.”7