Bismillahir Rahmanir
Rahim
Eine ZUSAMMENFASSUNG der
des GESANDTEN GOTTES -
MUHAMMAD (F.s.m.i.)
gegeben am 9. Dhul Hijjah 10 n.H. im Tal URANAH am Berg ARAFAT
O Ihr Leute - hört meine Worte, denn ich bin nicht gewiss,
ob ich noch ein weiteres Jahr unter Euch weilen werde.
Gerade so wie Ihr diesen Monat beachtet, diesen Tag und diese geheiligte Stadt,
so erachtet Euer aller Leben und Besitztum als geheiligt und unantastbar.
O Ihr Leute - es ist wahr, dass Ihr betreffend Eurer Frauen
bestimmte Rechte genießt, doch genau so haben jene bestimmte Rechte. Behandelt
sie mit Zärtlichkeit, Güte und in Liebe, denn Ihr habt sie als Euch Anvertraute
zu Euch genommen. Werdet dem Euch Anvertrauten immer gerecht und sündigt nicht.
O Ihr Leute - hört mich an in Aufrichtigkeit, verherrlicht
Allah, verrichtet Eure täglichen fünf Gebete, fastet im Monat Ramadhan und gebet großzügig Zakat.
Wenn möglich begebt Euch auf die Wallfahrt. Ihr wisst, Ihr seid einander Brüder
und unterscheidet Euch grundsätzlich nicht voneinander. Keiner ist dem anderen
überlegen, es sei denn an Demut und Frömmigkeit gegenüber Allah und aufgrund
guter Werke. Bewahrt einander vor Ungerechtigkeiten.
O Ihr Leute - Keinen Propheten oder Gesandten wird es nach
mir geben und kein neuer Glaube wird erstehen.
Begreift meine Worte. Zwei Dinge hinterlasse ich Euch - den QUR'AN und die
SUNNAH. Folget diesen und Ihr werdet nicht verloren gehen. Hütet Euch vor dem
Satan und bewahrt Eure Religion. Gebet meine Worte an andere weiter und jene
wieder an andere; und mögen jene meine Worte besser verstehen als die mir
direkt zuhören.
O Allah sei mein Zeuge, dass ich Deine Botschaft
übermittelt habe.
Zum ungeküzten Text in englischer Sprache
(Peace and
Love of Allah may eternally descend upon Him and His Pious Family and
Companions)
"All praise
is due to Allah, so we praise Him, and seek His pardon and we turn to Him. We
seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and from the evil
consequences of our deeds. Whom Allah guides aright there is none to lead him
astray; and there is none to guide him aright whom Allah leads astray. I bear
witness that there is no God but Allah, the One, having no partner with Him.
His is the sovereignty and to Him is due all praise. He grants life and causes
death and is Powerful over everything. There is no God but Allah, the One; He
fulfilled His promise and granted victory to His bondsman, and He alone routed
the confederates (of the enemies of Islam).
O’ People!
Listen to my words, for I do not know whether we shall ever meet again and
perform Hajj after this year. O’ Ye people! Allah
says, O’ people We created you from one male and one
female and made you into tribes and nations, so as to be known to one another.
Verily in the sight of Allah, the most honoured
amongst you is the one who is most God-fearing. There is no superiority for an
Arab over a non-Arab and for a non-Arab over an Arab, nor for
the white over the black nor for the black over the white except in God-conciousness.
All mankind is
the progeny of Adam and Adam was fashioned out of clay. Behold; every claim of privilage whether that of blood or property, is under my
heels except that of the custody of the Ka’bah and
supplying of water to the pilgrims, O’ people of Quraish,
don’t appear (on the Day of Judgement) with the
burden of this world around your necks, whereas other people may appear (before
the Lord) with the rewards of the hereafter. In that case I shall avail you
naught against Allah.
Behold! All
practice of the days of ignorance are now under my
feet. The blood revenges of the days of ignorance are remitted. The first claim
on blood I abolish is that of Ibn Rabiah
bin Harith who was nursed in the tribe of Sa’ad and whom the Hudhayls
killed. All interest and usurious dues accruing from the times of ignorance
stand wiped out. And the first amount of interest that I remit is that which Abbas ibn Abd-al
Muttalib had to receive. Verily it is remitted
entirely.
O’ people!
Verily yor blood, your property and your honour are sacred and inviolable until you appear before
your Lord, as the sacred inviolability of this day of yours, this month of
yours and this very town (of yours). Verily you will soon meet your Lord and
you will be held answerable for your actions.
O’ people!
Verily you have got certain rights over your women and your women have certain
rights over you. It is your right upon them to honour
their conjugal rights, and not to commit acts of impropriety, which if they do,
you are authorised by Allah to separate them from your
beds and chastise them, but not severely, and if they refrain, then clothe and
feed them properly.
Behold! It is
not permissible for a woman to give anything from the wealth of her husband to
anyone but with his consent.
Treat the women
kindly, since they are your helpers and not in a position to manage their
affairs themselves. Fear Allah concerning women, for verily you have taken them
on the security of Allah and have made their persons lawful unto you by words
of Allah.
O’ people!
Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, has ordained to every one
his due share (of inheritance). Hence there is no need (of special) testament
for an heir (departing from the rules laid down by the Shari’ah).
The child
belongs to the marriage-bed and the violator of wedlock shall be stoned. And
Reckoning of their (deeds) rests with Allah.
He who
attributes his ancestry to other than his father or claims his clientship to other than his master, the curse of Allah is
upon him.
All depts must be repaid, all borrowed property must be returned,
gifts should be reciprocated and a surety must make good the loss to the
assured.
Beware! No one
committing a crime is responsible for it but himself. Neither the child is
responsible for the crime of his father, nor the father is
responsible for the crime of his child.
Nothing of his
brother is lawful for a Muslim except what he himself gives willingly. So do
not wrong yourselves.
O’ People! Every
Muslim is the brother of every other Muslim, and all the Muslims form one
brotherhood. And your slaves; see that you feed them with such food as you eat
yourselves, and clothe them with the clothes that you yourselves wear.
Take heed not to
go astray after me and strike one another’s necks. He who (amongst you) has any
trust with him, he must return it to its owner.
O’ people!
Listen and obey, though a mangled Abyssinian slave is appointed your Amir,
provided he executes (the Ordinance of) the Book of Allah among you.
O’ people! No
Prophet would be raised after me and no new Ummah
(would be formed) after you.
Verily I have
left amongst you that which will never lead you astray, the Book of Allah,
which if you hold fast you shall never go astray.
And beware of
transgressing the limits set in the matters of religion, for it is
transgression of (the proper bounds of) religion that brought destruction to
many people before you.
Verily, the satan is disappointed at ever
being worshipped in this land of yours, but he will be pleased by obedience in
anything (short of worship that is) in matters you may be disposed to think
insignificant, so beware of him in your matters of religion.
Behold! Worship
your Lord; offer prayers five times a day; observe fast in the month of Ramadhaan; pay readily the Zakat
(poor due) on your property; and perform pilgrimage to the House of God and
obey your rulers and you will be admitted to the Paradise of your Lord.
Let him that is
present, convey it unto him who is absent, for many people to whom the message
is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the audience.
And if you were
asked about me, what would you say?"
They answered,
"We bear witness that you have conveyed the trust (of religion) and
discharged your ministry of Prophethood and looked to
our welfare."
Thereupon
Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) lifted his
forefinger towards the sky and then pointing towards people said:
"O’ Lord:
Bear Thou witness unto it.
O’ Lord: Bear Thou witness unto it." (Khutbat-ul-Hajjatul Wida, Seerat Ibne Hesham)
The Prophet
Muhmmad's (p.b.u.h.) Farewell Sermon translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller:
O people,
hear me well: I explain to you. For I do not know; I may well not meet you
again in this place where I now stand, after this year of mine.
O people:
your lives and your property, until the very day you meet your Lord, are as
inviolable to each other as the inviolability of this day you are now in, and
the month you are now in. Have I given the message? -- O Allah, be my witness.
So let whoever has been given something for safekeeping give it back to him who
gave him it.
Truly, the
usury of the Era of Ignorance has been laid aside forever, and the first usury
I begin with is that which is due to my father’s brother ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd
al-Muttalib. And truly the blood-vengeance of the Era of Ignorance has been
laid aside forever, and the first blood-vengeance we shall start with is that
which is due for the blood of [my kinsman] ‘Amir ibn Rabi‘a ibn Harith ibn ‘Abd
al-Muttalib. Truly, the hereditary distinctions that were pretensions to
respect in the Era of Ignorance have been laid aside forever, except for the
custodianship of the Kaaba [by Bani ‘Abd al-Dar] and the giving of drink to
pilgrims [by al-‘Abbas].
A
deliberate murder is subject to retaliation in kind. An accidental death from a
deliberate injury means a death resulting from [something not usually used or
intended as a deadly weapon such as] a stick or a rock, for which the indemnity
is one hundred camels: whoever asks for more is a person of the Era of
Ignorance.
O people:
the Devil has despaired of ever being worshipped in this land of yours, though
he is content to be obeyed in other works of yours, that you deem to be of
little importance.
O people:
postponing the inviolability of a sacred month [claiming to postpone the
prohibition of killing in it to a subsequent month, so as to continue warring
despite the sacred month’s having arrived] is a surfeit of unbelief, by which
those who disbelieve are led astray, making it lawful one year and unlawful in
another, in order to match the number [of months] Allah has made inviolable.
Time has verily come full turn, to how it was the day Allah created the heavens
and the earth. Four months there are which are inviolable, three in a row and
forth by itself: Dhul Qa‘da, Dhul Hijja, and Muharram; and Rajab, which lies
between Jumada and Sha‘ban. Have I given the message? -- O Allah, be my
witness.
O people:
verily you owe your women their rights, and they owe you yours. They may not
lay with another men in your beds, let anyone into your houses you do not want without
your permission, or commit indecency. If they do, Allah has given you leave to
debar them, send them from your beds, or [finally] strike them in a way that
does no harm. But if they desist, and obey you, then you must provide for them
and clothe them fittingly. The women who live with you are like captives,
unable to manage for themselves: you took them as a trust from Allah, and
enjoyed their sex as lawful through a word [legal ruling] from Allah. So fear
Allah in respect to women, and concern yourselves with their welfare. Have I
given the message? -- O Allah, be my witness.
O
people, believers are but brothers. No one may take his brother’s property
without his full consent. Have I given the message? -- O Allah, be my witness.
Never go back to being unbelievers, smiting each other’s necks, for verily, I
have left among you that which if you take it, you will never stray after me:
the Book of Allah. Have I given the message? -- O Allah, be my witness.
O
people, your Lord is One, and your father is one: all of you are from Adam, and
Adam was from the ground. The noblest of you in Allah’s sight is the most
godfearing: Arab has no merit over non-Arab other than godfearingness. Have I
given the message? -- O Allah, be my witness.
-- At
this, they said yes.
He said,
Then let whomever is present tell whomever is absent.
O people:,
Allah has apportioned to every deserving heir his share of the estate, and no
deserving heir may accept a special bequest, and no special bequest may exceed
a third of the estate. A child’s lineage is that of the [husband who owns the]
bed, and adulterers shall be stoned. Whoever claims to be the son of someone
besides his father or a bondsman who claims to belong to other than his masters
shall bear the curse of Allah and the angels and all men: no deflecting of it
or ransom for it shall be accepted from him. And peace be upon all of you, and
the mercy of Allah.
Praise belongs
to Allah Who is exalted above all the creation in His Oneness, and is near to
His creation in His loneliness. Sublime is His authority, and great are the
pillars of His names. His knowledge encompasses everything while He is lofty in
status. He subdues all the creation through His power and evidence. He has
always been praiseworthy and shall always be praised. [He is the glorified Whose glory has no end. He begins and repeats the creation
and to Him all affairs are returned.] He is the maker of what has been elevated
(the heavens), the expander of what has been spread out (the Earth), and the
dominator of the planets and the heavens. He is holy and exalted above all
purifications, the Lord of the angels and the spirit. He grants to all that He
created. He prolongs His grace to all that He originated. He sees all eyes, and
eyes do not see Him. He is generous, forbearing, and patient. He made His mercy
encompass everything, and He favored them by His grace. He does not hasten His
revenge, nor does He take the initiative on what He knows they deserve of His
punishment. He comprehends the secrets, and knows what the hearts conceal.
Hidden things are not concealed from Him, nor do they make Him doubtful. He
encompasses in knowledge and dominates everything, and has strength and power
over everything. Nothing is like Him, and He is the establisher of “the thing”
when it was nothing. He is everlasting [and free of need], who acts justly;
there is no god but He, the mighty, the wise. He is exalted beyond being
grasped by visions, while He grasps all visions, and He is subtle, well aware
of all things. None can reach His description by seeing Him, nor can anyone
find out how He is, secretly or openly, and He is not known except by what
Allah, the mighty and the majestic, has made as the signs of Himself.
I testify that
He is Allah, Whose holiness overspreads all ages, Whose
light overwhelms perpetuity, Who enforces His command without consulting an
advisor. There is no partner with Him in His planning, nor is there any
discrepancy in His management. He shaped whatever He originated without a
preexisting model, and created whatever He created without getting assistance
from anyone, burdening Himself, or having any need to find out a solution. He
originated it in His will, thus it came into being, and He formed it in His
intention, thus it became distinct. So, He is Allah, the One that there is no
god but He, Who is proficient in skill, and beautiful in action. He is the just
Who never oppresses, and the most generous to Whom all
affairs are referred. I further testify that He is [Allah] that before His
magnificence everything is lowly, before His might everything is humble, before
His power everything surrenders, and before His awe everything yields. He is
the king of all domains, the turner of the heavenly bodies in their orbits, the
dominator of the sun and the moon, each of which pursues its course to an
appointed time. He makes night overtake day, and day overtake night, each one
seeking the other rapidly. He is the destroyer of every stubborn tyrant, and
the annihilator of every rebellious Satan. Neither has there been any opposing
power beside Him, nor any peer. He is Unique and impenetrable. He never begets
nor is He begotten, and none can ever be a match for Him. He is the only God,
the glorious Lord, Who wills, and thus carries out, Who
intends, and thus decrees, Who knows, and thus takes into account. He causes
death and gives life. He impoverishes and enriches. He makes men laugh and
makes them weep. [He brings near and drives away.] He denies and grants. For
Him is sovereignty, so is praise. In His hand is all goodness, and He is
powerful to do everything. He lets night enter the day, and day
enter night; there is no god but He, the mighty, the oft-forgiving. He
is the responder to supplication, open-handed in granting, the enumerator of
breaths, and the Lord of the Jinn and the humans. Neither does anything bring
difficulty for Him, nor does the cry of those who appeal for help annoy Him,
nor does the insistence of those who insist exhaust Him or force Him to assent.
He is Who protected the righteous, and gave success to
the prosperous. He is the guardian of the faithful, and the Lord of the worlds,
Who deserves that all His creations thank Him and
praise Him [in any situation. I therefore praise Him and thank Him] in joy and
sorrow, and in hardship and comfort. I believe in Him, His angels, His books,
and His messengers. I listen to His command, obey Him, proceed towards whatever
pleases Him, and submit to what He decreed, longing for His obedience and
fearing His punishment, for He is Allah against Whose schemes no one should
feel secure, nor should anyone be in fear of injustice from Him.
I confess before
Him that submissiveness befits my soul, and I bear witness that Lordship befits
Him. I convey what He revealed to me, lest should I not do it, He may make
lawful that a calamity befalls me; that which no one can turn away from me even
if he has great schemes [and sincere friendship], for there is no god but He.
He has informed me that if I do not convey what He has revealed to me [about
Ali’s right], it is as if I have not conveyed His message at all. Certainly,
He, the most holy, the most high, has guaranteed for me protection [from the
(evil of) people], and He is Allah, Who is sufficient and bountiful. Thus, He
revealed to me this verse: “In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. O Messenger! Deliver what has been sent down
to you from your Lord — regarding Ali Ibn Abi Talib and his leadership —
and if you do not, you have not conveyed His message at all, and Allah shall
protect you from (evil) people.”[1]
Oh people! I have never been neglectful of conveying what Allah, the exalted,
sent down to me, and I shall now explain to you the reason behind the
revelation of this verse. Verily, Gabriel came down to me three times giving
the order of my Lord, Who is the security (of the believers), that I should
stand in this scene and inform everyone, white and black, that: Ali Ibn Abi Talib
is my brother, my deputy and the executor of my affairs (Wasiyyi),
my successor [over my nation] (Khalifati), and
the leader (Imam) after me, whose position to me is like that of Aaron
to Moses except that there shall be no prophet after me, and that he is your
guardian (Wali) after Allah and His messenger.
Indeed, Allah, the most holy, the most high, had already sent down to me a
verse from His book about this, saying, “Only your guardian is Allah and His
messenger and those of the believers who establish the prayers and pay the
charity while they bow down.”[2]
Ali Ibn Abi Talib [was the one who] kept alive prayers and paid charity
while bowing down in ruku’. He intends (the pleasure
of) Allah, the mighty and the majestic, in all situations. I asked Gabriel to
plead to Allah, [Who is the security of the believers,] to excuse me from
conveying it to you, O people, due to my knowledge on the fewness of the pious,
the numerousness of the hypocrites, the corruption and the treachery of the
sinful, and the trickery of those who ridicule Islam, those whom Allah
described in His book as: “They say with their tongues what is not in their
hearts,”[3]
taking it lightly, while it is a grave matter in the sight of Allah, and due to
their annoying me on many occasions, so much so that they called me (all)
“ear”, claiming I am so because of Ali’s frequent attendance in my presence and
my attention to him, until Allah, the mighty and the majestic, sent down the
following verse in this regard: “And of them are some who annoy the Prophet and
say: He is an ear (for accepting what he hears, particularly from Ali). Say:
One whom you call ‘ear’ is best for you; He believes in Allah, safeguards the
believers, and is a mercy for those of you who believe. And for those who harm
the messenger of Allah, there shall be a painful torment.”[4]
Had I wished to name those who have called me so, to point out towards them, or
to lead to them by their signs, I would have done so. Yet, by Allah, I have
indeed dealt with their affairs magnanimously. Nevertheless, Allah is not
satisfied with me until I convey what He has sent down to me [regarding the
right of Ali.]” Then, the Prophet (s) recited again the following verse:
“O Messenger! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord—with regard
to Ali— and if you do not, you will not have conveyed His message at all, and
Allah shall protect you from (evil) people.”[5]
Oh people! Know
that Allah has assigned him (Ali) as a guardian and a leader for you, whose
obedience is obligatory for the immigrants, the helpers, and those who follow
them in goodness, and for everyone, whether nomad or city resident, Arab or
non-Arab, free or slave, young or old, white or black, and for every monotheist.
His (Ali’s) decree is to be carried out, his saying is sanctioned as law, and
his command is effective. Cursed is whoever opposes him, blessed with mercy is
whoever follows him, faithful is whoever acknowledges his (virtues and rights).
Indeed, Allah has covered him and those who listen to him and obey him with
mercy and forgiveness. Oh people! This is the last stand I make in this
gathering; Thus, listen, obey, and submit to the command of your Lord, for
Allah, the mighty and the majestic, is your master (Mawla),
then [His Messenger], Muhammad, who is now addressing you, is your master.
Then, after me, Ali is your master (Wali) and
your leader (Imam) by the command of Allah, your Lord. Then, leadership
shall be in my progeny, within his offspring, until the Day you meet Allah and
His Messenger. Nothing is lawful except what Allah declared so (in His book),
[as well as His Messenger, and them (the Imams)], and nothing is unlawful
except Allah declared so in His book, [as well as His Messenger, and them],
(for) Allah, the mighty and the majestic, has informed me of the permissible
and the forbidden things, and I have made known to him (Ali) what my Lord has
taught me of His Book, the permissible, and the forbidden things. Oh people!
There is no knowledge except that Allah has kept its account in the heart of
me, and I have recorded the details of all the knowledge that I was taught, in
(the heart of) the leader of the pious, (Ali). Certainly, there is no knowledge
except that I have taught it to Ali, and he is the evident Imam [whom Allah
mentions in the Chapter of Yasin: “... And We have kept the detailed account of everything in an
evident Imam.”[6]]
Oh people! Do not stray from him, nor should you flee from him, nor should you
refuse his guardianship and his authority, for he is the one who guides to
truth and acts upon it, and crushes falsehood and proscribes it, accepting no
blame, in the path of Allah, from any blamer. He is the first to believe in
Allah and in His Messenger; and he is the one who offered his life as a
sacrifice for the Messenger of Allah. [ I commanded
him, on behalf of Allah, to sleep in my bed, and he did it to sacrifice himself
for me.] He was with the Messenger of Allah when no one among men worshipped
Allah in the company of His Messenger other than him. Oh people! Prefer him
over all others, for Allah has indeed preferred him, and turn to him, for Allah
has indeed appointed him as your guide. Oh people! He is an Imam authorized by
Allah, and Allah shall never turn to anyone in mercy
who denies his authority, nor shall He ever forgive him; this is a decisive
decree by Allah that He shall do so to anyone who opposes His command about
him, and shall torment him with the most painful torment, which lasts forever
and ever. Hence, beware lest you oppose him, and thus, arrive at a fire whose
fuel is people and stones, prepared for the disbelievers. Oh people! By Allah, all
early prophets and messengers have given the glad tiding of my advent. I am the
seal of the prophets and the messengers, and the proof of Allah over all the
creatures, of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths.
He who doubts this, is indeed a disbeliever, with the
disbelief of the early era of ignorance (Jahiliyya).
And he who doubts anything of what I have said this
day, has doubted all that has been revealed to me. [And anyone who doubts any
of the Imams, has doubted them all], and anyone who doubts us, shall be in the
Fire. Oh people! Allah, the mighty and the majestic, has bestowed this virtue
upon me out of His kindness and His grace. And there is no god but He. My praise is for Him forever and ever, and in all
circumstances. Oh people! Prefer Ali over all others, for he is the best of the
people, men or women, after me so long as Allah sends down His sustenance and
so long as the creation exists. Under curse and again under curse, under wrath
and again under wrath, is he who rejects this saying of mine
and does not does not agree with it. Certainly, Gabriel has informed me
of this from Allah, the most high, Who also said:
“Anyone who bears enmity against Ali and refuses his authority, for him shall
be My curse and My wrath.” Thus, every soul should look to what he has sent
forth for the morrow. Be watchful of your duty towards Allah lest you should
oppose Him and your foot should slip after its stability. Verily, Allah is
well-acquainted with all that you do. Oh people! He (Ali) is “the side of
Allah” that is mentioned in Allah’s Book. He, the exalted, says, “Lest a soul
should (then) say: ‘Ah! Woe onto me that I abused and
neglected (my duties towards) the side of Allah.’”[7]
Oh people! Reflect on the Quran and comprehend its verses. Look into its clear
verses and do not follow its ambiguous parts, for by Allah, none shall be able
to explain to you its warnings and its mysteries, nor shall anyone clarify its
interpretation, other than the one that I have grasped his hand, brought up
beside myself, [and lifted his arm,] the one about whom I inform you that
whomever I am his master (Mawla), this Ali is
his master (Mawla); and he is Ali Ibn Abi Talib,
my brother, the executor of my will (Wasiyyi),
whose appointment as your guardian and leader has been sent down to me from
Allah, the mighty and the majestic. Oh people! [Indeed, I am leaving amongst
you two weighty and precious things that if you adhere to both, you will never
go astray.] Verily, Ali and the pure ones among my offspring are the lesser
weight, and the Quran is the greater weight. Each one [of the two] informs
about the other and agrees with it. They shall never part until they return to
me at the Pool (of al-Kawthar on the Day of Judgement). Behold! They (the Ahl
al-Bayt) are the trustees of Allah amongst His
creation, and His people of wisdom on His earth.
Thereafter,
Allah’s Messenger (s) took the upper arm of Ali by his hand, raised it, and
said: [“Oh people! Who
has more priority over you than yourself?” People said: “Allah and His
messenger.” Then, he (s) said: “Behold! Whosoever I am his master (Mawla), this Ali is his
master (Mawla). O Allah! Stay firm in
supporting those who stay firm in following him, be hostile to those who are
hostile to him, help those who help him, and forsake those who forsake him.] Oh
people! This Ali is my brother, the executor of my (affairs) (Wasiyyi), the container of my knowledge, my successor (Khalifati)
over my nation, and over the interpretation the Book of Allah, the mighty and
the majestic, and the true inviter to its implications. He is the one who acts
according to what pleases Him, fights His enemies, causes to adhere to His
obedience, and advises against His disobedience. Surely, He is the successor of
the Messenger of Allah, the commander of the believers, the guiding Imam, and
the killer of the oath breakers, the transgressors, and the apostates. I speak
by the authority of Allah. The word with me shall not be changed. I say with
the command of Allah: O Allah! Be the guardian of him who adheres to him. Be
the enemy of him who bears enmity against him. Curse him who rejects him. Be
wrathful towards him who denies his right. Indeed, I have now fulfilled my
duty. Indeed, I have now conveyed the Message. Indeed, I have now made you hear
it. Indeed, I have now clarified it. Indeed, Allah, the mighty and the
majestic, so said, and so did I on His behalf. Indeed,
there is no commander for the faithful save this brother of mine, and it is not
permissible to call anyone other than him with the title of “the Commander of
the Believers” (Amirul Mu'minin)
after my departure.
O Allah! (I
testify that) You did send down [this verse regarding Ali, Your authorized
representative, at the time of the explanation of his authority and appointment
today:] “This day, I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and was satisfied that Islam be your
religion.”[8]
You also said, “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never shall it
be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, he shall be one of the losers.”[9]
O Allah! I implore You to witness that I have conveyed
Your message. Oh people! Allah, the mighty and the majestic, has indeed
perfected your religion through his (Ali’s) leadership. Thus, whoever does not
follow his example, and the example of those of my children from his loins, who
will take his position until the Day of Judgement—
when deeds are presented before Allah, the mighty and the majestic— they are
the ones whose deeds become vain and fruitless, and they shall be in Hellfire
forever. “Their torment shall not be lightened, nor shall it be postponed.”[10]
Oh people! This is Ali, who has been my greatest aid, the most worthy of you
before me, the closest in relation with me, and the dearest to me amongst you
all. Both Allah, the mighty and the majestic, and I
are pleased with him. No verse [in the Quran] has been sent down expressing
(Allah’s) pleasure except that in its absolute sense it is about him, nor has
Allah addressed with honor “those who believe” but that He meant him first, nor
has any verse of praise been revealed in the Quran but that it is in his honor,
nor did Allah testify Paradise in the chapter starting with “Has not passed
over man a long period of time”[11]
but for him, nor did He reveal it for other than him, nor did He mean to praise
by it save him. Oh people! He is the patron of the religion of Allah, and the
one who argues on behalf of the Messenger of Allah. He is the pious, the pure,
the guide, and the rightly guided. Your prophet is the best prophet, the
executor of my will (Wasiyyi) over you is the
best executor and deputy, and his sons are the best deputies. Oh people! The
progeny of every prophet was from his own loins whereas my progeny is from the
loins of Ali. Oh people! Surely, Iblis (the greater
Satan) caused Adam to be dismissed from the garden through envy. Thus, do not
envy him or your deeds shall be nullified and your feet shall slip, Verily,
Adam was sent down to earth only because of one mistake, while he was the elite
of Allah, the mighty and the majestic. How, then, will be your condition, and
you are what you really are, and among you are the enemies of Allah? Indeed,
none hates Ali but a wretched person, none keeps himself attached to Ali but a
pious person, and none has faith in his virtues but a sincere believer. And in
the honor of Ali, by Allah, was the Chapter of al-Asr
revealed: “In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. By the Time ! Most surely man is in loss, except those who
believe, do righteous deeds, and enjoin on each other the truth, and enjoin on
each other patience and constancy.” [12]
Oh people! I have sought Allah to be my witness and have conveyed my
communication to you, “and the messenger is only obligated to convey clearly.”[13]
Oh people! “Be cautious of (your duties towards) Allah, the caution that He
deserves, and do not die except in the state of submission.” [14]
Oh people!
Believe in Allah and His Messenger and the light that was sent down with him,
“before We alter faces then turn them on their backs
or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath breakers.”[15]
[By Allah! No one is intended by this latter verse except a certain group of my
companions whom I know by their names and their lineage, yet, I have been
ordered to ignore them.] Oh people! The light created by Allah, the mighty and
the majestic, has been placed in me, then in Ali, and then in his select
descendants up to al-Qa’im al-Mahdi
(The Mahdi), who shall re-establish the right of
Allah as well as all our rights, because Allah, the mighty and the majestic,
has made us Hi) exhaustive argument against the neglectful, the stubborn, the
dissenters, the treacherous, the sinful, the unjust, and the usurpers from all
worlds. Oh people! I warn you that I am the Messenger of Allah. There have been
messengers before me who came and passed away. Then, should I die or be killed,
will you turn back on your heels? And whoever turns back on his heels shall not
harm Allah in the least, and Allah shall soon reward the grateful [who observe
patience.] Behold! Ali is surely the one described with patience and gratitude,
so are after him my offspring from his loins. Oh people! Do not think that you
are doing a favor to Allah by accepting Islam lest His wrath should descend
upon you, and lest He should afflict you with His punishment; surely He is everwatching. Oh people! There shall soon be leaders after
me who shall invite people to the Fire, and on the Day of Judgement
they shall not be helped. Oh people! Indeed, Allah and I are both clear of
them. Oh people! They, their supporters, their followers, and their adherents
shall be in the lowest depths of the Fire; and evil, indeed, is the abode of
the arrogant. Know that these are, indeed, the People of the Sheet (As'haabus Sahifa);
so, let each one of you look into his own sheet of deeds! Oh people! I leave
the authority after me as leadership (Imamat)
inherited in my offspring until the Day of Judgement.
Certainly, I just conveyed what I have been ordered to convey as an argument
against everyone, be him present or absent, a direct witness or not, and already born or not yet born. Hence, everyone who
is present should convey (this sermon) to those who are absent, every parent
should convey it to his/her children, and they should continue to do so until
the Day of Judgement. But, (I have been informed
that) some people shall replace this leadership with kingdom through
usurpation. May Allah curse the usurpers and dispossessors, And
then, “We will soon settle your affairs, Oh the two weights.” [16]
And also, “on you Oh the two (greatest enemies) shall be launched a flame of
fire and a (flash of) molten brass, thus you shall never prevail.” [17]
Oh people! Without doubt, Allah, the mighty and the majestic, does not leave
you in the state you are now, until He separates the evil from the good ones.
Nor does He make you acquainted with the knowledge of the unseen. Oh people!
There shall be no wrongful community but that Allah shall perish it due to the
rejection of truth by its people. Such is what Allah, the exalted, mentioned in
His book as to how He destroys the wrongful societies. This is your leader (Imam)
and your guardian (Wali), and these are
Allah’s promises. Verily, Allah fulfills His promise. Oh people! Most of the
early generations before you have strayed, and surely, Allah destroyed them. He
shall be the One who destroys the later generations too. Allah, the exalted,
states: “Did We not destroy the former generations? So
shall We follow the same for later (generations). Such
is how We treat the guilty. Woe on that Day to the
rejecters (of truth)!”[18]
Oh people! Allah gave me the commandments and the prohibitions, and I gave them
to Ali by the order of Allah. Hence, the knowledge of all commandments and
prohibitions are with him. Thus, listen to his orders so that you remain safe,
obey him so that you are guided, and leave what he prohibits so that you become
mature. Conform to what he wants, and do not let different paths separate you
from his path.
Oh people! I am
the Straight Path of Allah whom He commanded you to follow[19],
and such after me also is Ali, and then my offspring from his loins, the Imams
who guide with truth and turn (people) to it[20].
Then, the Prophet (s) recited the entire Quranic
chapter of the opening (al-Fatihah) and said:
This chapter was revealed in my honor and in theirs (the Imams) generally and
specifically. They are the authorized friends of Allah, for whom there shall be
no fear, nor shall they grieve[21].
Behold! Truly, it is the party of Allah that shall prevail[22].
Lo! It is their enemies who are the dissenters, the transgressors, and the
brethren of Satans, who inspire one another with
embellished vain discourses by way of deception[23].
Lo! It is their close adherents who are the true believers, whom Allah, the
mighty and the majestic, mentions in His Book saying: “You will not find any
group of people who (truly) believe in Allah and in the Last Day, yet they love
those who opposed Allah and His messenger, even though they were their own
fathers, sons, brothers, or kinsfolk; Those are the ones in whose hearts He has
written faith ...”[24]
Lo! Their close adherents are those whom Allah, the mighty and the majestic,
describes as the following: “Those who believe and do not cover their faith
with injustice, are the ones for whom is the security
(from Hellfire), and they are the rightly guided.”[25]
[Indeed, their close adherents are those who believed and then have not
entertained doubt (in their faith).[26]]
Lo! Their close adherents shall enter Paradise in peace and security, and the
angels shall receive them with greetings saying, “Well have you done! Hence,
enter into it to dwell therein forever!”[27]
Indeed, their close adherents are those about whom Allah, the mighty and the
majestic, said, they shall enter Paradise (where they shall receive sustenance)
without having to account for anything[28].
Lo! Their enemies are ones who shall arrive at Hell. Indeed, their enemies are
the ones who shall hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath as it blazes
forth, and therein shall be the heaving of sighs and sobs[29].
Behold! Their enemies are those about whom Allah states: “Whenever a nation
enters it, it shall curse its peer.” [30]
Lo! Their enemies are those whom Allah, the mighty and the majestic, describes
as: “Every time a group is cast therein, its keepers shall ask them, ‘Did no warner come to you?’ They shall say, ‘Yes indeed. A warner came to us, but we rejected (him) and said, Allah
has not revealed anything; you are but in a great error.’ They shall also say,
‘Had we listened or used our wisdom, we would not have been among the inmates
of the blazing fire.’ They shall then confess their sins; but far from mercy
shall be the inmates of the burning fire.”[31]
In contrast, their close adherents are, indeed, ones who fear their Lord in
secret; for them is forgiveness and a great reward[32].
Oh people! What a great difference it is between the burning fire and the great
reward! Oh people! Our enemy is whom Allah censures and
curses, whereas our adherent friend is the one whom Allah praises and loves.
Oh people! Behold! I am a warner and Ali is a guide.
Oh people! I am a prophet and Ali is the executor of my will (Wasiyyi).
Know that the
seal of the leaders from among us shall be the Qa’im,
the Mahdi. He shall, most certainly, prevail over
(all) religious (methods of life). He shall definitely be the avenger against
the oppressors. He shall surely be the conqueror of the strongholds and their
demolisher. He shall be, indeed, the destroyer of every polytheistic group. He
shall be the attainer of vengeance for the blood of
all representatives of Allah, the mighty and the majestic. He shall be the
supporter of the religion of Allah. He shall bring out (people’s share) from
(his) deep ocean (of knowledge and divine resources). He shall mark each man of
distinction by his distinction and every man of ignorance by his ignorance.
Behold! He is the elite of Allah, and Allah is his chooser. He shall be the
heir of every knowledge, and the one who shall encompass
[every perception]. He shall advise and inform on behalf of his Lord, the
mighty and the majestic, and shall remind about the matters pertaining to His
faith. He shall be the right-minded and unerring, to whom authority shall be
vested. Behold! All former (prophets) have given the glad tidings of him. Know
that he shall be the remaining proof (of Allah), after whom there shall be no
(new) proof. There shall be no truth except with him, nor shall
there be any light (of guidance) except at his disposal. None, indeed,
shall overcome him, and none shall be supported against him. He shall be the
authorized representative of Allah on His earth, His judge over His creation,
and His trustee in His secrets and in what He made evident.
Oh people! I
have, indeed, explained for you and made you comprehend (Allah’s commandments),
and it is this Ali that shall make you comprehend (every issue) after me.
Notice that at the end of my sermon, I shall call upon you to shake hands with
me as the oath of allegiance to him and the recognition of his authority, and
to shake hands with him afterwards. I have, indeed, sworn allegiance to Allah,
and Ali has sworn allegiance to me, and, on behalf of Allah, the mighty and the
majestic, I require you to swear the oath of allegiance to him, (for Allah
says): “Verily those who pledge allegiance to you, they indeed pledge
allegiance to Allah; the hand of Allah is over their hands. Thus, anyone who
violates his oath has indeed violated his (own) soul, and anyone who fulfills
the covenant he has made with Allah, He shall soon grant him a great reward.”[33]
Oh people! The
greater and the lesser pilgrimages, and (the mounts of) al-Safaa
and al-Marwa are among the emblems of Allah; Thus,
whoever goes to visit the House in the season or at other times, he is not
wrong if he repeatedly walks between the two (mounts of al-Safa
and al-Marwa)[34].
Oh people! Do make pilgrimage to the House, for no members of a family went
there except that they became free of need [and received glad tidings!] None
failed to go there except that they were impoverished. Oh people! No believer
stands at the standing place (of the Arafat desert) except that Allah forgives
all his past sins until then. Thus, once his pilgrimage is over, (recording)
his actions is resumed. Oh people! The pilgrims shall be assisted, and their
expenses shall be reimbursed, and Allah shall not waste the reward of those who
do well[35].
Oh people! Perform pilgrimage to the House having perfected faith and deep
understanding (of religion), and do not leave the sacred visiting places except
after repenting and desisting (from all sins). Oh people! Establish the prayers
and pay the charity as Allah, the mighty and the majestic, commanded you. But,
if time lapses and you fall short or forget, then Ali shall direct you and
shall explain for you. He is the one whom Allah, the mighty and the majestic,
appointed for you after me [as the trustee of His creation. He is from me and I
am from him.] He and those who will succeed him from my progeny shall inform
you of anything you ask about, and shall clarify what you do not know.
Certainly, the lawful and unlawful things are more than that I could enumerate,
specify their limits, and urge to or advise against them each in this place.
Therefore, I was commanded to take an oath of allegiance and a covenant from
you in accepting what I brought you from Allah, the mighty and the majestic,
regarding Ali, the Commander of the Believers, and the executors (of my
affairs) after him who are from me and from him, Oh people! (By this
appointment) I have directed you to every lawful deed and prohibited you from
every unlawful deed. And I shall never take (my word) back, nor shall I replace
it. Hence, remember and safeguard it, advise each other to it, and never
substitute nor alter it. I repeat the saying: Establish the prayers, pay the
charity, enjoin the good deeds, and forbid the evil deeds. Behold! The greatest
case of enjoining righteous deeds is comprehending my saying, conveying it to
whoever is not present, urging him to accept it, and advising him against
violating it, for it is an order from Allah, the mighty and the majestic, and
from me. There is no (value or effect for) enjoining (other) recognized deeds
and forbidding the detested deeds except with (the recognition of) an
infallible leader (Imamim-Ma'soom). Oh people!
The Quran informs you that the Imams after him (Ali) are his descendants, and I
have already informed you that they are of me and of him, for Allah, the mighty
and the majestic, says in His Book, “And He made that a Word enduring in his
posterity,”[36]
and I said: “You will never go astray so long as you adhere to both (the Quran
and my family).” Oh people! (Observe) piety! (Observe) piety! And be wary of
the Hour as Allah, the mighty and the majestic, says, “Surely the convulsion of
the Hour shall be a tremendous thing.”[37]
Remember death, [resurrection], reckoning, the scales (of justice)[38],
and the call to account within the hands of the Lord of the worlds, and the
reward and punishment. Thus, whoever comes (to the Day of Judgement)
with a righteous deed, shall be rewarded for it, and whoever comes with an (unforgiven) sin, shall not have any share in the gardens[39].
Oh people! There
are too many of you to shake my hand at the same time, and Allah, the mighty
and the majestic, commanded me to take verbal recognition from you regarding
what I finalized (on behalf of Allah) about Ali, the Commander of the
Believers, and about the Imams from me and him who shall succeed him, based on
what I informed you that my offspring are from his loins. Therefore, pronounce
this in one voice:
“We heard,
obeyed, are satisfied, and are submitted to what you have conveyed to us from
our Lord and your Lord with regard to the authority of Ali, the Commander of
the Believers, and the authority of the Imams from his loins. We pledge
allegiance to you in this regard with our hearts, our souls, our tongues, and
our hands. According to this, shall we live, shall we die, and shall we be
resurrected. We shall not alter, nor shall we substitute, nor shall we
entertain doubt, [nor shall we deny], nor shall we distrust, nor shall we
withdraw from the covenant, nor shall we breach the pact. You advised us on
behalf of Allah regarding Ali, the Commander of the Believers, and the Imams
after him that you mentioned to be of your offspring from his descendants (who
are): al-Hasan, al-Husayn,
and whomever Allah shall appoint after them. The covenant and the pledge are
taken from us, from our hearts, our souls, our tongues, our minds, and our
hands. Anyone (of us) who can reach him shall shake his hand,
otherwise he shall affirm the covenant by his tongue. We shall not seek any
substitute for it, nor shall Allah see in our souls any diversion from it. We
shall convey the same on your behalf to anyone, near or far, among our
offspring and our people, We take Allah as witness to
this, and surely Allah suffices as witness. You are also witness over us; so
are anyone who obeyed, visible or covered, Allah’s Angels, His forces, and His
servants. And Allah is greater than every witness.”
Oh people! What
do you say? Verily, Allah is well-aware of every voice and the secrecy of every
soul; “He who accepts guidance, it is to the benefit of his own soul, and he
who goes astray, does so to his own loss.”[40]
Those who pledge fealty, they indeed pledge fealty to Allah; the hand of Allah
is over their hands[41].
Oh people! Be mindful of Allah, give your oath of allegiance to Ali, the
Commander of the Believers, may Allah’s blessings be upon him, to al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and to the
Imams [from them], a goodly Word, that is enduring[42].
Allah shall cause whoever acts treacherously to perish and shall have mercy on
whoever remains loyal. “Thus, anyone who violates his oath has indeed violated
his (own) soul, and anyone who fulfills the covenant he has made with Allah, He
shall soon grant him a great reward.”[43]
Oh people! Say what I told you, and greet Ali with the title of “The Commander
of the Believers” (Amirul Mu'minin). And also say: “We listened, and obeyed, Your forgiveness (do we seek), Our Lord, and towards Your
(reward or punishment) is the eventual turn.”[44]
And say: “Praise be to Allah who has guided us to
this. Never could we be guided had Allah not guided us.”[45]
Oh people! Without doubt, the merits of Ali Ibn Abi Talib in the sight of Allah,
the mighty and the majestic, which are indeed revealed in the Quran, are more
numerous than I could recount in one speech; thus, whenever someone relates
them to you and acquaints (you) with them, believe him. Oh people! Whoever
obeys Allah, His Messenger, Ali, and the Imams that I mentioned, has indeed
achieved a great prosperity[46].
Oh people! The foremost from among you in paying homage to him, (truly)
accepting his guardianship, and greeting him as “the Commander of the
Believers” are the winners of the gardens of bliss. Oh people! Say what makes
Allah be pleased with you, and (know that) if you and all the people on earth
disbelieve, it shall not harm Allah in the least. Oh Allah! Forgive the
believers [through what I have conveyed and commanded,] and let Your Wrath
descend upon those [who deny] and disbelieve, and praise belongs to Allah, the
Lord of the worlds.