The leader of the revolution, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi delivered a comprehensive address on the occasion of Wilayah Day 1447 AH, detailing the divine command delivered at Ghadir Khum and affirming the appointment of Imam Ali as the rightful successor to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).
The leader emphasized the profound significance of this divine proclamation, noting the sensitivity of the matter in its time—a reality reflected in the Quranic verse: “And Allah will protect you from the people.” The question of authority and leadership, he explained, remains among the most sensitive issues across different segments of societies, including politicians, intellectuals, and scholars.
Timing and Urgency of the Divine Command
The leader highlighted the critical timing of this proclamation, coming in the final period of the Prophet’s life after he had already delivered the Quran, doctrines, laws, and fundamental positions of the religion. The revelation of the verse—”O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message”—reveals the elevated status of this matter and its essential impact on the course of the Prophetic mission and the nation’s future.
Immediately upon receiving the divine command, the Prophet took extraordinary measures to announce this proclamation. He ordered an immediate, public gathering of pilgrims in the area of Ghadir Khum, directing those who had already passed to return and those who had lagged to hurry—despite the intense heat and the approaching noon hour. The gathering place was prepared, and a pulpit was constructed from camel saddles for the address.
The Sermon at Ghadir Khum
Sayyed Abdul-Malik described the moment: “A massive gathering of Muslims assembled at that location. The Prophet ascended the pulpit with Imam Ali after completing the noon prayer, delivering an introductory sermon in which he renewed the reminder of his approaching departure from this world, invoking the ‘Hadith of the Two Weighty Things’ as a prelude befitting the importance and centrality of the forthcoming proclamation.”
Regarding the sermon’s content, the leader noted that the Prophet explicitly declared the guardianship of Imam Ali, saying: “O people, indeed Allah is my Master, and I am the master of the believers, and I am more worthy of them than themselves. So whoever I am his master, this Ali is his master.”
He then took Imam Ali’s hand, raised it before the crowds, and prayed: “O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, and be hostile to whoever is hostile to him, support whoever supports him, and abandon whoever abandons him.”
The Prophet then asked the gathered assembly to bear witness: “Have I conveyed the message?” When they answered, “O Allah, yes,” he said: “O Allah, bear witness.” He charged them with the responsibility to transmit this proclamation, ensuring that it would reach the entire nation—from those present to those absent.
The Completion of the Religion
Sayyed Abdul-Malik noted that the blessed verse—”This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion”—was revealed immediately following this proclamation.
The significance of this proclamation, he affirmed, lies in its provision of a clear and guaranteed future path for the Islamic nation, offering the fundamental guarantee for its future after the Prophet’s passing. Had the nation adhered to this path, it would have been spared the reality of division and regression, as well as the contemporary struggle against the enemies among Jews and Christians.
Quranic Foundations of Wilayah
The leader referenced the Quranic verse: “Your guardian is only Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed—those who establish prayer and give zakah while bowing [in worship].” He considered this a Quranic confirmation of the issue of wilayah, presented to the nation as a central concern for its path and future.
The text of Ghadir Khum, he explained, is inseparable from this blessed Quranic text, interpreting and clarifying it. The divine guidance on the subject of wilayah continues in the verse: “And whoever is an ally of Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed—indeed, the party of Allah will be victorious.”
Warning Against Taking Jews and Christians as Allies
Sayyed Abdul-Malik stressed that the Quran clearly warns against taking Jews and Christians as allies, citing the verse: “Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you—then indeed, he is of them.” He explained that this context demonstrates the inevitability of conflict with them, as they represent a genuine danger to the Islamic nation.
The Quran has spoken of the enemies’ efforts to transform the nation into a lost and straying nation, stripped of the honor of carrying the divine message, transformed into an enslaved, subjugated, defeated, and humiliated nation. The verses have clarified the nature of their aggressive orientations, their methods of misguidance, deception, corruption, and obfuscation, and the danger of their project to the Islamic nation.
The anniversary of Ghadir Khum—observed on the 18th of Dhul Hijjah—is a major religious occasion for Muslims, commemorating the Prophet’s declaration of Imam Ali as his successor.
Source: Almasirah English Website
