Islamic Factsheet Shiite Beliefs And Practices Explained

One Messenger, Proclaim what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don’t do it, you
have not delivered His Message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people[1]
The Shi’ah believe that the proclamation mentioned by the Qur ’anic verse was fulfilled by the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) when he appointed Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) as his successor on the day of
Ghadir Khumm.

Ghadir Khumm is a location some miles from Makkah on the road to Madinah. When the Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) was passing by this place on 18 Dhu’l Hijja (10 March 632) on his return from the Farewell
Pilgrimage, the verse “O Messenger, Proclaim what has been sent down… ” was revealed. He
therefore stopped to make an announcement to the pilgrims who accompanied him from Makkah and
who were to disperse from that junction to their respective destinations. By the orders of the Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) a special pulpit made of branches of trees was erected for him. After the noon prayer the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) sat on the pulpit and made his last public address to the largest gathering before his
death three months later.
The highlight of his sermon was when, taking Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) by the hand, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
asked his followers whether he was superior in authority (awla) to the believers themselves. The
crowd cried out in one voice: “It is so, O Apostle of Allah”.
He then declared:
“He of whom I am the master (mawla), of him ‘Ali is also the master (mawla). O God, be the friend
of him who is his friend, and be the enemy of him who is his enemy.”
Immediately after the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur ’an was
revealed: