Imam Ali (a.s.) - The Successor of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
Shart ast keh bahre zabte adaab-o-rusoom
Khaizad ba’ad az Nabi (s.a.w.s.) Imam-e-Masoom (a.s.)
Ze ijma chegoyee beh Ali (a.s.) baaz garaaye
Maah jaaye nasheen mehr baashad, nah najoom
- Mirza Asadullah Khan “Ghalib”
A non rigorous translation of the above Persian rubayee (quatrain) of Mirza Ghalib would be that, there is a condition to save customs or shariyat or etiquette (in Islam), which is to follow an infallible Imam after Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), and of what is the talk for consensus ‘ijma’ if you have orientation towards Hazrat Ali (a.s.), for when the sun sets, the successor is moon, not the stars.
Verse No. 3 of Surah Al-Maaida, Chapter 5 of Holy Qur'an, as referred at the end, declaring the completion and perfection of Islam, after declaring the Imamat of Hazrat Ali (a.s.) after the termination of risalat, establishes the institution of Imamat which is necessary to keep intact the final word of Allah (s.w.t.), and to guide mankind to the right path till the day of resurrection. And thus the belief in an Infallible (Masoom) Imam is a condition till the day of resurrection. Quoting Ahle Sunnat Scholar Fakhruddin Razi, it is said that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) died 81 or 82 days after the revelation of this verse and all authorities agree that no law-giving verse was revealed after this. Further, after the sun sets, the moon naturally succeeds it and the stars which although are more in numbers do not claim by consensus to succeed the sun. The moon acts as a substitute to the sun although the principal source remains the sun. Here, the poet is thought to have used the evidence in Surah Shams of Holy Quran:
I swear by the sun and its brilliance, And the moon when it follows the sun.
- Holy Quran (91:1-2)
Before stating that, some commentators say that the sun stands for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the moon represents Imam Ali ibn abi Talib (a.s.), Late S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali writes in his commentary that “So far man's knowledge about the physical aspects of the sun is limited, but there is no doubt that it is a source, of light for us. The moon follows or acts as substitute to the sun for illuminating our world with reflected light and therefore may be called the sun's vicegerent.”
Aqa Mirza Mehdi Pooya Yazdi says, “Tala means to follow a thing or person as a principal source in consequence of total adherence. The follower derives his strength from him who is followed. See commentary of Surah Hud: 17.”
Is he then who has with him clear proof from his Lord, and a witness from Him recites it and before it (is) the Book of Musa, a guide and a mercy? These believe in it; and whoever of the (different) parties disbelieves in it, the Fire will be their promised meeting-place. Be not then in doubt thereon: surely it is the truth from your Lord, but most men do not believe. - Holy Quran (11:17)
Late S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali says “There are several traditions reported on the authority of Ahl ul Bayt, and also narrated by well-known Muslim scholars like Jalal al Din al Suyuti in Durr al Manthur, Muhammad bin Ahmad Qartabi in Tafsir Qartabi, Sayyid Hashim Bahrayni in Tafsir Burhan, Abd Ali bin Jumah Hawyazi in Tafsir Nur al Thaqalayn, Abu Ali al Tabrasi in Tafsir Majma al Bayan, Abu Ishaq al Thalabi in Tasir al Kabir, and Abu Nu-aym in Hilyatul Awliya that shahid in this verse refers to Ali ibn abi Talib, just as shahid in verse 43 of ar Rad also refers to Imam Ali.
In reply to a question Imam Ali said that in "Is he then (like unto him) who has a clear proof from his Lord, and a witness, from Him, follows him," the Holy Prophet is the divine "bayyanah" and I am the witness, guide and mercy.
Allah has declared Ali to be the Imam who alone testifies the truth about Allah and His Prophet, and like the Holy Prophet who is "mercy unto the world", he is also "mercy'? Because both of them are from one and the same divine light, therefore, Ali is the only true successor of the Holy Prophet whom all the Muslims should follow if they have truly and sincerely surrendered themselves to the will of Allah.”
Aqa Mirza Mehdi Pooya Yazdi says, “In this verse yatlu means to follow, and to translate it "to recite" is incorrect as there is no mention of anything to be recited. On the contrary a "person" has been mentioned, who is with clear evidence from his Lord. Therefore "to recite" is meaningless. It is clearly said that there is a person who has come with clear evidence from Allah and there is another who immediately follows and bears witness to the truthfulness of the first; and before him the book of Musa had borne witness.
All commentators agree that the person with the clear evidence from Allah is the Holy Prophet.
The person who follows him is next to him, none come between these two.
The Holy Prophet is the first person. His witness is the second person.
The same testimony was borne by the book of Musa before.
Both are "Imam" and "Rahmah" (also refer to Ahqaf: 12).
The witness is Ali ibn abi Talib as has been mentioned by a large number of Muslim scholars mentioned above.”
Finally, history records that on 18th Zilhijjah 10 A.H. (10 March 632 CE), after completing the last pilgrimage, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) along with around 100,000 Muslims reached the place called 'Ghadir-e-Khumm' near Mecca. Then, the following verse was revealed:
O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people. - Holy Quran (5:67)
On receiving the above verse, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) stopped at that very place & delivered a speech an extract of which is, “....It seems the time has approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."
Then, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: "Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?"
The Muslims answered unanimously: "Yes, O' Messenger of God".
Then Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) held out the hand of Imam Ali(as) and said: "For whoever I am his Leader (mawla), Ali is his Leader (mawla)."
And it was when this declaration of Hazrat Ali (a.s.) as the leader and vicegerent was complete that the following verse was revealed:
This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion. . - Holy Quran (5:3)